Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviews Sgt Major Keith L. Craig. The super-connected Hollywood Whisperer is the go-to man for independent filmmakers, producers, directors, development deals, finance options, distribution, and budgets. This year they have 50 new titles to be released in May across digital platforms, including Amazon, Google Play, Apple, Vudu, and Roku, and in select theaters. In less than 30 days, Porter + Craig clients' films will go global.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now let's return to Money Making Conversations Masterclass with Rashan McDonald.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
He is coming up next, Sergeant Major Keith L. Craig,
the super connected Hollywood Whisperer. I'm gonna tell you something.
The word connected, the word relationship is why Hollywood works.
If you don't have the relationship, you don't know anybody.
Talent is there. Talent is important, but you got to
be connected. Where I'm talking to next in my next
(00:28):
break a connector a connector don't go nowhere? One Making
Conversation master Class with Rashan McDonald. Be right back with
Sergeant made there, Major Keith L. Craig.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
HBCUs represent Black Excellence. If you attend or are an
alumnus of an HBCU, we want.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
To hear about your story.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
The My HBCU Story Digital Library will allow current HBCU
students and alumni to share their stories. Registration is open
to everyone. More information is available at hbc seucollege day
dot com. Click my HBCU Story. Next, you can upload
a photo. The photo can be recent or from when
you attended your HBCU. Then share your academic or social
(01:11):
experience at your HBCU, which can be your favorite class, hangout,
joint homecoming game, student center, honor, off campus party, Greek show,
and how attending an HBCU changed your life. We also
want to hear stories if you pleasure a fraternity or sorority.
The goal is to use your my HBCU story to
promote and uplift the HBCU brand. Your HBCU prepared you
(01:36):
for success, and now we want everyone to read about
your black excellence. More information is available at HBCU college
day dot com. You can click my HBCU story to
share your story.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Now, let's return to Money Making Conversations Masterclass with Rashaan McDonald.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Hi, this is Rashan McDonald. Welcome back to Money Making
Conversation Masterclass. I'm a dreamer, y'all. All right, Maybe you
don't know that about me, but I come from the neighborhood.
I come from an inner city, six sisters, two brothers,
And the interesting thing about me was that I watched television,
and television showed me a world that I wasn't living in.
(02:18):
It showed me the possibilities. And I used to always
watch Jaques Cousteau was my man when I was growing up.
I used to Joaques Gusteau. And when I went to college,
guess what. I worked offshore because I wanted that. I
wanted that experience. I wanted to be in the ocean.
I was working eighty miles out in the Gulf on
a on an all rig. They would fly me out
(02:40):
there on the helicopter and I stay out there for
two weeks. And so I tell people, you know, if
you don't dream it, you don't think about it, you
don't make it a possibility, then it cannot happen. Well,
my next guest is a person who that's what he does.
He makes it impossible possible. Sergeant Major Keith L. Craig,
the super connected Hollywood whisperers, a go to for independent filmmakers, producers, directors,
(03:06):
development deals, finance options, distribution and budgets. I don't want
to lose anybody on this because because of the fact
that if he doesn't do what he do, then you
don't watch what you see on television. You need him.
This year, they have fifty new titles to be released
across digital platforms including Amazon, Google Play, Apple and Roku
and then select theaters in less than thirty days. Because
(03:29):
he in partnership poor to Craig clients, film will go global.
Please welcome to the money making Conversation mathterclass. The one
and only Sergeant Major Keith L. Craig. How are you doing,
sirve how are you doing?
Speaker 4 (03:40):
Thank you for the introduction, glad to be here.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Well, guess what, Sergeant Major, let's start right there. First
of all, thank you for the service. Let's get a
history there, because you let me know there's a military
in you. How did it all get started?
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Long time ago? Age seventeen, I went into the military.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
So it was a really long time ago. So was
landing last week? Can be last week? It was?
Speaker 4 (04:03):
It was a long time ago, you see in a
storyteller already.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Absolutely absolutely do you think? Do you think, sir?
Speaker 4 (04:12):
But yes, a long long time ago. Uh, at age seventeen.
My mom actually actually have to sign me into the military.
I heard you earlier say that you know you're from
a community that was it wasn't it wasn't supportive as
far as launching you into you know, you're tomorrow. So
with me, you know, uh, my mom and I was
once homeless, you know, so you know it's from there
(04:35):
that I actually you got my will to succeed right.
So my you know, I had some people in my
past once told me that I wasn't going to amount
too much because I didn't necessarily like to do what
you know, we were doing down there as far as
shark sharecroppers concerned. But fast forward, I went to the
military and and just had some great assignments and and there,
(04:58):
you know, I learned the I learned discipline. I know,
you know, the power of you know, having morals and
values and integrity and honors, being honest and selfless service
to others. And that pretty much led me to have
some great assignments and actually was deployed six times, spent
over two years in Iraq. In one of those years,
(05:21):
I was part of intelligence brigade that actually gathered the
intelligence that led to the captures of dam Hussein was
at the time Eman number one. Fast forward twenty ten,
I actually took three thousand men and women over to
Haiti before the prince to help to sustain the city
that were you know, over there because of the earthquake.
(05:42):
Twenty eleven, twenty twelve, I was part of the logistical
unit in Afghanistan in between Kabul and Kandahar, where actually
supported to see a Team six as we crossed the
berm Into to take out of Summer bin Laden. So
as you can see, I've been around and with the
places I've been and the people I've met throughout the years,
I was able to excel in the military and make
(06:04):
it all the way to the top one percent, which
is a sergeant major. And for those those you listeners
who don't know what the sergeant major is, because Hollywood
has done an awesome job of teaching people what you know,
a colonel is or a general is or at role
is right, but they don't know that every one of
those rushan has a sergeant major as a senior advisor.
