At this year’s BlogHer conference in New York City, Ava DuVernay delivered a keynote in which she gave advice on how to get ahead. In an industry where the acclaimed Selma director is a minority, she described using “the white guys” as a lead. “You gotta follow the white guys. Truly. They’ve got this thing wired,” DuVernay said. “Too often, we live within their games, so why would you not study what works? Take away the bad stuff, because there’s a lot, and use the savvy interesting stuff and figure out how they can apply. It’s a good one for the ladies.”
DuVernay also talked about her meetings with Marvel to direct Black Panther, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The film, which would be Marvel’s first movie starring a black superhero, would have required a three-year commitment. DuVernay questioned whether it was important enough for her to make. “At one point, the answer was yes, because I thought there was value in putting that kind of imagery into the culture in a worldwide, huge way, in a certain way: excitement, action, fun, all those things, and yet still be focused on a black man as a hero—that would be pretty revolutionary,” she said. Though DuVernay did not take the gig, she is supportive and will be watching it when it comes out.