Taj Jackson's MJ Documentary - Updates and Discussion [MERGED]

[ChanceToDance]

2023 epic documentary

There's also Sonic Fantasy coming out next year, MJ fans are in for a treat!!!

 

[AlwaysThere]

Controversially, I really hope Taj doesn’t put his name anywhere on this. It is very clearly a labor of love, but any obvious affiliation with the Jackson family will lead to the documentary being written off as “biased” before we even have the chance to see it. It needs to be the opposite of Leaving Neverland, and given the anti-MJ bias of the media, the less ammunition they get, the better.

Nevertheless, I’m excited. I truly hope it’s an airtight doc without any of the incorrect information fans often peddle (e.g., insurance company paid the ‘94 settlement, Jordan publicly confessed that he wasn’t abused).

 

[wonderouzmj]

I didn't know we were still waiting for this

 

[filmandmusic]

I didn't know we were still waiting for this

lol so you don’t quite give a ****

 

[SmoothGangsta]

Stopped caring about this a while back when it looked like he was going way beyond what he originally promised and made me lose a lot of confidence in the project and its aims. Seeing him speak about it hasn't filled with hope either. Seems like it's just gonna be another fan documentary about MJ's life, which is not what he originally said it was gonna be. Was supposed to dispel allegations not to talk about his entire life. Nobody in the general public is gonna watch 11 episodes so the original aims are probably not going to be met at all. Unreleased footage is cool but not what a lot of people who donated towards this project in the beginning donated for, it seems that product is not going to be delivered.

 

[Hess]

^^^

Sadly I agree. Only diehard fans will wanna sit thru an 11 episode series about MJ.... WTF ??

This is so far away from what it started at. And it all turned to the worse.

I know without a doubt that Taj has the best intention... BUT this is a dead idea. I have no hope in this project what so ever.

All the MJ fans that sees the 11 episodes will like them and be even more sure MJ was a saint and the best person who ever walked this earth and made no mistakes ever... Non-fans will most likely never ever hear about this and if they do it will change nothing, because they will not wanna waste their lives watching 11 episodes of only pro-MJ footage...

I am a huge fan, so I will watch, especially for new footage, but it's to long, it's too late and it's too obvious it will not be neutral/objective when it's made by family - so it has no credibility anyway.

 

[Hiker]

Sadly I agree. Only diehard fans will wanna sit thru an 11 episode series about MJ.... WTF ?

Agreed If the target is general public, it has to be a short compelling documentary that can be watched casually.
I consider myself a fan, but I don't know if I would be able to invest time into 11 episode series, maybe if it's discussed a lot over here!
Good intentions, but unfortunately poor execution . Michael deserves a good PR team.

 

[filmandmusic]

They should surely make an edited 2 hour version dealing with the allegations only if they want to it to get mainstream.

I will put my trust in social media to spread the word.

@Hess I see no real reason to spin it as negatively as you do. He has had shit thrown to him for a large part of his life. It is about time something positive and hopefully wall made gets some attention. Every level headed person knows his character had ups and downs it is human nature, we know he had drug and alcholol problems at one point, he had family problems etc nobody is calling him a saint, we are not crazy.

What @AlwaysThere there says is hugely important, it needs to be airtight, no lies and half truths!

This is just typical fan behavior, never happy always find something to moan about.

 

[Hess]

They should surely make an edited 2 hour version dealing with the allegations only if they want to it to get mainstream.

I will put my trust in social media to spread the word.

@Hess I see no real reason to spin it as negatively as you do. He has had shit thrown to him for a large part of his life. It is about time something positive and hopefully wall made gets some attention. Every level headed person knows his character had ups and downs it is human nature, we know he had drug and alcholol problems at one point, he had family problems etc nobody is calling him a saint, we are not crazy.

What @AlwaysThere there says is hugely important, it needs to be airtight, no lies and half truths!

This is just typical fan behavior, never happy always find something to moan about.

I am sorry if my post came across a little too negative. It just boogles me that this fine project (as it started) has turned into an 11 episode fan series... This was in no way how it started and not what was the intention.

I would like a good objective/neutral MJ doumentary - 2, maybe 2 ½ hour long with facts and I would like the documentary to be send on mayor TV stations across the world for most possible people to see. - This will most likely just be "released" on youtube and noone outside the fan-circles will ever know. - That's just sad IMO.

 

[filmandmusic]

I am sorry if my post came across a little too negative. It just boogles me that this fine project (as it started) has turned into an 11 episode fan series... This was in no way how it started and not what was the intention.

I would like a good objective/neutral MJ doumentary - 2, maybe 2 ½ hour long with facts and I would like the documentary to be send on mayor TV stations across the world for most possible people to see. - This will most likely just be "released" on youtube and noone outside the fan-circles will ever know. - That's just sad IMO.

I personally never expected it to get picked up by tv stations but in theory that is exactly what should happen As Reed got a big platform to tell his lies so the least to hope for is that the doc get the same treatment.
I think the best bet is to have it gain momentum on social media and then perhaps some broadcasting companies will pick it up. If the feeling is that it will get viewers in then it will get seen. I am sure Taj knows an edited version is needed that deals with the most important stuff And if not we should tell him

As for the biased nature of it all, I find it very important and encouraging that his family keeps the support high, I am sure dozens of people who knew Michael have made their contribution for their friend or collegue. So it is probably not just the family. There is a potential of dozens of people who have had their lives changed by Michael that can be interviewed. Think about all the kids that knew him well, sick people that got a substantial better life after Michael paid for their medication etc. I am 100% sure the general public knows nothing about that and they will be very surprised when they find out. Then it is word of mouth… the best advertising there is….

We cannot expect the allegations to just disappear, it is too late for that but anything just anything that fights it is very very welcome in my book.

 

[staywild23]

While I agree that 11 episodes may be too much for the true general public, I think a lot of this could depend on how it's marketed, how it's organized, how long the episodes are, etc. If it's really high quality and releases on a major streaming service and marketed as a mini series, I would be surprised if it's NOT heavily watched. Especially if the narrative is structured in a compelling way and not simply a chronological documentary of his life. People watch mini series about all kinds of events, unknown people, marginal celebrities, etc all the time. It's all about the first episode or two and how the story is told. It's all about quality. There is no reason, in my mind, that 11 episodes automatically means people won't want to invest any time at all in it. Plus it's Michael Jackson. He has a massive amount of less intense fans than us who will be curious about him. People who loved him in the 80s but fell away from him in the 90s, who are starting to hear his name in the news for positive reasons and will be curious what's there. He also has new fans and younger people in general who have their eyes far more open to injustice and media bias and may want another story to understand him through. He is also such a massive public figure that most people have at least a marginal interest in him. I think a huge amount of people will tune in for the first episode or two and will continue if it is GOOD and well done. That's the clincher to me. How GOOD is this going to be?

That said, if it's releases on YouTube, is not high quality, feels like a fan focused series, or just generally doesn't hold up in narrative structure, it may flop and that's really sad. Tbh the little teaser visuals do nothing whatsoever for me and I am literally the ideal audience. The teasers that have been shared do not suggest super high quality to me. This is why I hope that a real production company coming in will be invested in reimagining the marketing strategy and will help get this to a real streaming service. I think HULU would be a great fit based on their catalog as a whole. But it all comes down to quality.

I think we should try to stay positive and wait until we have more information and see how it's marketed, where it ends up, etc. Even though I have an endless appetite for all things MJ and will watch the shit out of this docu series even if it's terrible, I understand the frustration people are feeling. It would be ideal to point to one documentary people can watch to teach them about MJ rather than a mini series. But whatever. At least there will be SOMETHING.

 

[SmoothGangsta]

I'm sorry but this project is no longer what it was presented as and what people donated their money (that is being used to make this project) for. To class complaints as MJ fans never being happy is just a classic trope on this forum at this point with certain users and it's really tiring, it would be nice if people were able to voice their opinions without having to apologise for not being positive enough lol. Obviously this is good for MJ fans. MJ fans do not need convincing though and that was the aim of this project. To dispel all allegations including Leaving Neverland. It is now just a doc about his life that nobody but MJ fans will watch and it will make no difference. Saying there will be a two hour version is based on nothing so saying people are moaning based on that is ridiculous. People who are on the fence or worse think he's guilty are not going to sit through 11 episodes.

Obviously I hope it does amazing and achieves what he originally said it was going to when he started taking donations from fans based on that. It seems that he is no longer making that project though so a lot of people donated money and aren't going to be getting what he originally pitched them.

 

[AlwaysThere]

Disappointing to see the change in gears.

I think the best and most effective course would be a five-episode miniseries, with the first three episodes dedicated to the main accusers, the fourth to Leaving Neverland as a whole, and the fifth to the miscellaneous faces that popped up over the years (e.g., Jacobshagen, the Neverland 5, Jim Clemente, Jason Francia). That way, each case is given ample attention and detail. A 2+ hour documentary would have to speed run through each case, which might not effectively get the point across.

Whatever the case, I feel that a necessary response to LN is long overdue. Will anybody convinced of his guilt watch? Despite our skepticism, I’m sure a fair percentage will, even if it doesn’t sway them. But the importance is in establishing the facts for the future. Too many documentaries paint the cases as open and shut, and there needs to be a professionally-produced example of the true complexities of the situations.

 

[filmandmusic]

I love tropes! You are all moaning bastards!
@SmoothGangsta Nah just kidding maybe you guys are right after all. You’re killing my enthusiasm though ah well, we’ll see what happens

 

[filmandmusic]

@staywild23 I think I have a hive mind

 

[katara]

I feel like this project has expanded too much. I hate to be too critical because I do like taj but he has no directorial experience that I am aware of. A large scale docu-series is not something he has ever done before. It's too much imo. I feel like he has big dreams for this series than what he is capable of doing. Or what the public is interested in seeing. No hate towards him because I do like him and he has great intentions but he simply has no experience to put this together.

 

[Hess]

I feel like this project has expanded too much. I hate to be too critical because I do like taj but he has no directorial experience that I am aware of. A large scale docu-series is not something he has ever done before. It's too much imo. I feel like he has big dreams for this series than what he is capable of doing. Or what the public is interested in seeing. No hate towards him because I do like him and he has great intentions but he simply has no experience to put this together.

I agree completly.

 

[nextbigthing56]

Wasn’t Taj meant be be releasing a press release today?

 

[ssj]

Wasn’t Taj meant be be releasing a press release today?

I've also been wondering about that...

 

[staywild23]

Ok, I'm actually kind of annoyed about this. Why did he specifically say in the live stream that he'd be releasing a press release about it on MJ's birthday if he wasn't going to? I understand if something changed, but I feel that could have been communicated to us. I'm sure we will be updated soon, but I just find this frustrating. When better to announce something positive than on his birthday?? I don't get it.

I know there is a new TMZ documentary coming out soon about MJ's death, so it would be kind of nice if Taj released a press release around the premiere of that to sort of help offset the press. Not sure if it will have that effect, but it's nice to dream lol. Still, though, I just want the communication to be clear.

 

[Glanni]

Ok, I'm actually kind of annoyed about this. Why did he specifically say in the live stream that he'd be releasing a press release about it on MJ's birthday if he wasn't going to? I understand if something changed, but I feel that could have been communicated to us. I'm sure we will be updated soon, but I just find this frustrating. When better to announce something positive than on his birthday?? I don't get it.

I know there is a new TMZ documentary coming out soon about MJ's death, so it would be kind of nice if Taj released a press release around the premiere of that to sort of help offset the press. Not sure if it will have that effect, but it's nice to dream lol. Still, though, I just want the communication to be clear.

same.

Taj received about 250.000USD until now.

He said he wanted to release a press statement on MJs birthday. But he didnt. Instead he retweeted a birthday tweet for his uncle.

He was asked on twitter publicly on the same day if he was releasing the statement the same day.

He ignored it.

After 3 years and 250k he is not holding up to his promisses and all he showed us was the little video animation for re-righting history which is amateurish.. so what for?

I donated and start to believe that the project is about to fail. It is too big for Taj. If he breaks his promisses with us, the fans.... what comes next? Should we still support him after this fail? He intentionally ignored us with the press release. not. a single. word. since. then!

He had 3 weeks from anouncing the press release until MJs birthday.

3 weeks.

What has happened to make him NOT release a statement?

I wont complain about the 11 (in words: ELEVEN!) episodes because for us fans the more footage the better. But for the public eyes? Who would watch 11 episodes of MJ as a non-fan? Well... we will see what really comes out of this in the end.

Since the press-release thing I have lost trust and faith in Taj.

Next thing will be another Youtube LIVE announcment a la "tune in. you dont wanna miss this... lots to talk about" and then when he comes live he be like "I wanna make this quick".... "ok guys, a couple of more questions".... "in that way"... but not a single helpful information before he goes off.

 

[Hiker]

I am starting to agree with what was said earlier in the thread about Taj being in over his head with this one. Not sure who is helping him with Direction and Production, but the whole projects seems to have derailed

 

[KOPV]

edit

 

[Hiker]

well, but saying he will announce something on MJ's birthday and then not even a tweet is very unprofessional, or maybe we give him couple of days of bonus.

 

[Glanni]

Taj had been also preparing, rehearsing, traveling, and performing this month with 3T.

so? why isnt he transparent and open about it (like "listen guys, I am busy the next weeks with rehearsing, performing, travelling blablabla so I wont be able to work on this project for a while")? Instead he announces a press statement.

He never even said how far into the production and interviews they are. nobody asks for detailled information. but not even saying general basic stuff so we fans (who are financing this with 250k) know if it is still going or not. And then promissing a press statement but then not doing it and ignoring questions about it?

Preparing/rehearsing/travelling/performing is stressful but he knew it long before so you really think thats a fulltime job with no breaks to write a press statement?? If THAT is too much for him then I am excited about the 11 episodes outcome....

 

[Glanni]

well, but saying he will announce something on MJ's birthday and then not even a tweet is very unprofessional, or maybe we give him couple of days of bonus.

Taj got all the bonuses at least from my side for the last 3 years.

Its time for results and its time to stop empty promisses and senseless youtube lives.

 

[staywild23]

@Glanni and @Hiker yeah I feel much the same. I am always extremely positively about stuff on this forum and I remain quite positive about this project (I'm one of the few people who don't think 11 episodes is an issue at all -- but I also will watch almost anything if it's good quality lol) . However, I'm just very annoyed by the unprofessionalism of not following through on this particular promise. I also was quite surprised that he only retweeted birthday wishes. I did see on Instagram he posted his own special message for MJ. So I thought perhaps it was because he didn't want to deal with questions about this on Twitter? I'm not sure. The lack of professionalism about it bothers me...

I'm not so much upset about the press release itself, just the lack of communication overall. I'm not willing to give up on this project yet, because I remain a forever optimist that things will work out. But I think fans being annoyed by this lack of follow through when a specific date was mentioned makes a lot of sense.

On a brighter note, though we don't have a release date we continue to get updates about "Trial by Media" which is shaping up to look quite impressive!

 

[katara]

Taj simply is not qualified for any type of professional documentary release. Its not enough to want to do something, you have to know how to follow through and close the deal. He should've never accepted the money from the fans because he had to have known he wasn't capable of this and had no idea where to start or any experience whatsoever in putting together anything by yourself.

I hate to say it but I feel like Taj is trying to use this documentary and the fans money to jumpstart a directorial career which really shouldn't be the case. I noticed in their reality series the nephews did, the new generation of jacksons are extremely entitled to success in entertainment. Which happens a lot with nepotism. Nobody wants to start from the ground up anymore especially if you're connected to the king of pop, michael jackson. At this point he should give the fans the money back, but he might not have it tbh. I hate to be harsh but the fact that he hasn't even started production on this project after 3 years is proof to me that its never going to happen..

 

[zinniabooklover]

Taj simply is not qualified for any type of professional documentary release. Its not enough to want to do something, you have to know how to follow through and close the deal. He should've never accepted the money from the fans because he had to have known he wasn't capable of this and had no idea where to start or any experience whatsoever in putting together anything by yourself.

Couldn't agree more. I was never convinced Taj - or anyone with zero relevant experience - could pull this off. And bc it's so important it always needed to be someone who had the skills. I also never got the crowdfunding thing. It's far too late now for it to be a viable rebuttal to the tv programme. But whatever his agenda is, whatever he's trying to put together, I don't feel optimistic. Even just watching his videos where he's talked about the project there is no sense that he has any real direction or focus let alone the necessary skills.

I hate to say it but I feel like Taj is trying to use this documentary and the fans money to jumpstart a directorial career which really shouldn't be the case.

I didn't want to be the one to say it but I've always had this suspicion in the back of my mind. I don't pay any attention to the family so it's mere speculation on my part and perhaps is entirely unfair. But that was how it always came across to me. Happy to be proved wrong. But I'm not holding my breath.

I noticed in their reality series the nephews did, the new generation of jacksons are extremely entitled to success in entertainment.

I didn't know this. I have no interest in the family. It's all about Michael for me. I love the brothers as performers in J5 and Jacksons. They bring a lot to the table and I love the chemistry the brothers have when they perform. Outside of that, I have no interest. Katara, your observation here is depressing but not surprising, I guess.

Which happens a lot with nepotism. Nobody wants to start from the ground up anymore especially if you're connected to the king of pop, michael jackson.

At this point he should give the fans the money back, but he might not have it tbh. I hate to be harsh but the fact that he hasn't even started production on this project after 3 years is proof to me that its never going to happen..

Exactly. Even a rank amateur should have more to report on by now. I know he's done a long interview with Tom Mesereau. And presumably a few other people. But 3 years? There needs to be more.

Tbh, I've kind of forgotten about this thing. Michael is doing the work all by himself, as usual. I think Michael himself is turning the situation around. I'm not saying we're out of the woods yet. I don't think we are. At all. But I think time and Michael have done more in the last 3 years than Taj appears to have done. But I could be wrong. Like I said, I don't pay attention to the family. I watched all of the interviews that Taj and Brandi did after the tv programme came out. Other than that, I really don't know a whole lot and don't care to. Perhaps I will be pleasantly surprised one day. Hope springs eternal and all that.

 

[Hiker]

I also never got the crowd funding thing, aren't the Jacksons suppose to be rich? Why did they needed fans to pay for a documentary to clear Michael's name. LN was not crowdfunded, its just sad.

I think Michael himself is turning the situation around. I'm not saying we're out of the woods yet. I don't think we are. At all. But I think time and Michael have done more in the last 3 years than Taj appears to have done.

yes, rather its the fans who relentlessly fight for Michael and spread his music around who have done lot of hard work