They don't make a move unless they you know less,
(06:25):
they you know, have dialogue with the sergeant major. You
know what I'm saying, So yes, and that's kind of
how that was my army career.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Well, let's go down on that career because I think
it's important. It's one of the things that you know,
this big giant press releif. People always say, how do
you get guests on your show? Vershan, Well, sometimes I
get these press relief to come out and I go, wow,
I need to talk to him because of the fact that.
You know, we talk about options in our community, we
talk about the negativity of you know, sometimes I'm gonna
(06:53):
tell you some Sergeant Major, I look at television and
I see, you know, violence, and I'm just prayted not
going to put a black person's face on the screen,
because it appears far too often than I want to
say it should. And so I remember once when I
was really an advocating military service. You know, a lot
(07:14):
of people in the black community, like you know, trying
to were resisting the values that I was trying to
say that a young person who doesn't may not have
the options to go to college should at least look
at it, don't just announce it. Tell us about the values,
because I don't want to go past that, because because
it still holds a lot of tremendous values right now,
(07:37):
and quite frankly, the military community is struggling to enlist people,
to get people to the list.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
Okay, well, yes, obviously I actually hold an MBA now,
but you know I got that inside of the military,
you know, And I also have no suit of loans
because of that. Because as a as a as a
soldier that's in the military, you actually have the ability
to go to school and get your education while you're serving.
So it's kind of like, you know, you it's a
(08:04):
win win for those who don't want a student loan,
you know what I'm saying. So, you know, oftentimes we
talk about society, you know how it kind of steers
us to it kind of presents a road map to us,
like you you should go to college. As you go
to college, that that will determine your job, but that
also determines a certain amount of debt as you as
you leave the university, you know. So, so I was
(08:25):
actually this past weekend speaking at the Howard University and
one of the things I spoke to people about was
professional score. You know, believe it or not, society is
keep the score of the things that you've done before
you leave college. As you enter college, for instance, it's
like what was your GPA, what was ther NCAP score?
You know, what was were you a part of the
(08:46):
community out there? You know when you go to church,
boy scout, girl scout? So you have to always build
on your brand. So the military for me an opportunity
to go get educated and be able to have a
launch point to choose anything that I want to do.
From the military because it's obviously it brands you to
where it doesn't matter what color you're choosing, red or blue,
(09:07):
whatever side you're choosing, everybody accepts people have served their
country because we believe red, white and blue, right, you know.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
You know, So, so what when did you start to
transition into seeing Hollywood or entertainment as an option.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
When I was deployed over in Iraq, I saw organization
that would bring over entertainment to try to take our
a mind off of combat for two or three hours,
you know, a year, because we spent three sixty five,
three and sixty five days in deployments. So but I
never saw any entertainment that looked like us, you know,
saying for as the minorities. Right. So it was at
(09:47):
that point as a as a senior advisor, a senior
soldier in an element soldiers came to me and asked me,
you know, sergeant major, what can we do to have
somebody that we like?
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Right?
Speaker 4 (10:01):
I started to reach out and and reach out to
Hollywood and and meet a few people and then brought
over the likes of BB King and the temptations and
things that nature, and it you know, it kind of
felt good to make people happy. So that's what I
you know, I started, I got the bug right then, Like, okay,
so you so.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
You started out basically a promoter. You're producing shows, bringing
in talent that was appealing to to an artist that
felt that they were not getting to they weren't. They
were they were happy to be entertained, but wasn't really
feeling the entertainment.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
Right, right, It's absolutely right were the most of the
entertainment was from Kentucky or Tennessee. If you understand the mean.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Right absolutely, Like I said, until you participate that you
put yourself in a position to be able to have power.
And like I said, as a as a position you
in sergeant major, you positioned yourself to be a promoter,
to be a producer skill set that guess what people
do every day, you know, Promoters are just advertisers. Promoters
(11:01):
are just you know, companies that somebody promotes these grocery stores,
somebody promotes these cars, somebody promotes these football games, these
basketball games. That's all he was doing in the smallest stage.
But you were learning the skill, and that skill allowed
you to start start seeing beyond what you were doing
in the military.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
Correct, absolutely, absolutely as a and I was a senior
logistation in military. So when I got that call to
go out to Hollywood and and and meet some executives
out there, and I was looking around, you know, what
could I do? You know, there was producer, there was
there was distribution, there was you know, the justic things
that nature. The one thing that I saw that the
(11:43):
science connected and the science made sense to me. Logistics
and distribution is pretty much the same, right. You know,
there's a there's a need. Uh you know, there's a
component that needs to be carried somewhere and people need
that thing. So you have delivered that, so that that
made sense to me. So I just went to you,
you u c LA and got certified in the business
of entertainment and from there it started on my plight.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Now, now let's let's put it. Let's be honest about it.
This is this whole relationship. You're in the military, Sergeant major. Yes,
you cared a certain amount of respect when you walked
in the room. People. I know, I'm gonna give you
my respects. Thank you for your service, because first of all,
you protected me and you don't even know me, So
that is that is a that's a mindset that people
(12:28):
have to wrap their head around. There that somebody has
chosen to protect this entire country and parts that person
may never go or never see. And but that's a
special person that does that. But when you walk in
the room with these producers, these executives, these these individuals
who are decision making, do you feel that because you
were in the military allowed you a certain ability to
(12:53):
make a better make stronger relationships or create relationships you
might not have had if you were not in the military.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
I would say being in the military, it taught me
how to enter a room.
Speaker 5 (13:02):
Right.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
There's a certain way. There's a certain way as a man,
you know, oh woman, you have to carry yourself right,
you know what I'm saying. There's a strict there's a
certain dress code associated with that because, believe it or not,
we we we are always judged and scores always kept
on how we move. So it's very important that you know,
they always want to put us in a box based
(13:23):
on our pigmentation. So it's very important that you move
as a you know, like a professional, you know, because
you are being looked at. So it's it's it's it's
how you.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
Move and it's really and it's important that you people
hear that, you know, because of the fact that you
know we could. We could, you know as young people.
We all were young. You know, I had to before
I lost all my hair. I had a big afro.
