Producer D.A. Jackson has released his second independent short film based off Marvel Comics' superhero Black Panther on his YouTube channel.
Jackson received much acclaim with his first installment of the series. The sequel, "The Black Panther Unleashed Part 2," has also grabbed the attention of industry experts.
Within hours of the release, Jackson received a call from Demetrius Angelo, founder of Urban Action Showcase and Expo, a premier all-Action entertainment platform, sponsored by HBO, New York City.
On behalf of UASE, Angelo is honoring Jackson and his team from Workhorse Pictures by inviting them to be panelists at the Urban Action Expo in November on the Comic Book film panel, “From Strip to Screen.”
Jackson, a Gainesville native and University of Florida graduate, was excited to hear his work in the Black Panther series had been recognized by a premier film agency.
The series was a challenge to inspire others to create similarly interesting work, and that goal is being met, according to Jackson. He said the recognition the series is receiving affirms that there is an audience out there for their passion and work.
Jackson's first film, “Black Panther Unleashed: Storms of Carnage”, cost his production team $50 to produce. He invested about $500 to create part two with the help of his team.
With immediate feedback from fans and film festivals alike, the installment paid off.
Angelo said he followed Jackson's work with the Black Panther sequel and invited Workhouse Pictures to join three other independent production companies at the film expo.
“You want the best at your festival,” Angelo said. “You want the best at your event. You want the best to present at your audience. In my eyes he’s definitely one of the best when it comes to developing as it pertains to the action genre," Angelo said of Jackson, "His content is definitely, to me, Hollywood or above Hollywood standard as an independent film maker.”
As a panelist, Jackson will be talking about how to bring a concept from a comic book to screen and how to make an independent film.
His two episodes revolving around the Black Panther character have been recognized by the UASE.
The first installment was the winner of the YouTube short film competition.
Jackson created his own script for his Black Panther film, as it was not a specific story from one of Marvel Comics' issues.
In 2018, Marvel Studios will introduce the Black Panther character for the first time in the cinematic universe.
Jackson said he thinks it's cool that his short film will be compared to the Marvel Studios' version. His version of the Black Panther is a departure from the original, he said, which is why Jackson believes Marvel is allowing him and Workhorse Pictures the space to continue making them.
“The more people get the word out, the more people that see what we can do, that gives us the inspiration and passion to actually push the envelope and do more,” Jackson said. “With that little bit of a budget and a dedicated crew and everyone with focused minds, we’re able to achieve things that are at least comparable to mainstream entertainment."
Jackson and his team will head to New York City for the expo on Nov. 6-7 at the AMC Empire 25 Theater in Times Square to represent the urban action film community.