An Interview With Marcellus Cox:A Director/Writer With a Vision For Depth
Hello Marcellus! Welcome! Could you tell us a bit about yourself? Give us a brief introduction!Who most inspires/influences you currently and why?
Marcellus Cox is an Award Winning Writer/Director hailing from Los Angeles, California. Marcellus Cox has always had a passion for movies and filmmaking. As a True Auteur His style of cinematic storytelling embossed with dark and edgy themes that is engaging and enlightening, delivering his audience to a place of understanding and compassion for social issues and objectivity, as he Pushes the boundaries of controversial storytelling, touching on subjects such as Race, Religion, Social & Political issues. Marcellus Cox work has screened in over 200 International Film Festivals, Won over 150 International Film Awards and has screened Nationwide on CBS, FOX, ABC, SHORTS TV, Revolt TV, Crime & Investigation & PBS.
Where are you located currently?
Los Angeles, California
What is a quote that summarizes everything you’re about as a filmmaker?
I’m always pursuing the next dream, hunting for the next truth.
– Stanley Kramer
What inspired you to start creating films?
When I was around 9 Years Old and the first time I saw Who Framed Roger Rabbit. I was absolutely blown away but the brilliant Live Action/Animation combination, the pure natural storytelling within a Film Noir was everything for me and still is till this day.
This is the only profession where we can express what’s on our minds and in our hearts visually in the most artistic manner and I’ve been hooked ever sense.
Who most inspires/influences your style and specific execution currently and why?
There are so many Filmmakers that have shaped and influenced my style of storytelling and filmmaking. But if I have time narrow them down… Robert Altman, Ingmar Bergman, Stanley Kramer. Their Filmmaking style was my muse because their work always presents the truth in a powerful and realistic manner, there work can be gritty yet beautiful at the same time. And the way that they were able to get the absolute best outta their talent was well displayed on the screen.
What is your favorite film of all time?
I literally have about 100 movies to place here but if I have to pick one that’s nearest and dearest to my heart, it’s Taxi Driver.
As a creator, what do you find to be the thing that most drives you to succeed? We like to use this portion for others to learn from you!
The Love of my craft and Movies. I love making films learning new things every single day that I know I can improve on and even more I Love watching Movies, studying from the greats to see what message or messages they were trying to present to the world and how they went about the process of this profession. That’s what drives me the most and always will. I’ll never be caught up with the Lure of wanting to be rich and famous, as long as I can be behind the camera bring real stories to life that matters and getting better at my craft in the process that’s all that I want and need.
What is your overall dream in life?
Just to be a Good Filmmaker. Short, Sweet, maybe a little corny to most lol I don’t care nor mind. I just want to be someone I hope folks would respect and appreciate the work I release onto the world. Most important remain true to myself at all times with my artistic visions and never let the power of a dollar Bill influence any of my decisions. I just hope and pray I’ll be a good filmmaker.
We also had the absolute pleasure of reviewing Marcellus’s short film: Mickey Hardaway. Click below to go check that out!
What is the film’s genre?
Drama, Thriller
What is the film’s logline?
A Young Sketch Artist who visits a well renowned psychiatrist as his life begins sprawling out of control after years of Physical and Verbal Abuse has taken a toll on him.
What inspired the way that you went about executing this project?
I wanted to tell a truthful story about Dreamers. The ones who long for something more in this world then just trying to fill in the shoes of another 9-5 individual. Someone who knows they have more to offer with their gifts and the folks who don’t see things there way and the pursuits those folks will go through to crush there spirits and the consequences that affects everyone involved when a dream isn’t allow the opportunity to blossom.
What was the most difficult part in the process of creating this film? How did you overcome it?
Well in early 2020 we had the funding and was going to get ready to begin filming but Covid came and the production company backed out on the film so that left me and producing partner Armando Townsend wondering what the next move would be. So we gathered all the money we had and shot the concept. That proved to be a huge challenge as well because SAG-AFTRA didn’t have any set rules at the time so we had to make our own set to make sure production went well. Plus we were in the heart of the Black Lives Matters protest in LA, we could literally here folks marching in the background, fighting for their rights just to be treated as decent citizens in a land that’s proven they don’t care about them. And we had several actors quit the shoot over Covid right as we were about to start shooting. We had all of that going on and yet someway, somehow we got it done.
What was the most fun part of this entire production?
Working with the cast & crew. This by far as a Filmmaker was the most fun shoot I’ve ever been apart of. We had several actors leave the film unfortunately but when opportunity comes knocking someone takes advantage of it and that’s what happen. Working with Rashad Hunter, Stephen Cofield Jr, David Chattam, Charlz Williams, Deangelo Davis was without question the highest honor for me. Having the chance to put this together with Jamil Gooding was unbelievable. And of course just watching what the film has done since the day we’ve released it has truly been amazingly.
What is the single greatest lesson you learned along the creation of this particular project?
Don’t ever be afraid to tell the truth especially in your work. It’s the single most important weapon we have as artist to showcase our feelings of the world and to show a reflection to society when they need it the most like now.
Take a look at the film’s official poster below ↓
Is there anything else you would like us to know? Or any final thoughts / things you’d like to share with our readers?
I’m gearing up to make my very Feature Debut which will be the Feature Version of Mickey Hardaway. Right now 50% of the budget has been raised but we need help raising the other half. So I ask everyone to check out our indiegogo campaign, if you can please donate doesn’t matter the amount and share this with friends and family as much ass humanly possible.