Queen Sugars All Female Directors on How the Show Gave Them Their First TV Jobs. Ava Du. Vernay behind the scenes of Queen Sugar. Photo Courtesy of OWNWhen Ava Du. Vernay set out to make Queen Sugar, the director of the Oscar nominated Selma and Netflix documentary 1. As she reflected on whom to trust with her TV adaptation of Natalie Basziles novel, the names that popped up in her head were filmmakers shed known and admired through the independent film festival circuit and other Hollywood circles. She wasnt thinking about gender, but in the end, she quietly swung open a door for women in the TV industry when she hired only women to direct the 1. Queen Sugar Episode 4 Online' title='Queen Sugar Episode 4 Online' />LATEST HEADLINES. Al Pacino to Star as Penn State Coach Joe Paterno in New HBO Movie From Barry Levinson 5 hours ago Disappointed shoppers slam horrific new low sugar Lucozade that tastes like bleach and has potentially deadly risks for diabetics. The popular energy drinks. Watch Queen Sugar online The series follows the life of two sisters, Nova Bordelon and Charley Bordelon, who, with her teenage son Micah moves to the heart of. OWNs critically acclaimed first season. It wasnt  lets find all women, Du. Vernay said. Wouldnt Victoria Mahoney kill it Would Tanya Hamilton be interested What would So Yong Kim do with Ralph AngelMy mind started working that way. When Du. Vernay told executive producer Oprah Winfrey what she was thinking, Winfrey replied, Yes Lets do thisDiversity is real and possible, Winfrey told Vulture in an email. It is extremely powerful. Du. Vernays instincts are a correction of sorts to the way the TV industry typically operates. A report released by the Directors Guild of America in August, tracking the past seven TV seasons, shows only 1. Last season, women directed 1. Other series, such as Direct. TVs You Me Her, which was led by Ganatra, have been directed entirely by one female director. Du. Vernay is the first series creator and showrunner to hire seven women of various backgrounds, five of whom had never directed episodic television. Du. Vernay and director of photography Antonio Calvache Little Women, In the Bedroom created a cinematic and distinct look for the story of estranged Louisiana siblings who inherit their fathers sugarcane farm. Its one that builds the world of fictional town St. Josephine, Louisiana, shows off its natural beauty, and accentuatesthe shows patient tone. Du. Vernay wanted directors who would take that vision and run with it. She hired TV pioneer Neema Barnette Woman Thou Art Loosed On the 7th Day, Being Mary Jane Tina Mabry Mississippi Damned Kat Candler Hellion and Salli Richardson Whitfield Eureka to helm two episodes each, and Victoria Mahoney Yelling to the Sky So Yong Kim Lovesong, Treeless Mountain and Tanya Hamilton Night Catches Us for one episode each. What Ava did ran counter to everything I have been told in every meeting I have gone to, which is that you cant get the job because no one will hire you without previous experience, but nobody will give you that first opportunity so its a catch 2. Hamilton, whose film Night Catches Us debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2. In addition to the obvious sexism behind the excuses, Du. Vernay says its absurd for studios and networks not to appreciate the similarities between helming an independent film and a TV show. It would be different if they were working at the local library and I gave them an episode of television. These women have directed films, acclaimed films that have gone to festivals around the world, Du. Vernay explained. But in TV, you have more money. So how would you not be able to translate making something beautiful under time and money constraints when youre given the blessing of more money, more tools, more crew under the same time pressure you already demonstrated that you can excel inDu. Vernay credits another woman Shonda Rhimes for giving her a break in her own career. After Du. Vernays 2. Sundance win for her feature debut Middle of Nowhere, Rhimes invited her to direct an episode of ABCs Scandal. I cant even. Other shows are beginning to follow suit Last month, Jessica Jones showrunner Melissa Rosenberg announced that she will be hiring all female directors for season two of the Netflix show. As for Queen Sugar season two, which goes into production next spring in New Orleans, it will have a new showrunner, Monica Macer Nashville, Prison Break, Lost, and a new slate of all female directors. Du. Vernay, who is currently filming Disneys A Wrinkle in Time, will hire the directors and be involved in editing of scripts and episodes. Except for Barnette, the already busy TV veteran, working on Queen Sugar has earned its first season directors jobs at some of TVs most high profile shows, including Transparent, American Crime, Greys Anatomy, and Netflixs upcoming Dear White People. Heres how they all landed on Queen Sugar. Neema Barnette. Queen Sugar producer director, episodes three and seven, Thy Will Be Done and In No Uncertain TermsWhen she was 2. Barnette became the first African American woman to direct a sitcom an episode of Whats Happening Now. It was 1. 98. 