Scene 2 Seen Podcast: Chris Robinson Discusses Newest Film ‘Shooting Stars’, Working With The Springhill Company, And Directing Human Driven Stories – Deadline

**Editor’s Note: This episode of Scene 2 Seen was taped before the July 14th start of the actor’s strike.

Hello and welcome to the Scene 2 Seen podcast! I am Valerie Complex, and today we’re talking to director Chris Robinson about his latest directorial film, Shooting Stars.

An award-winning director and producer, Chris Robinson is known for his critically acclaimed body of work that defies genre and is constantly expanding.  He and his production company, Robot Film Company, are known for their acclaimed storytelling centered around black voices and changing perspectives.

Robinson’s latest feature, Shooting Stars, the upcoming Peacock Original based on the book by LeBron James and the Pulitzer Prize winning author Buzz Bissinger, premiered on Friday, June 2.  “Shooting Stars” is the inspiring origin story of a basketball superhero, revealing how LeBron James and his childhood friends become the #1 high school team in the country, launching James’s breathtaking career as a four-time NBA Champion, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Shooting Stars is a film about humanity and connection, and how the deepest human relationships can be established and elevated through sport.

Robinson’s other feature directing credits include his feature debut, Warner Bros.’ ATL, which garnered nominations from the Black Movie Awards, Black Reel Awards and the NAACP Awards.  His follow up feature, Netflix’s Beats, starred Khalil Everage, Evan J. Simpson, Ashley Jackson, Ahmad Nicholas Ferguson and Uzo Aduba.

Other directing highlights include BET’s highest-rated program, The New Edition Story, which chronicled the epic rise of the legendary music group New Edition.  The series earned an NAACP Image Award, and starred Bryshere Y. Gray, Elijah Kelley and Luke James, and launched the career of Caleb McLaughlin (who also stars in Shooting Stars).  In addition, Robinson’s directing credits include President Barack Obamas’ White House concert “Love & Happiness,” the Amazon Prime pilot The Climb, and also served as a Co-Executive Producer of the Fox/Lee Daniels one hour drama, STAR. 

Robinson has also produced and directed several episodes of television including Black-ish, Grown-ish, Mixed-ish, American Soul, and Kevin Hart’s scripted comedy, Real Husbands of Hollywood.  In the multi-cam space, Robinson has directed comedy specials such as Tiffany Haddish’s From the Hood to Hollywood, Yvonne Orji’s Momma I Made It, and “Dave Chappelle: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor,” which Robinson was nominated for an Emmy.

Outside of film and television, Robinson has a prolific career in music videography. Robinson’s unique visual style earned him collaborations with prolific artists such as Jay Z, Lady Gaga, Yasin Bey, Drake, Alicia Keys, Pharrell, Busta Rhymes, Eminem, Rihanna, Lenny Kravitz, Snoop Dogg, ASAP Rocky, Diddy, Usher, Mary J. Blige, Outkast and many more.  He earned acclaim for his direction of Erykah Badu’s “Honey” music video, which earned him an award for Best Direction from MTV’s Video Music Awards.  Robinson was also nominated for a Grammy award for the iconic music video “ONE MIC” featuring NAS.

Robinson’s production company, Robot Film Company, was launched in 1999 and has since garnered BET, MTV VMA, VIBE Magazine and Much Music Awards, as well as multiple Grammy nominations for acclaimed work with such artists as Rhianna, Usher, Diddy, Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Snoop Dogg, Pharrell, Nas, Busta Rhymes, Lil Wayne, Eminem, TI, Justin Timberlake and many others.  In 2001, Apple chose Robot as the first company to showcase their iPod through product placement, and since then Robot has remained a frontrunner in executing targeted marketing and advertising campaigns for clients such as AT&T, Adidas, Hypnotic and Nuvo.

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