On this month’s Black Genius, we’ll be visited by Christian Epps, Founder & CEO of Lights, Camera, Diaspora! (LCD!), a Los Angeles-based social enterprise bridging the gap between the African and African-Diaspora entertainment industries. LCD! has secured African talent for projects such as Beyonce’s Black is King and Netflix’s Queen Sono, on both of which Christian was the Chief Lighting Designer.
Christian has also worked on Lovecraft Country (HBO), Sylvie’s Love (Amazon), and the award-winning Selma, featuring David Oyelowo and Oprah Winfrey (lensed by Bradford Young), among many others.
His Journey
His career as a Lighting Designer has spanned more than three decades covering the range from major motion pictures, broadcast television, commercials, live theater, dance, music videos and special events. Directors include Ava DuVernay, Spike Lee, Hype Williams, Andrew Dosunmu. Talent has included 1st Lady Michelle Obama, Pres. Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Nick Cannon, and Kevin Hart.
LCD! provides production training in partnership with private producers, governments, embassies, schools, festivals, television stations, and community development organizations, freelancers, producers and industry equipment manufacturers. LCD! has established a strong presence in the two film making capitals in the African continent, Nigeria and South Africa, and has also worked in Zimbabwe, Senegal and Rwanda.
On this episode, we’ll learn more about Christian’s passion for teaching, sharing and producing quality visuals, and how he’s become one of the go-to persons for connecting African production worlds.
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