Our principal attorney Nancy Prager had the incredible opportunity to speak to Moraima “Mo” Ivory’s “Legal Life of Issa Rae” class at Georgia State University College of Law. This seminar dives deep into the legal aspects of Issa Rae’s multifaceted career, from “Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl” to her foreshadowing role in “Barbie.”
Issa Rae, now a household name, started her journey in 2011 with a vision. Instead of waiting for others to bring her idea to life, she took matters into her own hands. By rallying friends and leveraging the emerging YouTube platform for distribution, she produced Season 1 of “Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl.”
The first season, consisting of 15 episodes, saw Issa Rae producing the initial 6 episodes without any outside funding. Realizing the need for more resources to complete the story the way she envisioned, she and her team turned to their Facebook and Twitter followers for donations. After raising a few thousand dollars, they embraced the then-relatively-new platform, @Kickstarter, and successfully raised $56,000.
The result? A massive hit! The first season garnered over 13 million views in its first year, a significant milestone for YouTube at the time. This success caught the attention of Pharrell Williams and his i am OTHER collective, leading to the production of the second season.
Issa Rae’s journey is a testament to the power of direct-to-consumer content, proving that creators can bypass traditional gatekeepers to tell their stories and achieve remarkable success. 🚀
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