6 and her first day on the job ended in tears at the hands of a male assistant director who was giving me a hard time. But the kindness of late actress Shirley Hemphill taught her the value of hanging on to her sensitivity for the sake of her art. Thirty years later, Barnette found herself getting emotional again talking about how she felt the day Du. Vernay told her she was going to hire only female directors most of them first time TV directors for Queen Sugar. I didnt think Id live to see the day, but not only am I living to see it, I was going to be a part of it. In addition to directing two episodes, Barnette, who also was the first black woman to land a TV production deal, served as a mama bear mentor on set. You dont want to say youre changing the game and then treat the women like other TV shows treat them, where they are stigmatized. Theyre bringing something to the table that is individual, and we want them to keep their vision as well as Avas vision. Throughout filming, Barnette kept an emotional beat sheet for every character to help her keep track of their trajectories. She directed one of the series most effective scenes in the third episode working with young actors Kofi Siriboe and Bianca Lawson, who play Ralph Angel and Darla, Blues estranged parents. In it, a heartbroken Ralph Angel shows up unannounced at Darlas trailer and they exchange no words, but end up sleeping together. The Los Angelesbased Korean American writer director won the Special Jury Prize for her debut film In Between Days in 2. For Ellen and Lovesong at Sundance in 2. Her film Treeless Mountain premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 2. When Du. Vernay called her to gauge her interest in directing Queen Sugar at the end of last year, Kim jumped at the chance. For years, she had been trying to direct episodic TV. Watch American Ninja Online Forbes. But now that Im getting more experience, Im realizing how challenging it must have been for her to pull that together and the support that Oprah and OWN must have given her. At the time, I didnt realize all of this because I was so green. Kim traveled to New Orleans to shadow Du. Vernay as she directed the pilot and leaned on Barnette whenever she needed support during her seven day shoot. If I have a specific idea about a scene, I communicate that with the actors and see what they think. But if they already have certain ideas, I work with them. There isnt one general brush stroke I use. It has to be specific to the person. In one of Kims favorite scenes to film, Ralph Angel goes to the bank to apply for a loan. Isnt it funny that people are like, Oh, we didnt know there were that many women directors. What do you meanVictoria Mahoney. Episode five, By Any ChanceA former actress, Mahoney made her directorial debut with the semi autobiographical Yelling to the Sky, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2. She and Du. Vernay met through the festival circuit and became friends. She recalls an email Du. Vernay sent her late last year with a link to an industry trade story about the abysmal statistics on directorial women hires. In the note, Du. Churro Bundt Cake Confessions of a Cookbook Queen. Churro Bundt Cake is simple, delicious, and gorgeous Full of butter and cinnamon sugar, its the perfect sweet treat. Let me tell you something about parenting. Its just a never ending gift. I am embarrassed to admit that I often overlook how precious of an experience it is. I find myself getting overwhelmed by the mundane chores that fills my days. Scrubbing fossilized blue toothpaste out of the bathroom sink. Making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I dont go to PTA meetingsBut every now and then, there comes a moment that reminds me of whats important. I walk into Lucys preschool at 2 oclock and stand there watching her twirl and swing her lunchbox, oblivious. I wait for her to notice me, and finally. A concerning river of snot trickles perilously close to her upper lip. Teachers stop what they are doing to look over in concern and Lucy screams, between heaving sobs, BUT I WANTED MY DADDDDDDD HE GETS ME HAPPY MEALSDesperate to save face in front of the watching teachers, I force a smile. She must have seen that on a commercial during the 3. Love the tears shes applying for early acceptance to acting school such a prodigy Come on, my precious pea, weve got yoga class to get to Ive got a green smoothie in the car for the road. Your favoriteWe rush out of the school while Lucy continues to sob. Damnit, Jess. Happy Meals EVERY TIME YOU PICK HER UP You couldnt do a better job of sabotaging me if you tried. Well. Two can play at this game. I drive to Walgreens and Lucy immediately perks up. Focus, Kristan. Pop. We find the candy aisle and pick out a blue raspberry Baby Bottle Pop. This will mean at least four days of vacuuming up blue sugar from the carpet, but its a small price to pay. The tears have ended and I didnt give into the Happy Meal. I will not be pushed around. I MAKE MY OWN RULES. We drive home, Lucy contentedly licking sugar from her God forsaken Baby Bottle Pop. I hand her her i. Pad and plop down with a large glass of Pinot and a DVRd episode of Dr. Phil. At least, I have heard that this happens. I wouldnt know. Im too busy watching Lucy sleep and documenting all of our precious moments. Hashtag blessed. This Churro Bundt Cake is one showstopper of a dessert. Its simple, but gorgeous, with very little effort. My kiddos are not usually huge fans of pound cake, but the addition of cake flour, baking soda and sour cream make it lighter and richer than most. Buttery and tender with a crunchy, buttery exterior, it has to be tried to be believed Ingredients. Tablespoons salted butter, melted. Instructions. Preheat oven to 3. Thoroughly spray a 1. Bundt pan with baking spray the kind with flour added set aside. With the mixer on medium, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl after each. Mix in the vanilla. Once its mixed in, add 12 of the sour cream. Repeat, scraping sides of the bowl as needed, ending with flour. Give the bowl a good stir with a wooden spoon, scraping from the bottom and making sure everything is folded in. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top so its even. Bake for roughly one hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Carefully turn out onto rack to finish cooling. As cake cools, combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush the cake with the melted butter, and rub the cinnamon sugar all over the surface of the cake.