Creators Are the New Athletes

Hey honeys and hustlers,

This article does not contain spoilers from Sinners (I’m going to watch it this afternoon so please don’t put any in the comments or my inbox either!). I’ve been wanting to write about Ryan Coogler for a while, and this movie release seemed like the perfect time to do it. The first time I saw his work and budding partnership with MBJ was in Fruitvale Station. This movie was a deeply moving dramatic feature film based on historical events. It would be easy to say that this sparked my interest in film directing, but it simply isn’t true. But this was the first time I realized that storytelling could be deeply troubling, and still deeply necessary.

As I’ve grown into film directing, Ryan Coogler has been a constant source of inspiration. I remember his Director’s Commentary videos following the release of Black Panther, where he broke down his vision and direction behind certain scenes in the movie. These weren’t released directly to social like his 10-minute breakdown of the film used to record Sinners, which has everyone wanting to see it in IMAX. That video has a similar imprint in my mind. He’s truly in love with the craft of being a director and writer, and knows his characters so intimately.

When you think about it, when it comes to creating media for social platforms (and even big screens), we’re all characters in some way. The people watching don’t know us personally, so the information we choose to share, from the way we talk to the way we present ourselves, gives people an idea of who we are. While he’s not an extremely online person, he never has any problem showing up exactly as himself whenever he does make a rare appearance in front of the camera. Whether he’s choosing not to code-switch, being vulnerable on a podcast, or pouring his soul into a script. While there’s a lot to like about him personally, there are also quite a few things he brings to the culture of filmmaking and creativity professionally.

He’s an incredibly intentional collaborator.

All of his DPs have been women. He's made this intentional choice throughout his career, working with Rachel Morrison on Fruitvale Station and Black Panther, and Autumn Durald Arkapaw on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. This commitment to diversity behind the camera extends beyond just cinematography. In a 2018 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Coogler emphasized that "having different perspectives behind the camera makes the storytelling richer and more authentic."

He met Ludwig Göransson while in film school and worked with him on the music score for many of his films. Ludwig is also the musical talent behind Oppenheimer. With Göransson creating distinctive soundscapes that enhance Coogler's storytelling, there’s a certain familiarity that shines through in their partnership. From the intimate character moments in Fruitvale Station to the Afrofuturistic sounds of Black Panther, their partnership demonstrates Coogler's commitment to building long-term creative relationships that elevate his films. The continued collaboration through Sinners further cements their artistic bond, with Göransson bringing his signature style while integrating the blues music that is signature to Mississippi (though nothing compares to Alabama blues, if I do say so myself).

He fought to make an original feature that isn’t part of a franchise.

In an industry where franchise films and established IPs dominate, Coogler's latest project, "Sinners," represents a significant shift in both his work and the film industry. He negotiated a groundbreaking deal that not only allowed him to create an original story but also secured him the rights to the property after 25 years. This level of creative control and ownership is rare in modern Hollywood, especially for a film of this scale and ambition.

He’s not the first film director to negotiate a deal of this caliber. Notable examples of directors negotiating groundbreaking deals include Christopher Nolan, who interestingly shares a similar box office achievement with Coogler - both having secured $1.2B in global box office revenue. Nolan's deal for "Oppenheimer" included significant creative control, a theatrical window guarantee, and a larger share of first-dollar gross. Similarly, George Lucas famously retained merchandising rights for Star Wars, a decision that revolutionized filmmaker contracts. Quentin Tarantino's deal with Sony for "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" included extensive creative freedom and rights reversion after 30 years. What makes Coogler's deal particularly noteworthy is that he achieved this level of negotiating power relatively early in his career, having directed only five major features (a major accomplishment that I’m sure Variety is finding a way to make sound negative).

He found his acting muse early, earning comparisons to Spike Lee’s relationship with Denzel Washington.

The parallels between his collaboration with Michael B. Jordan and Spike Lee's partnership with Denzel Washington are striking. Like Lee and Washington, who created iconic films such as "Malcolm X" and "Inside Man," Coogler and Jordan have developed a creative synergy that spans multiple genres and consistently delivers powerful performances. Their partnership demonstrates how a strong director-actor relationship can elevate storytelling to new heights.

This dynamic of having roles written specifically for an actor represents a profound level of trust and creative synergy between director and performer. When Michael B. Jordan steps into a Ryan Coogler film, he's not simply being cast - he's inhabiting characters crafted with his specific talents and range in mind. This allows both director and actor to push boundaries they might not otherwise attempt.

Just as Denzel Washington's Academy Award win marked a turning point where roles began being written for him rather than him having to pursue them, Jordan's partnership with Coogler has evolved to where their collaborations are built around their shared understanding of storytelling. This creative trust enables them to tackle more complex, nuanced performances because there's an inherent belief in the actor's ability to deliver on the director's vision.

The practice of writing roles specifically for actors also creates a unique kind of creative safety net. When a director knows exactly who will embody a character, they can craft moments that play to that performer's strengths while also challenging them to stretch in new directions. For Jordan, this has meant tackling everything from intimate character studies (like playing twins) to physically demanding action sequences, knowing that Coogler understands how to showcase his capabilities (but also sorry that MBJ had to go to therapy after Black Panther!).

And that’s the funny thing about genre, isn’t it? Whether it’s music or film, creators have this way of making genres extremely fluid and pliable and culturally relevant. I can't wait to see what comes next from Proximity Media (besides these great podcast episodes with other talented Black filmmakers!).