Ever since Issa Rae announced she would be developing a slate of web series, we’ve been anxiously awaiting their arrivals. Now we have ‘Giants,’ a series about millennials trying to make it in this tough world. Take a look at the first episode and make sure to subscribe to the Issa Rae channel for updates. ‘Giants’ is created, written, and directed by James Bland.

Synopsis:

Three millennials determined to live life on their own terms, no matter the cost, quickly learn that when life starts to kick your ass, you either lie down, or fight back.

All struggling to make rent, Malachi lands a Craigslist modeling gig; Journee’s depression renders her useless, and Ade begins a second job after his father cuts him off.

The post ‘Giants’ the Web Series Premieres appeared first on Films of Color.

Award season in full swing, and the NAACP has released their nominations for the 2017 Image Awards. Anthony Anderson will serve as host. Nominations pretty much went as expected. Check the list below to see who got nominated and tune into the Image Awards. Good luck to all the nominees.

TELEVISION

Outstanding Comedy Series

• “Atlanta” (FX)
• “black-ish” (ABC)
• “Insecure” (HBO)
• “Survivor’s Remorse” (Starz)
• “The Carmichael Show” (NBC)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series

• Anthony Anderson – “black-ish” (ABC)
• Don Cheadle – “House of Lies” (Showtime)
• Donald Glover – “Atlanta” (FX)
• Dwayne Johnson – “Ballers” (HBO)
• Kevin Hart – “Real Husbands of Hollywood” (BET)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

• Issa Rae – “Insecure” (HBO)
• Keesha Sharp – “Lethal Weapon” (FOX)
• Niecy Nash – “The Soul Man” (TV Land)
• Tracee Ellis Ross – “black-ish” (ABC)
• Uzo Aduba – “Orange Is the New Black” (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

• David Alan Grier – “The Carmichael Show” (NBC)
• Deon Cole – “black-ish” (ABC)
• Laurence Fishburne – “black-ish” (ABC)
• Miles Brown – “black-ish” (ABC)
• Tituss Burgess – “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

• Erica Ash – “Survivor’s Remorse” (Starz)
• Laverne Cox – “Orange Is The New Black” (Netflix)
• Marsai Martin – “black-ish” (ABC)
• Tichina Arnold – “Survivor’s Remorse” (Starz)
• Yvonne Orji – “Insecure” (HBO)

Outstanding Drama Series

• “Empire” (FOX)
• “Power” (Starz)
• “Queen Sugar” (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
• “This Is Us” (NBC)
• “Underground” (WGN America)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series

• Kofi Siriboe – “Queen Sugar” (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
• Mike Colter – “Marvel’s Luke Cage” (Netflix)
• Omari Hardwick – “Power” (Starz)
• Sterling K. Brown – “This Is Us” (NBC)
• Terrence Howard – “Empire” (FOX)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series

• Jurnee Smollett-Bell – “Underground” (WGN America)
• Kerry Washington – “Scandal” (ABC)
• Rutina Wesley – “Queen Sugar” (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
• Taraji P. Henson – “Empire” (FOX)
• Viola Davis – “How to Get Away with Murder” (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

• Alfred Enoch – “How To Get Away With Murder” (ABC)
• Jesse Williams – “Greys Anatomy” (ABC)
• Joe Morton – “Scandal” (ABC)
• Jussie Smollett – “Empire” (FOX)
• Trai Byers – “Empire” (FOX)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

• Amirah Vann – “Underground” (WGN America)
• CCH Pounder – “NCIS: New Orleans” (CBS)
• Cicely Tyson – “How To Get Away with Murder” (ABC)
• Lynn Whitfield – “Greenleaf” (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
• Naturi Naughton – “Power” (Starz)

Outstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

• “American Crime” (ABC)
• “Confirmation” (HBO)
• “Roots” (History)
• “The Night Of” (HBO)
• “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” (FX)

