Netflix was working on a multipart Prince documentary with full access to the footage from the vault. Obviously, this is an amzing project since Prince reportedly recorded everything.

Last I heard Ava Duvernay was going to direct it, which was a brilliant idea in and of itself, but in February it came out that she left the project due to "creative differences". My guess is that her take was too political for Netflix/the estate.

Has anyone heard anything about it since? This is a great project that absolutely should come out. I hope it hasn't been cancelled.

It takes time to make these things. If they're done right, they're not just thrown together. I wouldn't look for it before 2021, honestly. Although something very late this year could be released, but I doubt it.

TrivialPursuit said:

I have not heard anything about it.

Qlove leaked out what many of us have been keeping undercover since Ava bowed out: Ezra Edelman, an award-winning and careful documentary producer, has been working on it.
I know he's talking to people close to P, including those who've been in the background.
Edelman won awards for his documentary "OJ: Made In America".

laytonian said:

Qlove leaked out what many of us have been keeping undercover since Ava bowed out: Ezra Edelman, an award-winning and careful documentary producer, has been working on it.
I know he's talking to people close to P, including those who've been in the background.
Edelman won awards for his documentary "OJ: Made In America".

Thank you for sharing. Becaue of that I was able to google. Lots of sports documentaries. I'm a bit wary of Prince's story being told by a straight man. But as long as they actually use a lot oflong-cut primo footage, I don't think it can actually be messed up.

JudasLChrist said:

Netflix was working on a multipart Prince documentary with full access to the footage from the vault. Obviously, this is an amzing project since Prince reportedly recorded everything.

Last I heard Ava Duvernay was going to direct it, which was a brilliant idea in and of itself, but in February it came out that she left the project due to "creative differences". My guess is that her take was too political for Netflix/the estate.

Has anyone heard anything about it since? This is a great project that absolutely should come out. I hope it hasn't been cancelled.

.

Must be hard to put the words "netflix director" in that search box at the top right.

jimino1 said:

^what has being a straight man got to do with it? So long as its objective, informative, accurate I dont see the relevance..or am I missing something?

i interpreted the poster's use of the term "straight" as infering that the director makes mostly documentaries about regular mainstream celebs likes athletes and not musicians like Prince who were a little more excentric.I think the existing of body of work by a film maker does not automatically mean they will treat new topics in the exact same way. If they are any good at what they do, they will adjust their approach to their subject.

This is the first I have heard of this Netflix doc. I am looking forward to it. I hope it's not just a mish mash job of the greatest hits and Purple Rain 1984 imagery and mythology that followed Prince throughout his career. I hope the doc gets into the details of how Prince and other artists from the scene fit into the Minnepolis music scene of the of the 70s and where that music scene fits into the larger picture of black American R&B and funk music of that era. It would be cool to also get some insign into how he made 1999 and maybe some later records.

I spilled the beans on my limited inside scoop last year. But Ava is not on it anymore.

telecode101 said:

jimino1 said:

^what has being a straight man got to do with it? So long as its objective, informative, accurate I dont see the relevance..or am I missing something?

i interpreted the poster's use of the term "straight" as infering that the director makes mostly documentaries about regular mainstream celebs likes athletes and not musicians like Prince who were a little more excentric.I think the existing of body of work by a film maker does not automatically mean they will treat new topics in the exact same way. If they are any good at what they do, they will adjust their approach to their subject.

This is the first I have heard of this Netflix doc. I am looking forward to it. I hope it's not just a mish mash job of the greatest hits and Purple Rain 1984 imagery and mythology that followed Prince throughout his career. I hope the doc gets into the details of how Prince and other artists from the scene fit into the Minnepolis music scene of the of the 70s and where that music scene fits into the larger picture of black American R&B and funk music of that era. It would be cool to also get some insign into how he made 1999 and maybe some later records.

No, I meant heterosexual. Although, your description is more or less equivalent. Prince meant incredible things to queer people, and the way we talk about, see, and think about Prince is different than straight society. I don't think Ava D. would lose that, and I don't want it to be lost.

BartVanHemelen said:

JudasLChrist said:

Netflix was working on a multipart Prince documentary with full access to the footage from the vault. Obviously, this is an amzing project since Prince reportedly recorded everything.

Last I heard Ava Duvernay was going to direct it, which was a brilliant idea in and of itself, but in February it came out that she left the project due to "creative differences". My guess is that her take was too political for Netflix/the estate.

Has anyone heard anything about it since? This is a great project that absolutely should come out. I hope it hasn't been cancelled.

.

Must be hard to put the words "netflix director" in that search box at the top right.

