‘Shots Fired’ Creators & Sanaa Lathan On How The Ferguson Riots Led To Fox Series – The Contenders Emmys Video
It was the Ferguson riots and the not-guilty verdict in the George Zimmerman trial that inspired co-creators/executive producers Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood to heed the call of the Fox network and Imagine Entertainment in doing the 10-part series Shots Fired, which is just about as timely and urgent as weekly network TV can get.
Appearing at the DGA theater packed with TV Academy voters at Deadline’s annual The Contenders Emmys last month, the married couple described how the show came about and why it feels like a 10-hour film to them rather than a TV series. They talk about returning to the Sundance Film Festival this year in the forefront of a movement to deal with issues like Ferguson, and feel that TV as a medium can absolutely compete with movies in that regard.
Star Sanaa Lathan also talks about jumping at the chance to reunite with Gina, her Love & Basketball director, and why it was a “no brainer” to take on this rich and complex character.
Check out our conversation above.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx9IxB7r1i8&w=605&h=340]
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