Anyone who has attended an HBCU is familiar with their school’s band and the hard work put in for each and every football game, and sometimes basketball game. Leading the pack is Florida A&M’s legendary Marching 100 Marching Band. Florida A&M alumna Brandi Mitchell’s new documentary takes the viewer on an intimate journey inside the HBCU Band phenomenon. Make sure you keep this on your radar to catch when it debuts later this year.
You point out an underlying theme is, “who did you become because of music?” Who did you become?
I spent 22 years as a celebrity makeup and hair artist. I had a very successful career in that, and then I transitioned to owning my own visual branding firm. I own a publishing company through which I’ve written and published two books that have done extremely well. And now I am moving into film and television. So, I would say it made me extremely focused; extremely driven. When I was given the opportunity to play an instrument at nine years old, I had no idea how it would impact me and how it would be a life-long love of mine. It created life-long friendships and is continually the soundtrack of my own life.
Why did you make the film?
I wanted to show my appreciation and love for music and marching bands and shed light on all of the benefits of being a part of a group that gives you so many unconscious benefits. I also wanted to show the world all of the inner workings of what makes a band great like Florida A&M and other marching bands. I wanted to show all of the things you can become by highlighting successful marching band alumni. And one of my biggest hopes is that Point and Drive will become this generation’s “A Different World” in that it will inspire kids to want to do something with their lives, go to college, and make their mark in society. I also have a son who will be turning 13 this year and actually plays in the band. Point and Drive will show how success leaves clues, and is backed by hard work and having a spirit of excellence.
Talk a little about the Indiegogo campaign and why you chose it as avenue to getting the film done.
I love Indiegogo because it allows people to put their money where their passion is. When you start talking about marching bands and things of that nature at HBCU’s there is a lot of passion for it. I’ve been working on the project for over a year and it has been a huge undertaking, and so I decided to go to Indiegogo funding campaign, which would allow anyone who wants to help bring this project to light donate and become a part of Point and Drive.
Point and Drive’s Indiegogo Campaign runs through March 31, 2014. To find out how you can support the film, please go to igg.me/at/pointanddrivemovie
