Blueprint Cinematic

30/05/2024

Our inaugural list of the 42 top female executives north of the border.

26/05/2024

"The Hobbit" is a textbook example of what comparative mythologist Joseph Campbell calls the monomyth or the “hero’s journey.” The concept, based on his lifelong study of myths and legends from across the globe, is a narrative blueprint shared by many well-known stories. Formulated in Campbell’s 1949 book "The Hero with a Thousand Faces," the journey can be divided into eight steps:

1️⃣ The hero receives a call to adventure
2️⃣ They refuse the call
3️⃣ They meet an inspiring mentor
4️⃣ They decide to “cross the threshold” and accept the call
5️⃣ They leave their home and face obstacles, enemies, and allies
6️⃣ They fail to achieve the goal
7️⃣ They try again and succeed
8️⃣ Finally, they come home with a reward

[Campbell] believed this monomyth was an abstract representation of growing up — the hero slaying the dragon being a metaphor for confronting and conquering our own insecurities and shortcomings.

However, over time, the universal nature of The Hero's Journey has been challenged and reevaluated. While narratives like the story of Moses in the Book of Exodus and the battle between Marduk and Tiamat in Mesopotamian mythology can be summarized as hero’s journeys, many other tales of old — from tragedies like "Oedipus Rex" to folktales like "Rumpelstiltskin," not to mention most creation myths — cannot.

In recent decades, feminist scholars have argued that many heroic figures from myth and literature aren’t as admirable as they were previously made out to be and that the interest scholars like Campbell show them is tantamount to the glorification of violence, aggression, and patriarchal social structures. It’s a harsh criticism, but maybe not altogether uncalled for. The Hero with a Thousand Faces focuses on male heroes, many of whom are out to save a princess.

✒️ Words by Tim Brinkhof

22/05/2024

Proof of Concept, an accelerator program supporting women, trans and nonbinary filmmakers, sets its inaugural class.

27/02/2024

23/02/2024

“Tyler Perry had been planning an $800 million expansion of his studio in Atlanta, … Now, however, those ambitions are on hold-“

The actor, filmmaker and studio owner is raising the alarm about the impact of the tech, saying, "I feel like everybody in the industry is running a hundred miles an hour to try and catch up, to try and put in guardrails."

07/02/2024

His impactful work in film and storytelling touched many hearts and we were honored to present many of his films and welcomed him in 2013 for our 1st edition of . May his legacy and work continue to inspire us all 🙏🏾

Join us for a well-deserved tribute co-presented by ACTRA Toronto on February 15th, 5 pm at the Carlton Cinema. Tickets and program: https://torontoblackfilm.com/event/tribute-to-charles-officer-akillas-escape/

Tickets l Info l All Access Pass • TorontoBlackFilm.com

27/01/2024

Director Robert Wise believed that Paul Newman deserved an Oscar for his performance in his SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME. Newman was not even nominated. Wise had this “Noscar” crafted for Newman. One year later, when Joanne Woodward won an Oscar for THE THREE FACES OF EVE, the couple posed with their trophies.

18/01/2024

17/01/2024