Episode 20: Tina Mabry
A native of Tupelo, Mississippi, Tina Mabry graduated from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts with an MFA in Film Production in 2005. A true hyphenate, Tina is a writer, director, and producer for television and film. Tina is currently a writer and produce on FOX’s upcoming PROVEN INNOCENT. She was a co-producer, writer, and director for the second season of USA’s hit drama QUEEN OF THE SOUTH. Tina was also a producer, writer, and director on OWN’s QUEEN SUGAR created by Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey. Tina produced and directed MELODY 1963: LOVE HAS TO WIN, an American Girl special for Amazon Kids. The special earned Tina a DGA Award and a NAACP Award. Tina’s other television directing credits include Netflix’s DEAR WHITE PEOPLE, ABC’s THE MAYOR, HBO’s INSECURE, FX’s POSE and STARZ’s POWER.
In film, Tina began her career co-writing the feature screenplay ITTY BITTY TITTY COMMITTEE directed by Jamie Babbit. The film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2007 and won Best Feature Narrative at South by Southwest Film and Music Festival. Tina went on to write and direct her first feature film, MISSISSIPPI DAMNED, which garnered an impressive thirteen awards for participation in fifteen film festivals including awards for Best Feature Film and Best Screenplay at the Chicago International Film Festival in 2009.The film premiered on Showtime Networks in February 2011. Tina has worked on a number of short films, including her first film, the award-winning BROOKLYN’S BRIDGE TO JORDAN, which screened at more than fifty film festivals worldwide and aired on Showtime Networks, LOGO and Centric. Most recently, Tina wrote revisions for George Tillman Jr.’s upcoming feature at FOX 2000’s, THE HATE U GIVE, based on the best-selling novel of the same name, written by Angie Thomas. She is also writing CODE OF SILENCE for Madison Wells Media Studios, formerly OddLot Entertainment.
Tina was named among the “25 New Faces of Independent Film” in Filmmaker Magazine in July of 2009 and was recognized by Out Magazine as one of the most inspirational and outstanding people of the year. She was featured in the Advocate magazine as part of their “Top Forty Under 40” issue, which features the top 40 individuals who are raising the bar in their respective fields. Tina has participated in several talent development programs including Film Independent’s Writers’ Lab, Tribeca Film Institute’s All Access, and Sundance’s Screenwriters Intensive.
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