Project Greenlight: A New Generation and Gray Matter are now streaming on Max

The long-running docuseries, Project Greenlight, has always had the potential to give budding directors a chance to make a micro-budget film. However, the end product often falls short. After two decades of trying to get it right, including the newest reboot that premiered on Max, it’s clear that the intention of counseling a filmmaker and creating a compelling docuseries clash. Project Greenlight: A New Generation quickly becomes a frustrating experience as a young director is repeatedly let down by Hollywood production executives who claim to offer mentorship but are oblivious to their own communication and problem-solving blind spots.

Previous seasons of Project Greenlight suffered from a similar problem: male directors facing creative obstinance. A New Generation addresses this by focusing on cultivating female talent behind the camera, addressing the consistent denial of opportunities for women in Hollywood. This fresh angle immediately invigorates Project Greenlight.

The premiere of Project Greenlight: A New Generation introduces the new series mentors, Issa Rae, Kumail Nanjiani, and Gina Prince-Bythewood, who have each experienced the journey from DIY to studio success, which the producers hope to replicate on the show. Together with a panel of executives, they discuss how to narrow down a large pool of filmmakers to the ten finalists. Unlike previous seasons, the produced script for this season is a commissioned sci-fi story called Gray Matter, written by professional screenwriter Philip Gelatt.

However, the potential quickly fades after the selection of Meko Winbush, a soft-spoken, self-professed geek, as the winning director. While her self-produced interpretation of a scene from Gray Matter impresses the panel, her in-person pitch is less polished. They choose Winbush as the best filmmaker, but immediately clash with her more restrained reactions to the overwhelming responsibilities of directing a feature film.

Throughout the season, Winbush repeatedly asks to shadow or train with industry professionals, wanting to learn more. However, the edit of the show portrays her as a “villain” because she is not an immediate production expert. The executives and mentors come off poorly in the final edit, and their treatment of Winbush raises questions about their understanding of the season’s mandate.

As the season progresses, Winbush faces constant second-guessing from the executives, particularly from HOORAE producers Montrel McKay and Sara Rastogi. They exhibit a surprising “mean girls” approach towards Winbush, which goes against the spirit of the season’s goal. Additionally, the mentors are absent for most of the season, leaving Winbush to navigate the executives’ demands without their guidance.

Despite the challenges, Winbush and her cinematographer, Andrew Jeric, use their budget and shooting schedule wisely to create a well-executed sci-fi movie, Gray Matter. The film stands out as one of the best to come out of Project Greenlight, showcasing Winbush’s genre expertise despite the obstacles she faces.

The season culminates in a messy finale episode that briefly touches on how Gray Matter reaches its final form. Throughout the season, there is a lack of effective communication and day-to-day mentoring, leaving a manufactured narrative that is neither affirming nor inspiring for general audiences or future filmmakers.

Despite the challenges faced, Winbush remains a competent and humble hero in the series, and hopefully, she goes on to achieve greater success in the industry.