
Back to All News
Sharing the Origin Story and Official Trailer for Colin in Black and White'Play Video
Play Video
Ava DuVernay
Co-Creator, Executive Producer and Director, Colin in Black and White'
Colin Kaepernick
Co-Creator and Executive Producer, Colin in Black and White'
Entertainment
12 October 2021
GlobalUnited States
Ava DuVernay has become a trusted filmmaker and TV producer who people turn to to tell their truths, giving her subjects a platform to share their lives through captivating and inspiring storytelling. In 2017, DuVernay met activist and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who had been propelled into the spotlight after advocating and protesting for social justice issues both on the field and off. The two teamed up for the new Netflix series Colin in Black and White, which tells his origin story through the lens of his formative years, showing how someone rises to greatness and what it takes to give up your dream to stand up for what you believe in. Check out the official trailer for the new drama above, and read more about the inspiration behind the series below.
How did this project come to life?
Colin Kaepernick: In high school, I faced a lot of different challenges from sports, to my family, and other parts of my personal life, which a lot of viewers may be able to relate to. But I also faced obstacles as a Black kid growing up in a white family in a white community. After meeting Ava DuVernay in 2017, I knew she was the right person to collaborate with. I shared my idea to create a series based on my high school years and she said, "Ok, Lets do it." And we started working together to bring these stories to life in the most impactful and compelling way possible.
Ava DuVernay: Colin called me and shared that he wanted to tell the story of his childhood somehow. What interested me was the idea that, through his story, I could shed light on a core belief that I hold: that we can all be the hero, the lead character, of our own lives. It sounds simple, but it's a powerful idea. Are you the supporting character in your life? Taking cues from others? Your story only mattering when it's tangential to someone else? Or is your story centered within you? Your hopes and dreams and priorities and beliefs planted in the forefront, not the background. Bottom line, I was interested in the process of becoming the star of your own life. This doesn't mean not being of service to others or being selfish and ego-driven. It means having the confidence to stand up and stand strong for oneself so that you can be the best version of yourself. Through Colin's story, the team and I were able to explore this idea in ways that we hope will resonate with the audience.
What was important to you when you were crafting this story?
Kaepernick: Colin in Black and White is a scripted limited series inspired by my experience as a Black child, adopted by a white family. I did not have a lot of references or guides growing up to help me navigate some of the negative experiences or interactions I went through as a young Black kid. When we were thinking about telling this story, we wanted to explore that idea more and give people references of how these situations can impact and shape ones identity and growth.
DuVernay: It was vitally important to me that this wasn't another autobiographical series about a famous person as a child. No disrespect to those shows, but it's been done - and done well. I was interested in pushing a bit further into this storytelling trope. It was about challenging the process to determine how we could expand the core of a young person's path to power into a story that can appeal widely and personally to others. The goal was to take the kernel of the idea and make it mean something to viewers whether they're watching in Detroit or Dubai, Shreveport or Senegal. This is how the idea of weaving cultural and historical context with the young person's story came to my mind. This is how I approached the story construction as Michael Starrbury and his stellar writing team went to draft the ideas. The aim always was to allow Colin's story to catapult viewers into a broader understanding of their own journey alongside the various histories and cultural legacies that each of our lives is impacted by.
What do you hope people take away from the series?
Kaepernick: This was an opportunity to open a window into experiences inspired by my high school years. I want Black and Brown kids and their communities to find guidance in how we can combat racism and oppressive systems. I hope someone can see that they too can come out on the other side and be able to say, I faced those struggles. Ive worked through them, and I was able to be successful and come out the other end, keeping my dignity and my identity intact.
DuVernay: I hope people feel compelled to examine their own origin story. How did I get here? What things happened - small and large, remembered and forgotten - that led me to this place now? This series is about deciding for yourself what your life and legacy will be. Its about self-determination, self-propulsion, not waiting for permission, not waiting for everyone to agree, tapping into the voice inside of you and letting that spur you forward. And it's about knowing that within your individual story, you are also a part of something larger. My highest hope is that some viewers will walk away with some of these thoughts and questions.
Kaepernick: This is a journey. You are always growing, always evolving. And we want to welcome everyone into that process.
DuVernay: And we want to remind people to honor oneself. Because if youre still standing, and youve experienced any of these challenges, then you are on your path. Keep taking your steps. One after another, after another. Because there is glor
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
24/03/2026
Utah Scientific to Showcase a Variety of Hybrid SDI/IP Innovations at the 2026 N...
24/03/2026
Mediaproxy will showcase an updated version of its LogPlayer interface at NAB Sh...
24/03/2026
C gep de Jonqui re, a public college in Qu bec, has upgraded its TV studio complex with five Calrec Brio consoles and a Dante IP network. The installation was c...
24/03/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has announced new and r...
24/03/2026
National Telecom Public Company Limited (NT) used Ateme's KYRION platform fo...
24/03/2026
Grass Valley has expanded its relationship with ImSoPROD, the TV production entity of FDJ United, with the deployment of LDX C98 compact cameras across its nati...
24/03/2026
The E.W. Scripps Company is launching Scripps Sports Network (SSN), a free, ad-s...
24/03/2026
NEP Group has launched NEP Platform, a new software orchestration system that un...
24/03/2026
Daktronics has partnered with the Arizona Diamondbacks to design, manufacture and install a new LED video display and three ribbon boards at Chase Field in Phoe...
24/03/2026
Grass Valley has completed an upgrade of University of Pittsburgh Athletics'...
24/03/2026
Daktronics is upgrading eight LED displays at Wrigley Field in Chicago, totaling more than 8,300 square feet, using the Daktronics Renew product line. The upgra...
24/03/2026
Advanced Systems Group has appointed Kevin Poole as Senior Project and Support Manager within the ASG Workflow and Tools practice. The position is newly created...
24/03/2026
In an increasingly streaming-centric world, protecting high-value live sports co...
24/03/2026
Mediaproxy will showcase an updated version of its LogPlayer interface at NAB Show, April 19-22 in Las Vegas, booth W1423. The update includes AI tools, native ...
24/03/2026
The production studio has worked with content juggernauts such as MrBeast, The R...
24/03/2026
The event will also feature a State of the Industry address from sports-media veteran and strategic advisor Patrick Crakes....
24/03/2026
Victory , a free sports streaming service owned by A Parent Media Co. (APMC), has launched its NWSL Sunday Night Soccer franchise. The platform says the launch ...
24/03/2026
Sports content in free streaming is still relatively scant, but it's growing, right along with its monetization capabilities
Streaming-tech company Wurl re...
24/03/2026
Directed by Greg DeHart, the doc will feature Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famers...
24/03/2026
For the first time ever, Tubi - Fox's free streaming service - is working w...
24/03/2026
As the music industry gathers for Canada's Juno Awards, the local edition of...
24/03/2026
Behind every great song is a complex web of people, stories, and inspirations th...
24/03/2026
Few filmmakers have shaped popular cinema as profoundly as Steven Spielberg. So ...
24/03/2026
Latest Eurorack modules revealed
ALM/Busy Circuits have just introduced another two Eurorack modules, delivering a powerful new modulator that builds on the...
24/03/2026
Smallest, most affordable MPC to date
Akai Pro have just introduced their most accessible standalone sampler to date, making the iconic MPC experience avail...
24/03/2026
Create & manage presets on Windows & macOS
Electro-Harmonix have announced that their free Mac/Windows application now allows users of their Oceans Abyss re...
24/03/2026
Rohde & Schwarz amplifiers enable high-field immunity testing expansion at IB Le...
24/03/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites eligible Tier 1 and 2 South African production companies to submit proposals to serve as the Facilitating ...
24/03/2026
L3Harris ramps up production of its VAMPIRE C-UxS system....
24/03/2026
For more than 70 years, L3Harris has delivered essential fuzes and safe-and-arm solutions that bring the might to multi-domain battlefields across the globe, ...
24/03/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({...
24/03/2026
Rick Bernier reflects on a career that has taken him to the very top of live broadcast audio. As a Senior Broadcast Audio A1 Engineer and Music Director, he has...
24/03/2026
Grass Valley has strengthened its long-standing relationship with ImSoPROD, the TV production entity of the FDJ United, with the deployment of Grass Valley LDX ...
24/03/2026
At the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Utah Scientific will spotlight its expanding portfolio of hybrid SDI/IP routing, conversion, control, and signal management s...
24/03/2026
Fresh off its global reveal at ISE 2026 in Barcelona, the new V410 live 4K encoder/decoder from Miri Technologies Inc. will make its North American debut at the...
24/03/2026
Cinegy GmbH, premier provider of software-defined television technology, will show how its solutions answer the real challenges facing content creators and broa...
24/03/2026
Canberra-based radio and online broadcast network ArtSound FM (https://artsound.fm/) has invested in DHD audio mixing consoles for two new studios at its headqu...
24/03/2026
IBC today announced the nine projects selected for its 2026 Accelerator Media Innovation Programme, bringing together organisations from across broadcast, strea...
24/03/2026
Mediaproxy, the global standard for software-based IP compliance monitoring and multiviewing solutions, will showcase the next generation of its industry-leadin...
24/03/2026
Underscoring its global reputation as one of Canada's most renowned colleges for television production, the C gep de Jonqui re public college in Qu bec has ...
24/03/2026
Leading video software provider Synamedia today announced the launch of the industry's first edge watermarking solution that enables faster disruption of pi...
24/03/2026
Experience Commerce, a leading full-service digital marketing agency and part of the Cheil SWA Group, has secured the annual social media mandate for Fiat Payme...
24/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...