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

• Courtney B. Vance – “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” (FX)
• Cuba Gooding Jr. – “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” (FX)
• Jeffrey Wright – “Confirmation” (HBO)
• Malachi Kirby – “Roots” (History)
• Sterling K. Brown – “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” (FX)

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

• Anika Noni Rose – “Roots” (History)
• Audra McDonald – “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill” (HBO)
• Emayatzy Corinealdi – “Roots” (History)
• Kerry Washington – “Confirmation” (HBO)
• Regina King – “American Crime” (ABC)

Outstanding Children’s Program

• “All In With Cam Newton” (Nickelodeon)
• “An American Girl Story – Melody 1963: Love Has to Win” (Amazon)
• “Doc McStuffins” (Disney Junior)
• “K.C. Undercover” (Disney Channel)
• “The Lion Guard” (Disney Junior)

Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-series)

• Emyyri Crutchfield – “Roots” (History)
• Hudson Yang – “Fresh Off The Boat” (ABC)
• Lonnie Chavis – “This Is Us” (NBC)
• Marsai Martin – “black-ish” (ABC)
• Miles Brown – “black-ish” (ABC)

MOTION PICTURE

Outstanding Motion Picture

• “Fences” (Paramount Pictures)
• “Hidden Figures” (20th Century Fox)
• “Loving” (Focus Features/Big Beach)
• “Moonlight” (A24)
• “The Birth of a Nation” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture

• Denzel Washington – “Fences” (Paramount Pictures)
• Don Cheadle – “Miles Ahead” (Sony Pictures Classics)
• Nate Parker – “The Birth of a Nation” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
• Stephan James – “Race” (Focus Features/The Luminary Group A Solofilms/Trinidad/Trinity/Trinity Race Production)
• Will Smith – “Collateral Beauty” (Warner Bros. Pictures/New Line Cinema)

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture

• Angela Bassett – “London Has Fallen” (Focus Features/Millennium Films/G-Base Production)
• Madina Nalwanga – “Queen of Katwe” (Walt Disney Studios)
• Ruth Negga – “Loving” (Focus Features/Big Beach)
• Taraji P. Henson – “Hidden Figures” (20th Century Fox)
• Tika Sumpter – “Southside With You” (Roadside Attractions)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

• Alano Miller – “Loving” (Focus Features/Big Beach)
• Chadwick Boseman – “Captain America: Civil War” (Marvel Studios)
• David Oyelowo – “Queen of Katwe” (Walt Disney Studios)
• Mahershala Ali – “Moonlight” (A24)
• Trevante Rhodes – “Moonlight” (A24)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

• Aja Naomi King – “The Birth of a Nation” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
• Lupita Nyong’o – “Queen of Katwe” (Walt Disney Studios)
• Mo’ Nique – “Almost Christmas” (Universal Pictures)
• Octavia Spencer – “Hidden Figures” (20th Century Fox)
• Viola Davis – “Fences” (Paramount Pictures)

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture

• “Lion” (The Weinstein Co.)
• “Loving” (Focus Features/Big Beach)
• “Miles Ahead” (Sony Pictures Classics)
• “Moonlight” (A24)
• “The Birth of a Nation” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

WRITING

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series

• Donald Glover – “Atlanta” – B.A.N. (FX)
• Issa Rae, Larry Wilmore – “Insecure” – Insecure as F**k (HBO)
• Kenya Barris – “black-ish” – Hope (ABC)
• Our Lady J – “Transparent” – If I Were A Bell (Amazon)
• Prentice Penny – “Insecure” – Real as F**k (HBO)

Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series

• Akela Cooper – “Marvel’s Luke Cage” – Manifest (Netflix)
• Anthony Sparks – “Queen Sugar” – By Any Chance (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
• Ava DuVernay – “Queen Sugar” – First Things First (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
• Joe Robert Cole – “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story – The Race Card” – (FX)
• LaToya Morgan – “TURN: Washington’s Spies” – Benediction (AMC)

Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture – (Television)

• Alison McDonald – “An American Girl Story – Melody 1963: Love Has to Win” (Amazon)
• Alison McDonald – “Roots (Night 2)” (History)
• Charles Murray – “Roots (Night 3)” (History)
• Rashida Jones and Mike Schur – “Black Mirror: Nosedive” (Netflix)
• Rhonda Freeman-Baraka – “Merry Christmas, Baby!” (UP TV)

Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture (Film)

• Adam Mansbach “Barry” (Black Bear Pictures and Cinetic Media)
• Barry Jenkins (Screenplay) and Tarell Alvin McCraney (Story by) “Moonlight” (A24)
• Jeff Nichols “Loving” (Focus Features/Big Beach)
• Nate Parker “The Birth of a Nation” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
• Richard Tanne “Southside With You” (Roadside Attractions)

DIRECTING

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series

• Anton Cropper – “black-ish” – God (ABC)
• Anton Cropper – “black-ish” – Good-ish Times (ABC)
• Donald Glover – “Atlanta” – Value (FX)
• Marta Cunningham – “Transparent” – Exciting and New (Amazon)
• Melina Matsoukas – “Insecure” – Insecure as F**k” (HBO)

Outstanding Directing in a Dramatic Series

• Anthony Hemingway – “Underground” – The Macon 7 (WGN America)
• John Singleton – “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story: The Race Card” – (FX)
• Millicent Shelton – “Empire” – The Lyon Who Cried Wolf (FOX)
• Paris Barclay – “Pitch” – Pilot (FOX)
• Sam Esmail – “Mr. Robot” – eps2.5_h4ndshake.sme (USA Network)

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Television)

• Carl Seaton – “Bad Dad Rehab” – (TV One)
• Mario Van Peebles – “Roots (Night 2)” – (History)
• Rick Famuyiwa – “Confirmation” – (HBO)
• Thomas Carter – “Roots (Night 3)” – (History)
• Vondie Curtis-Hall – “Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart” – (Lifetime)

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture – (Film)

• Anthony Russo, Joe Russo – “Captain America: Civil War” (Marvel Studios)
• Barry Jenkins – “Moonlight” (A24)
• Garth Davis – “Lion” (The Weinstein Co.)
• Mira Nair – “Queen of Katwe” (Walt Disney Studios)
• Nate Parker – “The Birth of a Nation” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

ANIMATED/CGI

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – (Television or Film)

• Dwayne Johnson – “Moana” (Walt Disney Animation Studios)
• Idris Elba – “Finding Dory” (Pixar Animation Studios)
• Idris Elba – “The Jungle Book” (Walt Disney Studios)
• Kevin Hart – “The Secret Life of Pets” (Universal Pictures)
• Loretta Devine – “Doc McStuffins” (Disney Junior)

The 48th NAACP Image Awards airs February 11, 2017 at 9/8c live on TV One.

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Fall is upon us, so that means many of our favorite shows are returning. But fall also brings a crop of new shows, ones we hope will take off and make it past the first year. Here are some of the shows were looking forward to for the 2016 Fall TV season.

Pitch

Pitch focuses on Ginny Baker (played by Kylie Bunbury), a baseball pitcher who becomes the first female player in the MLB when she joins the San Diego Padres.

Synopsis:

A beautiful, tough and gifted athlete, GINNY BAKER is vaulted into instant fame when she’s called up by the San Diego Padres to make her Major League debut. Like any rookie, Ginny must prove herself to her teammates. Foremost among them is MIKE LAWSON, the team’s ruggedly handsome star catcher. There’s instant chemistry between them, although neither dares admit it. After all, Mike is captain of the team and a few of his players don’t even want Ginny on the field. One of the players watching Ginny’s back is center fielder BLIP SANDERS, an old friend from the minor leagues. Guiding her is her agent/confidante AMELIA SLATER. Amelia saw Ginny’s star potential early on and left her previous job as a Hollywood publicist to concentrate on the young phenom. Although groomed for this moment by her demanding father, BILL BAKER, the end of Ginny’s improbable journey is the beginning of an almost impossible one: representing her gender as she embarks on a successful baseball career under the glare of the white-hot media spotlight. It’s a goal hard enough for anyone to achieve – except this player is also a woman, who happens to be the most important historical figure in sports since Jackie Robinson. This season, Ginny Baker will be the other woman trying to break into one of the oldest, most exclusive men’s clubs in the country.

