My name is Shabazz L. Graham, and I’m a filmmaker. Growing up, I was becoming all of what my influences wanted me to become. Faced with all the opportunities of bad misdemeanors, crime, drugs, womanizing- all the bad examples that were around me. I eventually was placed into, I’d say divinely even, placed into the hands of a foster carer who happened to be a Christian. At first, I didn’t really appreciate, I didn’t understand who God was. I didn’t really care. At a younger age, around 12, I fell in love with comics. I collected them like a mad man. I went crazy. They elevated my mind. They allowed me to look outside of the four walls of my bedroom, four walls of my dull, boring life. Every time I walked my dog, I was literally going on my own comic adventure where I’d meet Wolverine, Spiderman- different types of heroes. Maybe God’s like a superhero and He can step into my life and save me. The same way that all of these superheroes did in the comics I was reading. But you know what? I discovered and really truly believe and found out that unlike a superhero, God was real. Eventually I began a beautiful relationship with Him. He taught me who I was, and I went on to become the man I am today. The ability to express your self through illustrations that move onto film- it was my hearts desire. Films are such a great way to encapsulate truth and communicate truth. My most recent film is a short film called Malachi, which is all about a gifted young boy, who sees the love between his mother and father, which they don’t see. He basically wants to make a film that will bring them back together when they see it. Through some amazing circumstances, he manages to capture on film the face of God. I believe it’s the responsibility of everyone with a creative mind, especially Christians, to basically place their hearts, place their minds, place their creativity in God’s hands. When I’m weak, you know what I say? I say, “Lord, if you strengthen me, I shall remain strong.”
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