Marley The Movie: Using Social Media To Stir It Up

By Debbie Mitchell

I am soooo excited about the upcoming release of Marley the documentary.  It has been in the works for several years with several very big Hollywood names linked to the project. Martin Scorsese and Jonathan Demme had signed on at different times to direct  and Jamie Foxx was in the mix to portray the late musician. But in the end Magnolia Pictures will produce and Director Kevin McDonald who directed The Last King of Scotland will bring Marley to life.

Robert Nesta Marley was only 36 years old when he died of a cancerous brain tumor in May 1981.  He was a charismatic old soul overflowing with talent and wisdom beyond his years. He lived a lot of life in his short lifetime.  A father of eleven kids who brought reggae music to the mainstream, rose to from humble beginnings to international fame.    Thirty years after his death Marley's music continues to stand the test of time.  Classic hits include, Is This Love, Stir It Up and Buffalo Soldier. One of my favorite Bob Marley albums is Legend: The Best Of Bob Marley And The Wailers and my all time favorite song is Waiting In Vain. 

And while there have been many books written about the legendary singer, Marley is the only project to have the singer's family blessings.   Marley's son, musician and activist , Ziggy is one of the film's executive producers and has been out and about promoting the movie which opens  in theaters and on demand, so you can watch it at home this Friday, April 20.  I think Bob Marley, a devout Rastafarian, would be pleased with the movie release date which falls on the subculture holiday  "weed day"where folks gather to celebrate with cannabis.  The Rastafarian religion believes using marijuana is a way to get closer to the late Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia so it fits perfectly.

Ziggy Marley recently told CBS This Morning  hosts Gayle King and Charlie Rose what he thought  his father Bob Marley would want his legacy to be  "He wants everyone to love each other, basically," he said. "That's his message. And I think we want people to have emotional connection to Bob - beyond the legend, beyond the idol. What we hope to do is bring people closer to Bob as a person and create that emotional connection."

At 18  I felt that emotional connection to the music. I remember clearly where I was when I heard the news that  Bob Marley passed away.  It was May 11, 1981 and I was in my high school classroom when a  quiet buzz began to circulate about his death. I was one of many of his young fans who was visibly shocked by the news .  After school the streets were filled with kids and  sounds of Marley's music blaring from record stores lining the blocks on my walk home. I'm a little older now but still a big fan so the news of a  documentary about brother Bob makes me giddy with excitement.

I read the biography Catch A Fire: The Life of Bob Marley  years ago and always thought it would be a good movie. I often wonder what Bob Marley would have achieved if he had lived a longer life.  Social media is also keeping Bob Marley's legacy alive. He has close to 40 million Facebook fans and 192,000 Twitter followers a fact that Marley producers are hoping will help the documentary make money. The film cost $4.5 million dollars to produce. The focus of the movie is about his life.  In the movie you'll see his home in Jamaica, meet his family and friends and of course hear his music.

Rock documentaries are not known for making money.  But Magnolia Pictures is using Marley's strong social media reach to connect with a larger audience.  Magnolia will release the film in 50 different markets and  is hoping the day and date release will allow the film to reach a wider audience.  It is being promoted heavily on Facebook, Twitter and as of Friday can be purchased. If you're not doing anything this Friday night, check it out!

TV/Social Media Producer Debbie Mitchell is an Emmy nominated producer who is a member of the Producers Guild of America (PGA).  If you are a personality interested in television placement or connecting with brands follow Debbie Mitchell @TVProducerDeb or email Ready4Airtv@gmail.com .