Why you always such a bitch?

[Edited 7/22/20 1:26am]

JudasLChrist said:

telecode101 said:

i interpreted the poster's use of the term "straight" as infering that the director makes mostly documentaries about regular mainstream celebs likes athletes and not musicians like Prince who were a little more excentric.I think the existing of body of work by a film maker does not automatically mean they will treat new topics in the exact same way. If they are any good at what they do, they will adjust their approach to their subject.

This is the first I have heard of this Netflix doc. I am looking forward to it. I hope it's not just a mish mash job of the greatest hits and Purple Rain 1984 imagery and mythology that followed Prince throughout his career. I hope the doc gets into the details of how Prince and other artists from the scene fit into the Minnepolis music scene of the of the 70s and where that music scene fits into the larger picture of black American R&B and funk music of that era. It would be cool to also get some insign into how he made 1999 and maybe some later records.

No, I meant heterosexual. Although, your description is more or less equivalent. Prince meant incredible things to queer people, and the way we talk about, see, and think about Prince is different than straight society. I don't think Ava D. would lose that, and I don't want it to be lost.

You do know that Prince is a heterosexual right?

Anyway, implying that homosexual orientation would result in superior quality for a Prince documentary is utterly flawed logic;not to mention sexist.

Here is a logical name no one has mentioned drum roll please brbrbrbrbrbr Spike Lee , why hasn't anyone offered it 2 Spike him being a huge Prince fan and he has done a docmentary or 2, plus a very wonderful director.

JudasLChrist said:

Netflix was working on a multipart Prince documentary with full access to the footage from the vault. Obviously, this is an amzing project since Prince reportedly recorded everything.

Last I heard Ava Duvernay was going to direct it, which was a brilliant idea in and of itself, but in February it came out that she left the project due to "creative differences". My guess is that her take was too political for Netflix/the estate.

Has anyone heard anything about it since? This is a great project that absolutely should come out. I hope it hasn't been cancelled.

How about Spike Lee , he is Prince fan and has done documentaries b4. He would do the documentary Justice .

toshi said:

JudasLChrist said:

No, I meant heterosexual. Although, your description is more or less equivalent. Prince meant incredible things to queer people, and the way we talk about, see, and think about Prince is different than straight society. I don't think Ava D. would lose that, and I don't want it to be lost.

You do know that Prince is a heterosexual right?

Anyway, implying that homosexual orientation would result in superior quality for a Prince documentary is utterly flawed logic;not to mention sexist.

Yeah this is crazy. This documentary needs to be about Prince and his career not fans (or the director) projecting on to him.

rogifan said:

toshi said:

You do know that Prince is a heterosexual right?

Anyway, implying that homosexual orientation would result in superior quality for a Prince documentary is utterly flawed logic;not to mention sexist.

Yeah this is crazy. This documentary needs to be about Prince and his career not fans (or the director) projecting on to him.

I think there's WAY too much projection regarding Prince. He said it all in Controversy; he loved not being labeled.

AND to the Spike Lee suggestion: no. This is one case where a NON-connected producer-director will bring honesty to a project.

Fan projects are ALWAYS about the fan, not the man.

JudasLChrist said:

telecode101 said:

i interpreted the poster's use of the term "straight" as infering that the director makes mostly documentaries about regular mainstream celebs likes athletes and not musicians like Prince who were a little more excentric.I think the existing of body of work by a film maker does not automatically mean they will treat new topics in the exact same way. If they are any good at what they do, they will adjust their approach to their subject.

This is the first I have heard of this Netflix doc. I am looking forward to it. I hope it's not just a mish mash job of the greatest hits and Purple Rain 1984 imagery and mythology that followed Prince throughout his career. I hope the doc gets into the details of how Prince and other artists from the scene fit into the Minnepolis music scene of the of the 70s and where that music scene fits into the larger picture of black American R&B and funk music of that era. It would be cool to also get some insign into how he made 1999 and maybe some later records.

No, I meant heterosexual. Although, your description is more or less equivalent. Prince meant incredible things to queer people, and the way we talk about, see, and think about Prince is different than straight society. I don't think Ava D. would lose that, and I don't want it to be lost.

Prince meant incredible things to people 'outside the box'

I'm a straight man, and I eat up everything about Prince.
Unlike some, I didn't shy away from the Lovesexy album cover

Prince was Prince.

sirnasstee said:

JudasLChrist said:

Netflix was working on a multipart Prince documentary with full access to the footage from the vault. Obviously, this is an amzing project since Prince reportedly recorded everything.