Lethal Weapon

I know. Everyone’s over reboots. But that’s not stopping Hollywood. This time it’s Lethal Weapon. Damon Wayans takes over the role, Roger Murtaugh, made famous by Danny Glover.

Synopsis:

Grief-stricken after the loss of his young wife and unborn child, ex-Navy SEAL-turned-detective MARTIN RIGGS moves to California to “start over” at the LAPD. He’s paired up with ROGER MURTAUGH, who’s just coming back to the job after a near-fatal heart attack. Riggs’ penchant for diving headfirst into the line of fire immediately clashes with Murtaugh’s prudent, by-the-book technique. It’s clear from the moment they meet, this partnership could be lethal. But during their first case together, Riggs drags Murtaugh on a high-speed chase culminating inside the Long Beach Grand Prix and into a seaport shootout with drug dealers – and despite his protests, the older cop feels more alive than he has in years. Meanwhile, Riggs gets a glimpse of why Murtaugh is so determined to get home safely at the end of each day – he’s got a family and a newborn baby of his own. By the time their investigation ends, Riggs realizes he may have found something worth living for – a partner and friend like Murtaugh. And even Murtaugh figures this arrangement might just work out after all. If only Riggs doesn’t get them killed first…

Insecure

Insecure is the highly anticipated series from Issa Rae. To learn more about it, check out our write up.

New series that have already started are Queen Sugar and Atlanta. What shows are you looking forward to? What about returning shows?

Pitch premieres September 22 at 9/8c and airs Thursdays on FOX.

Lethal Weapon premieres September 21 at 8/7c and airs Wednesday on FOX.

Insecure premieres October 9 at 10:30/9:30c and airs Sundays on HBO.

The post The 2016 Fall TV Season Is Upon Us appeared first on Films of Color.

Insecure stars Rae, Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis, and Lisa Joyce. If Girls is too pale for you, this might be your show. The series explores the friendship, experiences and tribulations of two black women.

Insecure premieres October 9 at 10:30/9:30c and airs Sundays on HBO.

The post ‘Insecure’ Trailer appeared first on Films of Color.

Some romances begin as friendships. Some people are friends forever before they start dating. Going from friends to lovers can be a tricky road to navigate. Follow Robin and Charles as they try to figure it out in “First,” a web series on the Issa Rae channel on YouTube. Check out the synopsis and first episode below.

Synopsis:

Robin and Charles have known each other since middle school, but it’s not until their late 20s that they realize their feelings are more than platonic. Robin an aspiring novelist moves back to her hometown post graduate school.

She’s instantly greeted by Charles who takes her on her first date since being home. The two share in a nostalgia for their 90’s childhood and see more than friendship in their future…

Cast:

Jahmela Biggs – Robin

Will Catlett – Charles

Crew:

Creator/Writer – Jahmela Biggs

Director – James Bland

The post ‘First” (Web Series) appeared first on Films of Color.

Ever since we heard that Issa Rae would be developing her own television show, we’ve been waiting with bated breath on what would materialize. It looks like now we can let that breath go.

HBO has ordered a comedy pilot called Insecure. It will star Issa Rae and is co-created by her and Larry Wilmore.

Insecure will be based on the experiences of a modern Black girl, similar to “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl.”

HBO has produced a string of hits so I’m sure this will be no different. Can’t wait for it to hit the air.

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