I remember. In fact, we're going to go to break
when we come back and tell this a little short
story about how I didn't want to conform to my
(13:55):
company's dress code and guess what, there was no success
for me. Frustration and that's all he's talking about. Be
right back with more so as you major talking about.
He's a whisper, y'all, but he talks loud on my show.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
We'll be right back with more Money Making Conversations Masterclass
with Rushawan McDonald. You are now tuned into the Money
Making Conversations Minute of Inspiration with Rashawn McDonald.
Speaker 6 (14:27):
This week, I sat down with award winning actor, best
selling author, and entrepreneur hell Harper. He stopped by and
talked about how his thyrout cancer diagnosis led to his
role as a health and wellness ambaeador, teaching everyday people
how to live healthier lives.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
We believe that a lot of the root cause of
cancer has to do with what we put on our skin.
Our skin is the largest organ on our body, and
everything that you ate it, your ender, consistent, your liver,
your kidneys have to deal with it. And they said,
the reason why I'll never be tested because the same
companies that make the lotions to contain the aluminum, the petroleum,
the parabis and the oils and all these things, the
(15:05):
same companies would make that are all the same companies
as a drug company, right, so they're never going to
do a long term study of the effects of their product.
Speaker 6 (15:14):
If you want to listen to this full interview with
Hill Harper, it's available on money Making Conversations dot com.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Now let's return to Money Making Conversations Masterclass with Rashaan McDonald.
If you have a question or comments, called four O
four eight eight oho nine two five five.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
I'm on the phone with He's here, Sergeant Major Black Panther.
I want to bring up that movie. I'm pausing because
I'm thinking about how how important that movie was for
me personally, how important that movie was for me in
the in the in the industry, because we had never
(15:53):
had a movie come out that that sold the tickets
that it's sold, that was directed by a black director,
and you happen to be a distributor probably the long
African American distributed on that movie. Tell about your tell
us about your role and some of the achievements that
you were able to groundbreaking achievements that you were able
to do with the movie Black Panther.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
Yes, I was part of the team, and you're right,
You're correct, I was the only black guy that was
part of the strategy for distributing Black Panther. And what
I mean about distribution, Uh, you know, I was one
of the people that, uh designed the strategy as far
as what what demographic market area of Black Panther will
be released in right, and that's based on you know,
everything from Race Creed, you know. So yes, I was
(16:41):
a part of that, uh, that strategy on how he
was going to launch that and Black Panther went on
to make one point three billion dollars. So yes, at
the time when questions were asked of me, do you
think that this would be a successful movie, because like
you said, uh, it was directed by black you know,
Ryan Coogler, a black director, and it was the first
film in history to have an all black cast, which
(17:04):
was you know, Angela Baskett far As with a good
chat with Bozeman, Michael be jordans On and so forth.
You know, it was a risk for the studios from
their vantage points, you know. So, but yes, all those
things were factors in it, and and even all the
way down to when we were talking about, you know
what months should we should we actually release it in?
And uh, obviously you know, I see the month of February.
(17:25):
Why because it's Black History Month and that you know,
that means something to us. So absolutely, I was very
proud to do that, and also excited to get get
phone calls from the likes of stars that were actually
renting out the theater so that the uh, the underprivileged
community could actually go and and and screen the movie.
You know what I'm saying, the ones that couldn't afford it.
(17:46):
So very proud of my of my people, if you will,
my brothers and sisters who who did things like that,
who had the means to to make that available to everybody.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
You know, Major, I'm talking to Sergeant Major Keith L. Craig.
You know, I've been in Hollywood since ninety three, went
out there in nineteen ninety doing stand up comedy, actually
started writing on television shows in ninety four and been
fortunate to write on anywhere from The Parkers, the Jamie
(18:17):
Fox Show, The Sister Sisters, the Robert Townsend Show, The
Parkers I mean Robert towns to your Parenthood as well
as Arsenial Hall and that whole period of writing. And
I hope put It is distributing the whole put relationship.
Tell everybody what exactly is your role in Hollywood?
Speaker 4 (18:35):
Well, my role in Hollywood is, like you say, I
think the young people call a plug, right, because my
clients are the networks when you talk about hbos, the
Stars to show Times, you know, the netflixes and all
of those along with it, broadcasting the digital pieces of it.
You know, I have the ability to when people have
(18:55):
finished films, to get their content, to find they find
a good home for their content.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
Right.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
I think that's very, very, very important. And I also
you mentioned earlier why they called me to Hollo Whisper.
I think it has something to do with us trying
to protect the filmmakers because you know what we speak
to five and six filmmakers every day, and what we're
noticing is they go into the filmmaking piece of it
(19:23):
with understanding that it's three pieces to filmmaking, the pre
production and production and post production. So the flowing that
though is by the time you finish post production, your editing,
so and so forth, you actually are out of money,
you know. So it's what my partner and I, Jeff Porter,
what we do is we teach people there are six phases.
Maybe teaches the wrong word, but we we coach teach
(19:45):
a mentor that there's six phases. You know. The additional
three phases is branding, marketing, and then distribution. So it's
very important that you say almost a third of your
budgets that you looking at as a production budget to
make sure that film actually it does the business that
you wanted to do at the box office.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Now, let me ask you this, because you know the
streaming is out here. You got a big old writers
strike going on, and you and you're in distribution, and
then you got all these titles. You know, I look
at a lot of streaming channels out there and that
go and they say the word free, and then I
see all these these movies, these blockbusters from back in
the day, and they start to collect all these catalogs.
(20:25):
As a distributor, how do you align yourself with certain
channels or streaming channels to say this is where I
want to take your product or do you wait for
them to ask you for the opportunity to distribute your products?
Speaker 4 (20:39):
Do you mean the filmmakers, Yes, sir, No, you know
we we both right, we we we look for films
that we you know, that we're interested in, right and
also you know, filmmakers look for us people that are
interested in getting results. Because as we make a name
for ourself obviously my my resume, you know, mixed pep.
