|
Today's Featured Biography
Monty Ross
Monty Ross, Spike Lee’s former producer and co-producer on such groundbreaking “Made in NY” productions as School Daze, She’s Gotta Have it, Do the Right Thing, Jungle Fever, Malcolm X and Crooklyn, started his career with the Atlanta Street Theatre, a small resident theatre company in Atlanta, Georgia. He moved to New York City to pursue his career in 1985, quickly partnering with Lee, as the Production Supervisor on the legendary 12 day shooting schedule of She’s Gotta Have It, starring Tommy Hicks, Tracy Camilla Johns, and John Canada Terrell. The film shot in Ft. Greene, Brooklyn grossed over $6 million dollars, and Ross credits the film with launching his career.
Over the next 17 years, his roles at 40 Acres and a Mule Productions were multi-faceted, from Production Assistant to Vice President of Production; in 1991, Ross even starred in the Lee, student Academy Award winning film: Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop – We Cut Heads.
While co-producing a film each year, he also produced advertising campaigns for brands such as Nike’s Air Jordans and Levi’s 501 campaign, as well as music videos for artists such as Stevie Wonder, Prince and the Wu-Tang Klan. Most recently, he worked on the New York City production Inside Man, starring Denzel Washington, Clive Own and Jodie Foster, which was Lee’s highest grossing film to date. ($86 Million)
Ross, before returning to serve as 40 Acres’ Special Project Coordinator, along with Adam C. Powell, III, Adam C. Powell, IV and Geoffrey Garfield, produced the bio film on the legendary Harlem, NY Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. The film, Keep The Faith, Baby, starred Vanessa Williams and Harry Lenox was made for Showtime/Paramount Television. Additionally, he also, directed and produced two nationally televised syndicated documentaries, Welfare to Work, hosted by Nia Long and After Affirmative Action, hosted by Malcolm Jamal Warner which aired in over 100 hundred televison markets.
While at 40 Acres, his role allowed him to coordinate the company’s community outreach including its internship program, through which 40 Acres staged a “Boot Camp” providing a week of training and networking opportunities, and then placed interns in various departments during the production of each of its films. Ross also acted as a consultant during the development of the City’s training program for Production Assistants, a new initiative that will connect New Yorkers with entry-level jobs in the industry.
Today, Ross is actively involved in digital production and developing projects for emerging feature film directors.
VIEW ALL BIOGRAPHIES
|
Indicates an included photo
