Revolting Business: A Memphis Misadventure
On one of the biggest weekends in the BBQ world, I found myself in Memphis, Tennessee, for a slew of events centered around the Memphis in May Festival. The assignment was to capture the essence of an incredible program, Preserve the Pit, with Rasheed Philips, who had recently been selected to serve as a mentor. Preserve the Pit is an empowering initiative that offers grants and business insights from experienced Black entrepreneurs to aspiring business owners. The task was to follow Rasheed and the grant recipients through their journey at the Memphis in May event and other festivities.
We had received written approval to document these events, including a behind-the-scenes look at another production, The Ambassadors of Smoke, hosted by RevoltTV. Little did I know this experience would turn out to be one of the most challenging and unprofessional I've ever had in my career as a videographer.
Behind The Scenes
Our problems started as soon as we reached a private residence with Rasheed for a supposed backyard barbecue shoot. We quickly learned the backyard barbecue was exclusive to the backyard. We had access only to the garage, driveway, and backyard, while the house, including the restroom and kitchen, remained off-limits.
We arrived around 11 AM, as per the time on the call sheet, only to discover the film crew was yet to arrive. We capitalized on the delay, grabbing interviews with Big Kev Bludso, Darren Carter, and Rasheed’s mentee, Deah Berry. It would be another 45 minutes before the filming crew showed up and another hour before they were ready to shoot so we wanted to make the most of the delay.
During our interview with Deah, a Revolt TV producer approached us, indicating they needed her for their filming. Despite our attempts to wrap up, the producer continually pressured us, even invading our space to peek at our footage. Ironically, Revolt's crew never actually interviewed Deah that day.
Once RevoltTV finally started rolling, I shifted to the backyard to capture behind-the-scenes and B-roll footage. However, during Rasheed's interview, I was abruptly confronted by a production assistant. She questioned my affiliation and proceeded to physically impede my filming, citing a lack of authorization. I cut the camera and left to avoid causing a scene but informed the team once Rasheed's interview wrapped up.
With the backyard seemingly out-of-bounds, we proceeded to film two mentees, Nate and Tay, preparing their dishes in the driveway. Yet again, our work was impeded by Revolt TV, who dispatched a camera operator to capture the same scenes we were filming. Fortunately, the camera operator was much more considerate, letting us know he was asked to film the food preparation and did not want to interfere.
Situations like these can be challenging, but I have always found the best approach to be maintaining professionalism and dealing with issues after the fact. This case was no different, and we eventually left the residence to tend to other businesses.
Aftermath
Unfortunately, this was a very poor experience. Between being barred from filming and facing constant interruptions, our content was limited. When I briefed Rasheed, it dawned on me that he hadn't signed any release forms, which would be required to air any footage of him. This oversight would give us an opportunity to obtain the footage we were unable to film due to Revolt TV's interference. A request for their footage could be made in exchange for Rasheed's consent.
On June 30th, Revolt TV requested Rasheed's permission to release the footage using his likeness. In spite of not having his permission, the video footage had already been distributed on their website and social media channels. The unauthorized release of the footage resulted in a cease and desist request being sent, but it would not be acknowledged until after the extended holiday weekend.
While it's tempting to chalk this up to coincidence, given the consistent unprofessionalism, I find that hard to believe. The date the signature was requested, coupled with what effectively turned out to be a 4-day weekend, are all indicators of a strategic decision to release the information without proper authorization.
Reflections
The experience with Revolt TV was a stark reminder of the obstacles that can be encountered within this and many other industries. However, I will always say that professionalism and respect are always the best way to handle these situations, and both should be extended to others in any relationship.
