We had the good fortune of connecting with Malik Salaam and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Malik, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?

As a filmmaker it is sometimes very easy to think about throwing in the towel. I can remember when I first started making movies there was no such thing as streaming platforms. The best that you could hope for was to sell a bunch of DVDs, and without a major distributor getting behind you visibility seemed like an impossibility. All the blogs that you would read, would feel so discouraging to independent filmmakers.

For me, I felt like I had something unique that I wanted to say and I refused to let anybody stop me. As long as you still can find the joy in what you are doing, I feel like you should keep going. I adopted the thought process that I would rather die trying than to allow myself to suffer the agony of giving up on myself.


Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I found film through poetry. After my appearance on HBO Def Poetry, I was starting to feel stifled as an artist. My reach felt limited in small open mic venues and college campuses. I had the bright idea to combine my poetry with interview footage to create a documentary. Shout out to my dear friend, Rod Hollimon, who at the time was the only filmmaker I knew. He, actually, lent me a Hi-8 camera and my wife and I traveled around the country and collected footage. Then Rod helped me edit and turn into my first film, Lost In the Rubble. I was well into my 30s and it seemed crazy to be starting a career in filmmaking so late in life. I didn’t let it stop me though.

From that experience, I decided that I would make my first feature film, Every Scar and Dimple. I taught myself screenwriting and directing. I hired a DP, but outside of that I took on the role of everything from craft services to editor (another skill that I had to teach myself). I utilized my network: my wife did BTS, my little sister Kikue helped with producing, my sister Tiffany created score music, and I borrowed money from some of my closest friends. At the time, I was very proud of the movie, even though you couldn’t pay me to show it now. It was my film school, and I have been able to grow from there.

My greatest feat, though, has been the time and dedication that me and my team put into our documentary, Spring and 3rd- The Story of the Yin Yang Cafe. We had to struggle through the pandemic to create this film. It took us 3 years to collect the interviews and find the space to edit and put it together. Shout out to Kemi Bennings and Derrick “Abyss” Graham for their hard work throughout this process. A special shout out to my co-writer Tommy Bottoms because he actually fought hard to keep this project moving. We created something magical because of his tenacity. The result is a documentary that pays homage to Atlanta’s contribution to the worldwide artistic community.

It is an example of “it ain’t over until it’s over” because here it is 10 years into my film career, and I have signed  my first distribution deal with Dame Dash Studios and Homestead Entertainment and our film is going to Tubi. Even having Dame to champion a project that some may consider so far off base from his early platform, is mind blowing. I am not sure where this new road is going to take me… but I am proud that I stuck around to explore the possibilities.


Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would take them to rock out at The Sanctuary Art Asylum, which is a safe haven my wife has created for the art community… In particular we would do the 3rd Saturdays, which is The G-Spot featuring Goode Stuff Experience. I would definitely swing them by Kat’s Cafe, a long time supporter of the arts. I would swing them by Apache XLR so they can get a taste of some dope poetry. I would make sure they got to check out Still Life Sessions at Gallery 992.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Hands down, my most important ally is my wife, Kim Salaam. She is a brilliant creator in her own right. We have been together for 19 years and her support has made space for me to be who I am as an artist. It’s not always that she is my number one cheerleader, sometimes she is the only one honest enough to tell me when my efforts are lacking… and that can be more important than someone who simply sings your praises.

Website: www.springand3rd.com

Instagram: @springand3rd

Image Credits
Julie Yarbrough

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