Private Project

Justice for George Floyd: The Tipping Point?

An impassioned, skeptical digital media scholar filmmaker must overcome generational and cultural bias to uncover why the Justice for George Floyd Protests became a global social movement and propose concrete strategies for social movements to duplicate the movement’s success.

  • Dr. Christopher C. Odom, MFA, PhD
    Producer
  • Dr. Christopher C. Odom, MFA, PhD
    Director
    23rd Psalm: Redemption, 23rd Psalm, Big Trip to Japan, How to Make It in Hollywood Before You Make It
  • Dr. Christopher C. Odom, MFA, PhD
    Writer
    23rd Psalm: Redemption, 23rd Psalm, Big Trip to Japan, How to Make it Hollywood Before You Make it
  • Daniel Kutnink
    Director of Photography
    23rd Psalm: Redemption, 23rd Psalm, Chloe, A Will to Win, Big Trip to Japan, Delivery, Angel of Hate, How to Make it in Hollywood Before You Make It
  • Dr. Christopher C. Odom, MFA, PhD
    Editor
    23rd Psalm: Redemption, 23rd Psalm, Airborne Unlimited, Big Trip to Japan, How to Make It in Hollywood Before You Make It
  • Dr. Catherine R. Squires
    Key Cast
  • Dr. Danielle K. Brown
    Key Cast
  • Marquise Bowie
    Key Cast
  • Cadex Herrera
    Key Cast
  • Christopher E. Harrison
    Key Cast
  • Wanja Kuria
    Key Cast
  • KingDemetrius Pendleton
    Key Cast
  • Bridget Stewart
    Key Cast
  • Dr. Christopher C. Odom, MFA, PhD
    Key Cast
    Airborne Unlimited, Big Trip to Japan, How to Make It in Hollywood Before You Make It
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    20 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    December 31, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    15,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    4K DCI 4096 x 2160
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.90∶1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - University of Central Florida
  • Black Art & Film Festival
    St. Petersberg
    United States
    February 23, 2024
    World Premiere
    Honorable Mention
  • Las Vegas Black Film Festival
    Las Vegas
    United States
    April 18, 2024
    Las Vegas Premiere
    Winner, Peoples Choice Award
  • NC Black Film Festival
    Wilmington
    United States
    May 18, 2024
    North Carolina Premiere
    Official Selection
  • International Black & Diversity Film Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    May 30, 2024
    Canada Premiere
    Winner, Best Short Documentary by a Black Filmmaker
Director Biography - Dr. Christopher C. Odom, MFA, PhD

Dr. Christopher C. Odom earned his PhD in Texts and Technology, Digital Media at the University of Central Florida; his MFA in Film and Television from the University of California, Los Angeles; and his BA in Film and Video Production from Georgia State University.

Throughout Dr. Odom’s 30-year career in the entertainment industry, as a filmmaker, Dr. Odom has produced, directed, written, shot, and/or edited +500 short and longform creative projects. In addition, for over a decade as a Course Director at Full Sail University, Dr. Odom has supervised and developed an additional +500 student short scripts and films.

A published author and domestic and international award-winning filmmaker and voiceover talent, Dr. Odom’s work has appeared in major cities worldwide, including Cannes, Berlin, Tel Aviv, New York, and Los Angeles.

A former story analyst for Creative Artists Agency and a member of the Writers Guild of America Independent Writer's Caucus, Dr. Odom’s directing, producing, writing, cinematography, editing, and on-camera credits include feature films with international distribution through Entertainment One, promos and trailers for the nationally televised ITVS-produced PBS series Independent Lens, and aviation news stories for Airborne-Unlimited on the Aero-News Network.

Dr. Odom currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of the Our Vision Caribbean and Latino Film Festival; Vice President of Communications, Publicity, and Brand Strategy for EJO Ventures, and a Course Director for the Digital Cinematography Bachelor of Science Program (DCBS) at Full Sail University.

Dr. Odom recently finished his short documentary film “Justice for George Floyd: The Tipping Point?” about the visual imagery emerging on social media from the Justice for George Floyd Protests, as a social movement. He is currently in postproduction on the feature documentary version of the same film.

Learn more about Dr. Odom’s background on LinkedIn.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

JUSTICE FOR GEORGE FLOYD: THE TIPPING POINT? is a documentary short film that explores the power of visual imagery and narrative, both online and in the real world, within social movements. The documentary was produced in partial fulfillment of my hybrid dissertation for a PhD in Texts and Technology, Digital Media from the University of Central Florida. The hybrid dissertation was an expanded version of the same topic which was comprised of a 62,000-word traditional written document, 3 code-based interactive generative scholarship artistic works, and a documentary short film.

Why study visuality and narrative?

In the academic world, there’s a distinction between what has been labeled hard and soft science. Hard science is based upon easily measured numbers and statistical data. Soft science refers to things that are not easily measured such as art and the humanities. However, it’s a false assumption that because something is easily measured that it also must have the most profound impact. In terms of social media, although a graphic might lead to 10 people clicking a like button, the video of a digital lynching might also light the spark to ignite a global social movement and cultural revolution.

So why did I decide to make a documentary as part of my dissertation?

In making the argument for why visuality matters, there is no better way to explore and communicate the power of visuality and narrative than to utilize visuality and narrative as a tool of its own exploration. The Justice for George Floyd Protests, as a social movement, marked a pivotal landmark in global culture for a demand for social justice and social change, particularly as it pertains to the systemic injustices routinely inflicted upon people of color and marginalized groups.