Last I heard Ava Duvernay was going to direct it, which was a brilliant idea in and of itself, but in February it came out that she left the project due to "creative differences". My guess is that her take was too political for Netflix/the estate.

Has anyone heard anything about it since? This is a great project that absolutely should come out. I hope it hasn't been cancelled.

How about Spike Lee , he is Prince fan and has done documentaries b4. He would do the documentary Justice .

Spike Lee is a good director. He is exactly who I wouldn't want to do a major Prince doc, though. He does not do queer people in his films well, or at all sometimes. The queer POV when it comes to Prince would be invisible under his eye. Plenty of people would make a good documentary about Prince. I'd prefer Ava.

[Edited 7/25/20 17:54pm]

JudasLChrist said:

sirnasstee said:

How about Spike Lee , he is Prince fan and has done documentaries b4. He would do the documentary Justice .

Spike Lee is a good director. He is exactly who I wouldn't want to do a major Prince doc, though. He does not do queer people in his films well, or at all sometimes. The queer POV when it comes to Prince would be invisible under his eye. Plenty of people would make a good documentary about Prince. I'd prefer Ava.

[Edited 7/25/20 17:54pm]

Prince was not queer, gay, bisexual or anything you WANT him to be (insert obligatory Seinfeld "not that there's anything wrong with that".)
So why do you want a "queer POV"? Fan reactions have NOTHING to do with a good documentary.

What he was, was a man who wanted everyone as a fan and made himself alluring to everyone.
That's why he appealed to ALL of us, just not one segment.

[Edited 7/26/20 7:18am]

laytonian said:

JudasLChrist said:

Spike Lee is a good director. He is exactly who I wouldn't want to do a major Prince doc, though. He does not do queer people in his films well, or at all sometimes. The queer POV when it comes to Prince would be invisible under his eye. Plenty of people would make a good documentary about Prince. I'd prefer Ava.

[Edited 7/25/20 17:54pm]

Prince was not queer, gay, bisexual or anything you WANT him to be (insert obligatory Seinfeld "not that there's anything wrong with that".)
So why do you want a "queer POV"? Fan reactions have NOTHING to do with a good documentary.

What he was, was a man who wanted everyone as a fan and made himself alluring to everyone.
That's why he appealed to ALL of us, just not one segment.

[Edited 7/26/20 7:18am]

The combo male female symbol and Prince wearing feminine clothing is "queer". The term has come to mean anything that defies normal gender roles. He even invites queerness "All the boys say yeah yeah, all the grils say oh yeah, and all you others say hell yeah"

That deos not mean he wasn't into women. It means he was not following normal gender styles or roles. Neither in his vocals, fashion, makeup, choreography, lyrics, etc.

Thats why a lot of square people had/have problems with him.

I know "queer" used to mean "gay", but it doesn't anymore.

laytonian said:

JudasLChrist said:

Spike Lee is a good director. He is exactly who I wouldn't want to do a major Prince doc, though. He does not do queer people in his films well, or at all sometimes. The queer POV when it comes to Prince would be invisible under his eye. Plenty of people would make a good documentary about Prince. I'd prefer Ava.

[Edited 7/25/20 17:54pm]

Prince was not queer, gay, bisexual or anything you WANT him to be (insert obligatory Seinfeld "not that there's anything wrong with that".)
So why do you want a "queer POV"? Fan reactions have NOTHING to do with a good documentary.

What he was, was a man who wanted everyone as a fan and made himself alluring to everyone.
That's why he appealed to ALL of us, just not one segment.

[Edited 7/26/20 7:18am]

People are trying to argu with me about wether Prince was gay or not. I have my own opinions about that, but I am not making the case that Prince was anything in this thread. I said that Prince meant huge things to LGBT people, and I don't want to see that get lost in a major documentary about him, and it likely will get lost with a director who has done mostly sports documentaries. That said, I haven't seen what this person has done.

JudasLChrist said:

People are trying to argu with me about wether Prince was gay or not. I have my own opinions about that, but I am not making the case that Prince was anything in this thread. I said that Prince meant huge things to LGBT people, and I don't want to see that get lost in a major documentary about him, and it likely will get lost with a director who has done mostly sports documentaries. That said, I haven't seen what this person has done.

I think that would be a great approach for a Prince project. It's not the only worthwhile one, and I doubt it's what we're going to get in the Netflix documentary, but Prince is big enough to reward many approaches, and I"d like to see different filmmakers (or writers) explore them in depth.

Prince's cultural influence is what ultimately matters, and that's not just what musicians stole what from him. It's how he reflected and affected the world around him--and part of that is the LGBT world.

[Edited 7/27/20 18:09pm]