(21:00):
You know, let's let's at least just check these guys
out and from there we just do good business, you
know what I'm saying. We, like I said earlier, we're
all about transparency and integrity, things that nature. And we
have direct relationships with these platforms. So if you bring
a film to us, it's not a it's not if
you can get it there. We have relationships. We know
what these networks of these digital platforms are looking for.
(21:21):
You know what I'm saying. Even when we sit on
a monthly basis with these broadcasters, these network stations, right,
the conversation is, you know, we're looking for a boc.
These are the components that what we're looking for right now,
whether it be all female lead driven cast with humor
you know what I'm saying, Or is it are you
looking for, you know, horror with some mystery in it. Well,
(21:43):
we know what those we know what those apps are.
So when we come back once we find a filmmaker
that we we think either they're going into making the film,
you know, with with with those components you know of
that production there, or we you know, we take what
they have, we find what they already have, and we
shot and we bring it to the networks and they,
(22:04):
you know, we sign a licensing deal.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
We know. It's interesting because I'm really trying to wrap
my head around this because you know, it's like, you know,
as a writer, I knew I got a check for
writing there's a stand up. I got a check for
telling my jokes. As a manager, I got commission check.
How does you know? I'm not trying to get in
any detail, but how does a person like you make money?
So people can understand how the process works.
Speaker 4 (22:26):
Sure, as as a distributor, right, there's obviously there are
services fees. Right, so when you bring a movie, a
finished a finished movie to us, whatever. There's a there's
a services fee attached to that based on how we
service you. You know what I'm saying. We get your film
on Netflix, then you know, become a partner. It's a partnership. Okay,
so you said you say, you know, you say, STARTINGT Major,
(22:47):
starting major, Craig, I have a film, Okay, send me
over screenlink, just take a look at it. You know,
Once we look at that film, we say, okay, we
think we got a home for that film. Let's let's
send it over to talk to you know, this person
with this network. See what they say and from Once
we get the the the A A from that network,
we come back and report to Rason. This is this
(23:08):
is the offer you know we got to offer. We're
going to do a counter and ask for these type
of you know, these changes, these stipulations.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
Let me ask you this now you got my mind flowing. Now, okay,
So do you do? Do you do like specials like
music specials if it's produced, could I bring that to
you or you just do films a series? What what
can one bring to you?
Speaker 4 (23:33):
Well, you could bring everything for us to take a
look at it, right obviously, Uh, the full features are
the most sought after things by the broadcasters. But and
when you're talking about the music productions, right, obviously you
have to have their clearances associated with that, right, So
you got to make sure all your homework are done.
If you got song that somebody else owns, well, you
got to go get clearing right right for all of that,
(23:55):
you know what I'm saying. So, and we were we
were require all of that. You got to make sure
you got e ANDO insurance arisonal missions insurance. This is
the insurance is to cover you if somebody assues you
because you didn't get total clearance. Are your work or
your move too fast I'm saying. So it's very important
you know, to uhh, just check all your blocks out
and we'll make sure. If you're bringing something to us,
first of all, it has to have the production value
(24:16):
based on what you say in the budget was right,
you know, optically these people are professionals, so they know
what something costs or did not cost, you know what
I'm saying. So we looking at the production value to
make sure you got the red cameras or the or
the black magics and so on and so forth, and
and and the alent you know, acting the talent. Everything
is you know, uh a component of for successful you know, partnership.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Wow, Hey, Sergeant Major, please tell people how they how
they can reach out to you. Was it website?
Speaker 4 (24:45):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (24:46):
What number? How can you reach you? Because I next
time I bring you on, We're gonna start this different.
We're gonna take some phone calls because you you pushing
that information that people need to know because don't nobody
know where to go.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
Understand, I'm saying you can find us that pcfmimedia dot com.
That's pcfimimedia dot com. I'm on Instagram at official Keith
Alcraig Official Keith al Craig all one word. I also
have a website Keith Craig dot org or r G
or you can email me at Keith dot Craig at
pcfmimedia dot com.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Okay, I slow that down. That gonna get busy. That
that that gonna get busy right now. So because your role,
if somebody has projects, don't just be emailing sergeant may
just be emailing him. If you got content that you
don't know where to take it, content that you want
to some advice on where to distribute it, then Sergeant
Major can get you that. Can you give out that
(25:40):
email address one more time, Sergeant Major.
Speaker 4 (25:42):
Sure, that's Keith dot Craig at pcfimanmedia dot com. That's
one word, pcfimanmedia dot com. Spell it out, one word,
keep dot craig at ppgimedia dot com.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Wow, you know you whispering to me now? You're not
even whispering. You talk to me right now because because
I'm just telling you man, as a black person, we
don't know where to go. We don't know where to go.
We don't know. We're just being creative, we're making stuff.
At least we're getting a professional person telling us this
won't work, or this work, or you need to do
your homework, do better production, invest more timing. You got
(26:17):
the wrong cameras, You need to get your license, you
need to get everything your least release on all your talents.
Stuff like that. We don't know, but if you contact him,
he'll get your started in the right direction. Suji Major,
thank you man for coming to my show. And I
want to bring you back man, if you don't mind,
I want to take phone calls so people can ask
you questions and let's do it like a class on
money making conversations. Master Class.
Speaker 4 (26:38):
Good with that, I would I would love to come back.
I would love raseean. Please. It's been an honor and
you know, a gift to come on. Thank you so
much for having me.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
I appreciate you. He's the whisper, y'all, but he talks
real loud. Such a major Thanks for coming on Money
Making Conversations Master Class. We talk soon with my friend
and I want to thank everybody for listening to my
show mate. I cannot do this show without you, guys.
I get up tired, but when I get to this
show man, I am fired up. Talk to you next
time on Money Making Conversation Matter Class. This is Rashan McDonald.
(27:09):
We be out.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
Thank you for joining us for this edition of Money
Making Conversations Masterclass. Money Making Conversations Masterclass with Rushan McDonald
is produced by thirty eight fifteen Media Inc. More information
about thirty eight fifteen Media Inc. Is available at thirty
eight fifteen media dot com. And always remember to lead
with your gifts
Now let's return to Money Making Conversations Masterclass with Rashan McDonald.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
He is coming up next, Sergeant Major Keith L. Craig,
the super connected Hollywood Whisperer. I'm gonna tell you something.
The word connected, the word relationship is why Hollywood works.
If you don't have the relationship, you don't know anybody.
Talent is there. Talent is important, but you got to
be connected. Where I'm talking to next in my next
(00:28):
break a connector a connector don't go nowhere? One Making
Conversation master Class with Rashan McDonald. Be right back with
Sergeant made there, Major Keith L. Craig.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
HBCUs represent Black Excellence. If you attend or are an
alumnus of an HBCU, we want.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
To hear about your story.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
The My HBCU Story Digital Library will allow current HBCU
students and alumni to share their stories. Registration is open
to everyone. More information is available at hbc seucollege day
dot com. Click my HBCU Story. Next, you can upload
a photo. The photo can be recent or from when
you attended your HBCU. Then share your academic or social
(01:11):
experience at your HBCU, which can be your favorite class, hangout,
joint homecoming game, student center, honor, off campus party, Greek show,
and how attending an HBCU changed your life. We also
want to hear stories if you pleasure a fraternity or sorority.
The goal is to use your my HBCU story to
promote and uplift the HBCU brand. Your HBCU prepared you
(01:36):
for success, and now we want everyone to read about
your black excellence. More information is available at HBCU college
day dot com. You can click my HBCU story to
share your story.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Now, let's return to Money Making Conversations Masterclass with Rashaan McDonald.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Hi, this is Rashan McDonald. Welcome back to Money Making
Conversation Masterclass. I'm a dreamer, y'all. All right, Maybe you
don't know that about me, but I come from the neighborhood.
I come from an inner city, six sisters, two brothers,
And the interesting thing about me was that I watched television,
and television showed me a world that I wasn't living in.
(02:18):
It showed me the possibilities. And I used to always
watch Jaques Cousteau was my man when I was growing up.
I used to Joaques Gusteau. And when I went to college,
guess what. I worked offshore because I wanted that. I
wanted that experience. I wanted to be in the ocean.
I was working eighty miles out in the Gulf on
a on an all rig. They would fly me out
(02:40):
there on the helicopter and I stay out there for
two weeks. And so I tell people, you know, if
you don't dream it, you don't think about it, you
don't make it a possibility, then it cannot happen. Well,
my next guest is a person who that's what he does.
He makes it impossible possible. Sergeant Major Keith L. Craig,
the super connected Hollywood whisperers, a go to for independent filmmakers, producers, directors,
(03:06):
development deals, finance options, distribution and budgets. I don't want
to lose anybody on this because because of the fact
that if he doesn't do what he do, then you
don't watch what you see on television. You need him.
This year, they have fifty new titles to be released
across digital platforms including Amazon, Google Play, Apple and Roku
and then select theaters in less than thirty days. Because
(03:29):
he in partnership poor to Craig clients, film will go global.
Please welcome to the money making Conversation mathterclass. The one
and only Sergeant Major Keith L. Craig. How are you doing,
sirve how are you doing?
Speaker 4 (03:40):
Thank you for the introduction, glad to be here.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Well, guess what, Sergeant Major, let's start right there. First
of all, thank you for the service. Let's get a
history there, because you let me know there's a military
in you. How did it all get started?
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Long time ago? Age seventeen, I went into the military.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
So it was a really long time ago. So was
landing last week? Can be last week? It was?
Speaker 4 (04:03):
It was a long time ago, you see in a
storyteller already.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Absolutely absolutely do you think? Do you think, sir?
Speaker 4 (04:12):
But yes, a long long time ago. Uh, at age seventeen.
My mom actually actually have to sign me into the military.
I heard you earlier say that you know you're from
a community that was it wasn't it wasn't supportive as
far as launching you into you know, you're tomorrow. So
with me, you know, uh, my mom and I was
once homeless, you know, so you know it's from there
(04:35):
that I actually you got my will to succeed right.
So my you know, I had some people in my
past once told me that I wasn't going to amount
too much because I didn't necessarily like to do what
you know, we were doing down there as far as
shark sharecroppers concerned. But fast forward, I went to the
military and and just had some great assignments and and there,
(04:58):
you know, I learned the I learned discipline. I know,
you know, the power of you know, having morals and
values and integrity and honors, being honest and selfless service
to others. And that pretty much led me to have
some great assignments and actually was deployed six times, spent
over two years in Iraq. In one of those years,
(05:21):
I was part of intelligence brigade that actually gathered the
intelligence that led to the captures of dam Hussein was
at the time Eman number one. Fast forward twenty ten,
I actually took three thousand men and women over to
Haiti before the prince to help to sustain the city
that were you know, over there because of the earthquake.
(05:42):
Twenty eleven, twenty twelve, I was part of the logistical
unit in Afghanistan in between Kabul and Kandahar, where actually
supported to see a Team six as we crossed the
berm Into to take out of Summer bin Laden. So
as you can see, I've been around and with the
places I've been and the people I've met throughout the years,
I was able to excel in the military and make
(06:04):
it all the way to the top one percent, which
is a sergeant major. And for those those you listeners
who don't know what the sergeant major is, because Hollywood
has done an awesome job of teaching people what you know,
a colonel is or a general is or at role
is right, but they don't know that every one of
those rushan has a sergeant major as a senior advisor.
They don't make a move unless they you know less,
(06:25):
they you know, have dialogue with the sergeant major. You
know what I'm saying, So yes, and that's kind of
how that was my army career.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Well, let's go down on that career because I think
it's important. It's one of the things that you know,
this big giant press releif. People always say, how do
you get guests on your show? Vershan, Well, sometimes I
get these press relief to come out and I go, wow,
I need to talk to him because of the fact that.
You know, we talk about options in our community, we
talk about the negativity of you know, sometimes I'm gonna
(06:53):
tell you some Sergeant Major, I look at television and
I see, you know, violence, and I'm just prayted not
going to put a black person's face on the screen,
because it appears far too often than I want to
say it should. And so I remember once when I
was really an advocating military service. You know, a lot
(07:14):
of people in the black community, like you know, trying
to were resisting the values that I was trying to
say that a young person who doesn't may not have
the options to go to college should at least look
at it, don't just announce it. Tell us about the values,
because I don't want to go past that, because because
it still holds a lot of tremendous values right now,
(07:37):
and quite frankly, the military community is struggling to enlist people,
to get people to the list.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
Okay, well, yes, obviously I actually hold an MBA now,
but you know I got that inside of the military,
you know, And I also have no suit of loans
because of that. Because as a as a as a
soldier that's in the military, you actually have the ability
to go to school and get your education while you're serving.
So it's kind of like, you know, you it's a
(08:04):
win win for those who don't want a student loan,
you know what I'm saying. So, you know, oftentimes we
talk about society, you know how it kind of steers
us to it kind of presents a road map to us,
like you you should go to college. As you go
to college, that that will determine your job, but that
also determines a certain amount of debt as you as
you leave the university, you know. So, so I was
(08:25):
actually this past weekend speaking at the Howard University and
one of the things I spoke to people about was
professional score. You know, believe it or not, society is
keep the score of the things that you've done before
you leave college. As you enter college, for instance, it's
like what was your GPA, what was ther NCAP score?
You know, what was were you a part of the
(08:46):
community out there? You know when you go to church,
boy scout, girl scout? So you have to always build
on your brand. So the military for me an opportunity
to go get educated and be able to have a
launch point to choose anything that I want to do.
From the military because it's obviously it brands you to
where it doesn't matter what color you're choosing, red or blue,
(09:07):
whatever side you're choosing, everybody accepts people have served their
country because we believe red, white and blue, right, you know.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
You know, So, so what when did you start to
transition into seeing Hollywood or entertainment as an option.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
When I was deployed over in Iraq, I saw organization
that would bring over entertainment to try to take our
a mind off of combat for two or three hours,
you know, a year, because we spent three sixty five,
three and sixty five days in deployments. So but I
never saw any entertainment that looked like us, you know,
saying for as the minorities. Right. So it was at
(09:47):
that point as a as a senior advisor, a senior
soldier in an element soldiers came to me and asked me,
you know, sergeant major, what can we do to have
somebody that we like?
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Right?
Speaker 4 (10:01):
I started to reach out and and reach out to
Hollywood and and meet a few people and then brought
over the likes of BB King and the temptations and
things that nature, and it you know, it kind of
felt good to make people happy. So that's what I
you know, I started, I got the bug right then, Like, okay,
so you so.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
You started out basically a promoter. You're producing shows, bringing
in talent that was appealing to to an artist that
felt that they were not getting to they weren't. They
were they were happy to be entertained, but wasn't really
feeling the entertainment.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
Right, right, It's absolutely right were the most of the
entertainment was from Kentucky or Tennessee. If you understand the mean.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Right absolutely, Like I said, until you participate that you
put yourself in a position to be able to have power.
And like I said, as a as a position you
in sergeant major, you positioned yourself to be a promoter,
to be a producer skill set that guess what people
do every day, you know, Promoters are just advertisers. Promoters
(11:01):
are just you know, companies that somebody promotes these grocery stores,
somebody promotes these cars, somebody promotes these football games, these
basketball games. That's all he was doing in the smallest stage.
But you were learning the skill, and that skill allowed
you to start start seeing beyond what you were doing
in the military.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
Correct, absolutely, absolutely as a and I was a senior
logistation in military. So when I got that call to
go out to Hollywood and and and meet some executives
out there, and I was looking around, you know, what
could I do? You know, there was producer, there was
there was distribution, there was you know, the justic things
that nature. The one thing that I saw that the
(11:43):
science connected and the science made sense to me. Logistics
and distribution is pretty much the same, right. You know,
there's a there's a need. Uh you know, there's a
component that needs to be carried somewhere and people need
that thing. So you have delivered that, so that that
made sense to me. So I just went to you,
you u c LA and got certified in the business
of entertainment and from there it started on my plight.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Now, now let's let's put it. Let's be honest about it.
This is this whole relationship. You're in the military, Sergeant major. Yes,
you cared a certain amount of respect when you walked
in the room. People. I know, I'm gonna give you
my respects. Thank you for your service, because first of all,
you protected me and you don't even know me, So
that is that is a that's a mindset that people
(12:28):
have to wrap their head around. There that somebody has
chosen to protect this entire country and parts that person
may never go or never see. And but that's a
special person that does that. But when you walk in
the room with these producers, these executives, these these individuals
who are decision making, do you feel that because you
were in the military allowed you a certain ability to
(12:53):
make a better make stronger relationships or create relationships you
might not have had if you were not in the military.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
I would say being in the military, it taught me
how to enter a room.
Speaker 5 (13:02):
Right.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
There's a certain way. There's a certain way as a man,
you know, oh woman, you have to carry yourself right,
you know what I'm saying. There's a strict there's a
certain dress code associated with that because, believe it or not,
we we we are always judged and scores always kept
on how we move. So it's very important that you know,
they always want to put us in a box based
(13:23):
on our pigmentation. So it's very important that you move
as a you know, like a professional, you know, because
you are being looked at. So it's it's it's it's
how you.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
Move and it's really and it's important that you people
hear that, you know, because of the fact that you
know we could. We could, you know as young people.
We all were young. You know, I had to before
I lost all my hair. I had a big afro.
I remember. In fact, we're going to go to break
when we come back and tell this a little short
story about how I didn't want to conform to my
(13:55):
company's dress code and guess what, there was no success
for me. Frustration and that's all he's talking about. Be
right back with more so as you major talking about.
He's a whisper, y'all, but he talks loud on my show.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
We'll be right back with more Money Making Conversations Masterclass
with Rushawan McDonald. You are now tuned into the Money
Making Conversations Minute of Inspiration with Rashawn McDonald.
Speaker 6 (14:27):
This week, I sat down with award winning actor, best
selling author, and entrepreneur hell Harper. He stopped by and
talked about how his thyrout cancer diagnosis led to his
role as a health and wellness ambaeador, teaching everyday people
how to live healthier lives.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
We believe that a lot of the root cause of
cancer has to do with what we put on our skin.
Our skin is the largest organ on our body, and
everything that you ate it, your ender, consistent, your liver,
your kidneys have to deal with it. And they said,
the reason why I'll never be tested because the same
companies that make the lotions to contain the aluminum, the petroleum,
the parabis and the oils and all these things, the
(15:05):
same companies would make that are all the same companies
as a drug company, right, so they're never going to
do a long term study of the effects of their product.
Speaker 6 (15:14):
If you want to listen to this full interview with
Hill Harper, it's available on money Making Conversations dot com.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Now let's return to Money Making Conversations Masterclass with Rashaan McDonald.
If you have a question or comments, called four O
four eight eight oho nine two five five.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
I'm on the phone with He's here, Sergeant Major Black Panther.
I want to bring up that movie. I'm pausing because
I'm thinking about how how important that movie was for
me personally, how important that movie was for me in
the in the in the industry, because we had never
(15:53):
had a movie come out that that sold the tickets
that it's sold, that was directed by a black director,
and you happen to be a distributor probably the long
African American distributed on that movie. Tell about your tell
us about your role and some of the achievements that
you were able to groundbreaking achievements that you were able
to do with the movie Black Panther.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
Yes, I was part of the team, and you're right,
You're correct, I was the only black guy that was
part of the strategy for distributing Black Panther. And what
I mean about distribution, Uh, you know, I was one
of the people that, uh designed the strategy as far
as what what demographic market area of Black Panther will
be released in right, and that's based on you know,
everything from Race Creed, you know. So yes, I was
(16:41):
a part of that, uh, that strategy on how he
was going to launch that and Black Panther went on
to make one point three billion dollars. So yes, at
the time when questions were asked of me, do you
think that this would be a successful movie, because like
you said, uh, it was directed by black you know,
Ryan Coogler, a black director, and it was the first
film in history to have an all black cast, which
(17:04):
was you know, Angela Baskett far As with a good
chat with Bozeman, Michael be jordans On and so forth.
You know, it was a risk for the studios from
their vantage points, you know. So, but yes, all those
things were factors in it, and and even all the
way down to when we were talking about, you know
what months should we should we actually release it in?
And uh, obviously you know, I see the month of February.
(17:25):
Why because it's Black History Month and that you know,
that means something to us. So absolutely, I was very
proud to do that, and also excited to get get
phone calls from the likes of stars that were actually
renting out the theater so that the uh, the underprivileged
community could actually go and and and screen the movie.
You know what I'm saying, the ones that couldn't afford it.
(17:46):
So very proud of my of my people, if you will,
my brothers and sisters who who did things like that,
who had the means to to make that available to everybody.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
You know, Major, I'm talking to Sergeant Major Keith L. Craig.
You know, I've been in Hollywood since ninety three, went
out there in nineteen ninety doing stand up comedy, actually
started writing on television shows in ninety four and been
fortunate to write on anywhere from The Parkers, the Jamie
(18:17):
Fox Show, The Sister Sisters, the Robert Townsend Show, The
Parkers I mean Robert towns to your Parenthood as well
as Arsenial Hall and that whole period of writing. And
I hope put It is distributing the whole put relationship.
Tell everybody what exactly is your role in Hollywood?
Speaker 4 (18:35):
Well, my role in Hollywood is, like you say, I
think the young people call a plug, right, because my
clients are the networks when you talk about hbos, the
Stars to show Times, you know, the netflixes and all
of those along with it, broadcasting the digital pieces of it.
You know, I have the ability to when people have
(18:55):
finished films, to get their content, to find they find
a good home for their content.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
Right.
Speaker 4 (19:00):
I think that's very, very, very important. And I also
you mentioned earlier why they called me to Hollo Whisper.
I think it has something to do with us trying
to protect the filmmakers because you know what we speak
to five and six filmmakers every day, and what we're
noticing is they go into the filmmaking piece of it
(19:23):
with understanding that it's three pieces to filmmaking, the pre
production and production and post production. So the flowing that
though is by the time you finish post production, your editing,
so and so forth, you actually are out of money,
you know. So it's what my partner and I, Jeff Porter,
what we do is we teach people there are six phases.
Maybe teaches the wrong word, but we we coach teach
(19:45):
a mentor that there's six phases. You know. The additional
three phases is branding, marketing, and then distribution. So it's
very important that you say almost a third of your
budgets that you looking at as a production budget to
make sure that film actually it does the business that
you wanted to do at the box office.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Now, let me ask you this, because you know the
streaming is out here. You got a big old writers
strike going on, and you and you're in distribution, and
then you got all these titles. You know, I look
at a lot of streaming channels out there and that
go and they say the word free, and then I
see all these these movies, these blockbusters from back in
the day, and they start to collect all these catalogs.
(20:25):
As a distributor, how do you align yourself with certain
channels or streaming channels to say this is where I
want to take your product or do you wait for
them to ask you for the opportunity to distribute your products?
Speaker 4 (20:39):
Do you mean the filmmakers, Yes, sir, No, you know
we we both right, we we we look for films
that we you know, that we're interested in, right and
also you know, filmmakers look for us people that are
interested in getting results. Because as we make a name
for ourself obviously my my resume, you know, mixed pep.
(21:00):
You know, let's let's at least just check these guys
out and from there we just do good business, you
know what I'm saying. We, like I said earlier, we're
all about transparency and integrity, things that nature. And we
have direct relationships with these platforms. So if you bring
a film to us, it's not a it's not if
you can get it there. We have relationships. We know
what these networks of these digital platforms are looking for.
(21:21):
You know what I'm saying. Even when we sit on
a monthly basis with these broadcasters, these network stations, right,
the conversation is, you know, we're looking for a boc.
These are the components that what we're looking for right now,
whether it be all female lead driven cast with humor
you know what I'm saying, Or is it are you
looking for, you know, horror with some mystery in it. Well,
(21:43):
we know what those we know what those apps are.
So when we come back once we find a filmmaker
that we we think either they're going into making the film,
you know, with with with those components you know of
that production there, or we you know, we take what
they have, we find what they already have, and we
shot and we bring it to the networks and they,
(22:04):
you know, we sign a licensing deal.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
We know. It's interesting because I'm really trying to wrap
my head around this because you know, it's like, you know,
as a writer, I knew I got a check for
writing there's a stand up. I got a check for
telling my jokes. As a manager, I got commission check.
How does you know? I'm not trying to get in
any detail, but how does a person like you make money?
So people can understand how the process works.
Speaker 4 (22:26):
Sure, as as a distributor, right, there's obviously there are
services fees. Right, so when you bring a movie, a
finished a finished movie to us, whatever. There's a there's
a services fee attached to that based on how we
service you. You know what I'm saying. We get your film
on Netflix, then you know, become a partner. It's a partnership. Okay,
so you said you say, you know, you say, STARTINGT Major,
(22:47):
starting major, Craig, I have a film, Okay, send me
over screenlink, just take a look at it. You know,
Once we look at that film, we say, okay, we
think we got a home for that film. Let's let's
send it over to talk to you know, this person
with this network. See what they say and from Once
we get the the the A A from that network,
we come back and report to Rason. This is this
(23:08):
is the offer you know we got to offer. We're
going to do a counter and ask for these type
of you know, these changes, these stipulations.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
Let me ask you this now you got my mind flowing. Now, okay,
So do you do? Do you do like specials like
music specials if it's produced, could I bring that to
you or you just do films a series? What what
can one bring to you?
Speaker 4 (23:33):
Well, you could bring everything for us to take a
look at it, right obviously, Uh, the full features are
the most sought after things by the broadcasters. But and
when you're talking about the music productions, right, obviously you
have to have their clearances associated with that, right, So
you got to make sure all your homework are done.
If you got song that somebody else owns, well, you
got to go get clearing right right for all of that,
(23:55):
you know what I'm saying. So, and we were we
were require all of that. You got to make sure
you got e ANDO insurance arisonal missions insurance. This is
the insurance is to cover you if somebody assues you
because you didn't get total clearance. Are your work or
your move too fast I'm saying. So it's very important
you know, to uhh, just check all your blocks out
and we'll make sure. If you're bringing something to us,
first of all, it has to have the production value
(24:16):
based on what you say in the budget was right,
you know, optically these people are professionals, so they know
what something costs or did not cost, you know what
I'm saying. So we looking at the production value to
make sure you got the red cameras or the or
the black magics and so on and so forth, and
and and the alent you know, acting the talent. Everything
is you know, uh a component of for successful you know, partnership.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Wow, Hey, Sergeant Major, please tell people how they how
they can reach out to you. Was it website?
Speaker 4 (24:45):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (24:46):
What number? How can you reach you? Because I next
time I bring you on, We're gonna start this different.
We're gonna take some phone calls because you you pushing
that information that people need to know because don't nobody
know where to go.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
Understand, I'm saying you can find us that pcfmimedia dot com.
That's pcfimimedia dot com. I'm on Instagram at official Keith
Alcraig Official Keith al Craig all one word. I also
have a website Keith Craig dot org or r G
or you can email me at Keith dot Craig at
pcfmimedia dot com.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Okay, I slow that down. That gonna get busy. That
that that gonna get busy right now. So because your role,
if somebody has projects, don't just be emailing sergeant may
just be emailing him. If you got content that you
don't know where to take it, content that you want
to some advice on where to distribute it, then Sergeant
Major can get you that. Can you give out that
(25:40):
email address one more time, Sergeant Major.
Speaker 4 (25:42):
Sure, that's Keith dot Craig at pcfimanmedia dot com. That's
one word, pcfimanmedia dot com. Spell it out, one word,
keep dot craig at ppgimedia dot com.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Wow, you know you whispering to me now? You're not
even whispering. You talk to me right now because because
I'm just telling you man, as a black person, we
don't know where to go. We don't know where to go.
We don't know. We're just being creative, we're making stuff.
At least we're getting a professional person telling us this
won't work, or this work, or you need to do
your homework, do better production, invest more timing. You got
(26:17):
the wrong cameras, You need to get your license, you
need to get everything your least release on all your talents.
Stuff like that. We don't know, but if you contact him,
he'll get your started in the right direction. Suji Major,
thank you man for coming to my show. And I
want to bring you back man, if you don't mind,
I want to take phone calls so people can ask
you questions and let's do it like a class on
money making conversations. Master Class.
Speaker 4 (26:38):
Good with that, I would I would love to come back.
I would love raseean. Please. It's been an honor and
you know, a gift to come on. Thank you so
much for having me.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
I appreciate you. He's the whisper, y'all, but he talks
real loud. Such a major Thanks for coming on Money
Making Conversations Master Class. We talk soon with my friend
and I want to thank everybody for listening to my
show mate. I cannot do this show without you, guys.
I get up tired, but when I get to this
show man, I am fired up. Talk to you next
time on Money Making Conversation Matter Class. This is Rashan McDonald.
(27:09):
We be out.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
Thank you for joining us for this edition of Money
Making Conversations Masterclass. Money Making Conversations Masterclass with Rushan McDonald
is produced by thirty eight fifteen Media Inc. More information
about thirty eight fifteen Media Inc. Is available at thirty
eight fifteen media dot com. And always remember to lead
with your gifts
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