For any film to receive The Reframe Stamp is not as easy as it may seem. It requires developing content that promotes gender equality and represents women in key roles. Due to the imposed criteria, only select gender-balanced films qualify for this honor.
The Reframe Stamp is a prestigious accolade given to films that meet specific criteria related to gender equality and representation of women in key roles. In order to qualify for this honor, a film must demonstrate a commitment to promoting gender equality and accurately representing women on screen. This can be a challenging task, as it requires a concerted effort to incorporate diverse and nuanced portrayals of women into the film. As a result, only a select group of films are able to earn the Reframe Stamp, making it a highly sought-after recognition for filmmakers and studios.
More recently, a film by Savoy Brummer has managed to receive The Reframe Stamp, and we are ecstatic to see filmmakers and producers finally focus on this particular issue. However, it’s intriguing to know that Savoy Brummer was not originally from the filming community. He graduated from the number one medical school in NYU and completed his residency at the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League School which has earned the reputation of churning out some of the best doctors in the field.
Though Savoy Brummer is now a practicing doctor, he developed an interest in film production when he moved to LA. Since many of his neighbors were producers and directors, he slowly found himself attracted to the field. “I had never thought of participating in entertainment,” Savoy Brummer shares, “however, I used the entrepreneurial skills I learned in medicine and business and applied them to filmmaking.” Savoy Brummer never expected to work in the film industry, but his move to Los Angeles changed that. As a doctor, he was used to using his entrepreneurial skills to solve problems and make decisions, and he found that these skills were also useful in the world of film production.
Dr. Savoy was also a part of the Oscar-nominated film King Richard, where he was accountable for the Covid compliance of the film. “I was accountable for keeping the cast and crew safe, including crafting the protocols, hiring a Covid team, organizing the testing of thousands of crew, actors, and extras, and creating a safe environment for the production,” Dr. Savoy reveals.
Little did he know the doorway of the film industry was just opening up for him, and he would end up creating a film that breaks barriers the society has placed on gender roles. One day, Dr. Savoy Brummer’s production partner Luke Daniels came up to him and said he had a film he wanted to produce about minority women fighting against racist and sexist fascists. Savoy Brummer read the script and realized he had to pay extra attention to ensure the execution was correct. Thus, an A-list cast was put together.
The film, however, took two years to produce due to several hurdles that emerged in their path, such as below-freezing weather. Then Covid-19 also made it difficult for the editing and post-production to be complete since a lot of people were not allowed to be in one room during the peak pandemic times.
It’s due to all the effort put into the movie that it became one of the most important projects of Dr. Savoy’s career. It is also the film that earned him The Reframe Stamp. “Producing Asking for It and getting it accepted into Tribeca was the biggest achievement,” he shares.
Apart from that, Dr. Savoy Brummer likes to incorporate and highlight black talent in his production as he also faced a hard time earning success as a person of color. “Growing up in Arkansas was tough,” he informs. “People constantly called me and my brother the N-word. I had teachers recommend that my brother and I not take accelerated courses without any evidence. There was also a time when grown construction workers were yelling at me, and my brother’s friends to ‘beat the N-ger up’.”
Dr. Savoy Brummer is a firm believer in the power of mentorship and the importance of seeking guidance from others when facing challenges. He believes that everyone can overcome difficult times, as long as they are willing to seek out the help and support of others. In his view, having a mentor can be especially valuable, as someone with a different perspective on life can offer valuable insights and help you grow and evolve. He is also of the opinion that everyone can break out of a bad patch. For this, he believes it’s crucial to have a mentor, as someone else’s perspective of life can help you evolve. “If you want more things done in life, identify the items you need to do. Prioritize the low-hanging fruit first and focus on being efficient rather than a perfectionist,” Dr. Savoy Brummer says on a parting note.