Musicians Making Movies

There are two projects in the works written and directed by musicians that I am extremely excited about.

First, Boots Riley (of the communist hip hop group the Coup) has received a Sundance grant to make his film Sorry to Bother You.  The film is based on the Coup's concept album of the same name.  Riley has already released the screenplay as a book.  Luckily, thanks to Robert Redford and the Sundance foundation, Sorry to Bother You will finally be in the format it was meant to be in: film.

The Sundance institute describes the film and Riley's bio thusly:

Boots Riley (writer/director) / Sorry to Bother You (U.S.A.): A black telemarketer with self-esteem issues discovers a magical key to business success, propelling him to the upper echelons of the hierarchy just as his activist comrades are rising up against unjust labor practices. When he uncovers the macabre secret of his corporate overlords, he must decide whether to stand up or sell out. [the idea seems like something of an homage to Robert Downey's Putney Swope]

Boots Riley studied film at San Francisco State University before ending his studies in favor of a major label recording deal for his band, The Coup. He directed a music video for The Coup's “Me And Jesus The Pimp In A '79 Granada Last Night,” 

upon which the novel Too Beautiful For Words was based. He has never won an award for artistic achievement, but has decided that being the only musical artist whose surveillance was uncovered via Wikileaks is just as good as an Oscar or a Grammy.

Here is the video for the Coup's song "The Guillotine," from the album "Sorry to Bother You"

Second, art-pop rockstar St. Vincent has written and is directing a horror film set to be released soon.  She has released a promotional image on her Instagram account.  It will be part of an anthology film made by female directors entitled XX.

Here is the official video for her song "Marrow"


Here is the promotional poster for the film: