BY SALINA MCCALLUM
Rico King is an award winning: Film producer, Director, Writer and Actor best known for producing “Tears in the Bayou.” He is also a Co-Founder of Black King Entertainment, a Black production company that focuses on Black stories, and a passion project that he started with his friends.
“We just started our own company, and I was like, let’s make Black King Entertainment, and the name stuck. It’s a friend group turned into an entertainment company; you know?”
In 2016, Rico was awarded the prestigious Best Film and Best Documentary at the Mount Vernon Film Festival for his film “Down in the Hole,” a documentary about police brutality and life in Baltimore, MD.
In 2017, he received the prestigious Diamond Award for his documentary “Tears in the Bayou,” along with two more awards for a short film he shot for Chicago Gypsy Production called, “With Dad.”
“My favourite project that I worked on is Tears in the Bayou. It’s a timeless project, getting those types of people together, having a community trust me, having my parents give me their stories; there are a few things in the movie that I feel cannot be duplicated. I might not be able to do that again, but, you know, we’ll see.”
Having been a resident of all the neighbourhoods in his films, like Tears in the Bayou, Rico traditionally dedicates his characters to real-life people he knew, or events he experienced, or witnessed.
“One of my homies, Young Mac, got shot in his head. I got a chance to go to the ICU to see him, and he was in a very bad state, you know, his head was very swollen, he could only move his thigh, and that’s how we knew he could hear us. If you saw him, you wouldn’t think he would make it. Having access to that type of scenery and having that access is special.”
King talks about how important it is for directors and producers to build trust with the subjects in their film.
“You have to be genuine. It helps if you have something else in your resume that says you’re a community person, having passion for people, not thinking about yourself when you get into a project. You have to think about your subjects, put yourself in their shoes, you know, and really, really feel their pain. You have to feel their pain. Sometimes it’s hard, especially if you don’t come from that environment. If you’re trying to film about the neighbourhood: go get your haircut, sit on a barber chair and talk to the barbers. It takes three or four months to get to know people in the area. Go to the parties, or go to the Boys and Girls Club, volunteer so you can feel the community.”
In addition to working as a Film Producer, Director, and Actor, Rico King is also an entrepreneur and community activist. He is currently writing, producing and directing a documentary called “Our Reality” based in Toronto.
“The documentary is pretty much a follow up for Tears in the Bayou. Black King Entertainment is trying to bring all Black communities together. I will try to get stories from all Black communities, not only in America, but also in Canada, Europe, and in Africa. We felt like Toronto would be a perfect place. Most demographics don’t even know there are Black people in Canada. Our audience needs to learn about Canada; we feel like voices haven’t been represented right in Canada.”
King ensures that all his subjects are being seen and heard.
“Our Reality covers the situation at hand, from all angles, from all perspectives, whether it’s parents, or perpetrators. Most of the time, we don’t even like to call them perpetrators, because hurt people hurt people, right? So, they are victims too. We involved: law enforcement, and politicians; we solicited opinions on how to solve this issue from all stakeholders. We are trying to bring everybody together for an answer, and also the answer is everybody coming together. So that is the beauty in it.”
Although King is not from Toronto, he believes the struggle that Black people face all over the world is relatable and very similar. He partnered with non-profit organization Youth Association for Academics, Athletics, and Character Education (YAAACE) in the west end community to bring more of the stories he was searching for to his film, which he is hoping to release in the fall of this year.
“Our partnership with YAACE came at a very crucial moment. To make a good documentary, you have to be part of the community, like you have to feel the pain. No matter how much I can relate to different parts of the struggle, I am not a guy from Toronto. I need actual people in Toronto to be part of the production crew, and YAAACE fit the bill. They are a non-profit filled with people who have lived experience. They have been doing an amazing job, so shout out to the whole YAAACE team.”
His charity work also includes: the No Shoot Zone, an organization dedicated to transforming the lives of young children and their neighbourhoods, and The Kingdom’s Children, a non-profit that helps house, clothe and pay for the education of orphans in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
When King is not producing, writing and directing films, he’s with his son and daughter. As a Black, single father, he dislikes when people think he is doing an “exceptional job” just by being a dad.
“Sometimes I don’t like it when people say I’m a good dad, because I don’t like people thinking that because I’m Black and young, you know, judging it like that. I think being there for your kids every day is standard. Everybody’s supposed to do that. It’s not an exception. So just because I am young Black, don’t call me an exception for being there for my children.”
He wants Black actors and producers in the film industry to keep going and never give up on their dreams.
“Don’t be afraid to be yourself. Don’t let people tell you what’s good for you. Always remember that, when non-Black companies sign deals with Black companies, they think we’re not going to bring their money back, but we bring back twice and three times the amount of money. Black movies with lower budgets perform best than any movies. We’re: creative, cultural, vibrant, and exciting people. Our culture is beautiful, that’s why everybody around the world copies it. So, be unapologetically Black, be yourself.”
Clariss Moore
October 14, 2019 at 7:37 pm
Dearest Mark,
My name is Clariss Moore. I am the mother of Danielle Moore who was one of 18 Canadian victims that died in the tragic Boeing Ethopian plane crash on March 10, 2019.
Yesterday, we happened to be visiting the art display of the Nuit Blanche Toronto Scarborough. Looking and admiring those beautiful display one of the display caught my eye the Local Hero. And our daughter Danielle Moore was one of those featured.
Danielle work tirelessly and give selfishly to this world and she was loved by so many.
It’s give me comfort knowing her memories lives on in each and everyone of us.
Thank you for this beautiful thanksgiving gift.
Many thanks,
Clariss Moore
* Danielle’s mom*