So right away, it’s important for me to set the tone, because it’s in my heart. These are human beings who are trusting us to capture them in their humanity in a way that is honest and true…. Amy HarrityĬooper is aware that his patience and ability to share authorship with his cast stands out on set, so much that he’s earned a reputation as an “actor-friendly director.” Says Cooper, “So often actors are treated as pawns in this bigger game. Morgan Cooper wears an Alexander McQueen jacket, Alexander McQueen trousers, David Yurman ring, Gucci rings, Ben Amun brooch, and a Larkspur and Hawk bracelet. “Who’s going to tell my cousin’s story? Who’s going to tell the story of people in my city if I don’t do it, of people in my community?” “I wanted to go deeper with it in terms of the types of stories I wanted to tell,” he says. The Kansas City native came to understand storytelling as more than just his purpose, but a right. “But I learned how to lead a set and work through very, very stressful situations, and be resourceful and creative when you don't have a lot at all.”Īs Cooper grew up, the homespun, authentic essence of rap, jazz, and Black film began to influence him more as an artist.

Offhand, he mentions high-pressure instances in which his bank account read two digits and the rent was due, and times where he was scammed or nearly robbed. “ learned a lot through a lot of crazy situations, a lot of crazy stories of those days,” Cooper reflects. He went on to shoot commercials, then pivoted to writing and directing his own projects. He chose immersion.įor a few hundred bucks, the self-taught cinematographer started out shooting music videos for rappers from around the way, learning how to shoot, direct, and edit, all in real time. He didn’t grow up around filmmakers, or have anyone in his community to look to for filmmaking guidance. Cooper invested immeasurable time being a student of the game the two-time Tribeca Film Festival winner never went to college, or a traditional film school.

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