Michael Donte

Michael Donte, is an acclaimed filmmaker who has earned awards like the Newfest Black Emerging LGBTQ+ Filmmakers and the Urbanworld Film Festival's Best Young Creator. His standout short film, "The Spirit God Gave Us," featuring Nic Ashe (known for "Queen Sugar" and "Choir Boy"), has been showcased at festivals including Outfest, NewFest, Blackstar, and Bronzelens Film Festival. The support of GLAAD, BEAM, and The Film Collaborative has backed Michael’s work.

In addition to his acclaimed independent projects, Michael has also made significant contributions to the commercial landscape, collaborating with industry giants such as Google and Lenovo and agencies like Portal A. In his role as a Creative Executive collaborating with YouTube Originals, he contributed to the development of a show titled "Recipe for Change" with LeBron James' SpringHill production company. His work culminated in the creation of a captivating 3-part series named "Spectrum," which sheds light on Black lives across Asia, spanning Japan, India, and Korea.

FILMMAKER Q&A

Black experiences are what comes to mind when I think about your work. How do you capture and celebrate this beauty through the synergy of storytelling, visuals, and music in your filmmaking?

Thank you. That’s a very kind and thoughtful compliment that I’m going to hold with me. I also love that you said “celebrate”  which is an action. I don’t typically set out to do that but I love when it’s reflected back to me. I think that’s beautiful. When I’m writing or creating my shotlist, or thinking about what music should go in the film. I’m creating for myself. What visual makes me jump? What song makes me smile? What story have I always wanted to see? My stories start with me first. I have to be really tapped into my body, my emotions, my past, present and future. It all tells the story. 

You used gospel as a healing tone in your last film so authentically. Are there specific musical genres or artists that inspire your storytelling, and how do you integrate those influences into your films?

I saw a viral video floating around the internet years ago that really touched my soul. It was Callie Day. And she was singing “Hear my Prayer” There is a moment where Callie goes into a lower register in her voice belting “Amen” and then she comes out of the register into her higher register still singing “Amen” over and over and over. And wow. I cry every time I watch it. There is something so beautiful about performing. And watching the spirit take over someone. You can’t even describe it, it’s like you had to see it… or have been there. The lyrics to me felt like “giving into” something, whether it be the spirit god gave us, love or any emotion. After seeing that clip I thought “I’d love to get married and walk down the aisle to that song” I never pictured myself getting married until that moment. It wasn’t something that I was allowed to dream about when I was young. Being queer felt like a death sentence. So two Black boys walking down the aisle while a woman sang “Hear my Prayer” was the first scene I wrote in my film. And even when all my other scenes were awful I would come back to that scene and giggle and smile. It felt like a hug to my younger self.

Still from “THE SPIRIT GOD GAVE US”

Can you share the collaborative process between storytelling, visuals, and music in your original series "Spectrum," and how it has opened doors for community engagement?

“Spectrum” is my brain child that I love very much. Outside of my film work I’m very attracted to unscripted/reality tv (done well) There are things that I want to make films about and then there are random points I want to make or questions I want to ask people. “Spectrum” came about so natural when I wanted to make the point that not all Black people think the same or have the same experiences. I hate being put in situations where I’m left to answer for Black people. So I wanted to show that we aren’t a monolith and we all come with our own uniqueness, talent and nerve hunny. And the music? Meh. LOL.

Can I ask if we’ll see “SPECTRUM” in another continent? Any regions of the world speaking to you?

I directed three episodes of “Spectrum” in Asia. Being Black in Japan, South Korea and India. Crazy experience overall. But I do get emotional thinking about something I created going all the way to Asia. Creativity is beautiful.

Still from “THE SPIRIT GOD GAVE US”

What’s the tea with New WRLD? Where are the visuals?

Lmao. New Wrld is very much my Act 1 with no visuals. That project was fun to create with all of my friends and new friends. Nothing makes me more happy than creating something just because I want to see it made. Like damn? I just got up and made that with people? How cool. So that’s all yall get with New Wrld. Cute name tho.

As a filmmaker and DJ, do you find any parallels between curating a narrative in film and curating a musical experience for your audience?

Yes. I’ve always been a DJ at heart. Most people who know me, know that I’m very specific about the music I curate in my films, so the natural transition into DJing only made sense. The dance floor is an amusing space. So much story happens on the dance floor. And being behind the decks above everyone, witnessing all the stories take place. And creating a soundtrack to it. Ooph. It’s so fascinating. To get someone to move. Hell, to get someone to leave. Watching folks fall in love. It’s just like scoring a movie. But you’re doing it on the fly. And any plan you thought you had, ha. It’s out the window and you gotta go with the flow. And sometimes you fail and sometimes you really succeed. The one difference between filmmaking and DJing is the instant gratification of making folks feel things. Right in the moment. Where as for filmmaking that shit takes months and sometimes years to get eyes on it.

Still from “THE SPIRIT GOD GAVE US”

As a creative executive, you contributed to YouTube Originals. How do you navigate the intersection between commercial considerations and maintaining authenticity in your storytelling?

Maintaining authenticity in myself has never been hard. Being in spaces that allowed me to maintain my authenticity or being around people who accept me in “commercial spaces” has always been the challenge. I think we’re in a day and age where “palatable” is so god damn boring and predictable. I find the most successful projects come from a place of authenticity and the more THEY start to allow us to be ourselves the more I won’t have to navigate “maintaining authenticity” in the commercial space.

Are you rooting for anyone in particular at this year's Academy Award?

Hillary Clinton.