( ENSPIRE Community Spotlight ) Animated Musical Called ‘Time Signature’ is Here to Bring the Richness of Black Music to The Public
ENSPIRE Contributor: Seanna Nona
Academy Award-winning director and New York Times best-selling author Matthew A. Cherry returns to Kickstarter, the platform that catapulted his animation career, to showcase a new project, ‘Time Signature’. The campaign aims to fund production costs for the short, which will also serve as proof of concept for a future feature-length film.
The short film will consist entirely of an original, period-spanning musical score. From gospel and blues to funk, soul, R&B, and hip hop, ‘Time Signature’ wants to express and explore the beautiful genres of music while representing black culture and love. This is an animated musical about a teen prodigy who uses a magical piano to rewrite her mom’s past through time loops and revive her love of music. Time Signature is a chance to showcase Black families and modern Black music while keeping joy at the center.
The film will take audiences on a journey through the decades in Harmony’s life. 1990s, 1980s, and 1970s, each of these eras reveals a different version of her, and together, they help Melody understand how her mother’s relationship with music was formed, fractured, and quietly carried forward.
“I’m incredibly excited to bring Time Signature to life—a story that means so much to me. It celebrates the richness of Black music and honors the legacy of Black women who’ve carried love, strength, and tradition through generations. At its core, this film is about Black joy, resilience, and the unbreakable bonds of family. The support from the Kickstarter community truly means everything to me.” – Matthew A. Cherry
Cherry’s previous work, ‘Hair Love’, shattered records on Kickstarter, raising $284,058 with several backers across the globe. With the popularity of ‘Hair Love’ and brilliant storytelling, Cherry won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 2020 Oscars. Looking into the history of animation, it has failed to represent Black culture and Black hair realistically and inclusively, but ‘Hair Love was able to correct that, ultimately sparking a global conversation about the beauty of Black hair with its representation and authentic storytelling and animation.
The Hair Love universe expanded in fall 2023 with the premiere of Young Love, a 12-episode animated series developed in collaboration with Sony Pictures Animation and distributed by Max. Now, with Time Signature, Cherry continues that legacy—centering Black voices, honoring creative lineage, and reimagining the past through music and magic.
The Kickstarter campaign for ‘Time Signature’ is live now.
ABOUT MATTHEW A. CHERRY
Chicago native, Matthew A. Cherry is a former NFL wide receiver turned filmmaker who played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers and the Baltimore Ravens. In 2020, Matthew was listed as one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business and Fortune’s 40 Under 40 in Media and Entertainment. In addition to previously consulting for MonkeyPaw Productions and executive producing Spike Lee’s highly acclaimed BLACKKKLANSMAN, Matthew has also directed multiple episodes of television, including “Black-ish”, “Saved By The Bell”, and “Abbott Elementary.”
Additionally, Matthew’s first feature film, THE LAST FALL, was inspired by his own experiences playing in the NFL and starred Lance Gross and Nicole Beharie. Matthew is also an accomplished music video director, having directed videos for many artists, including Michelle Williams and Beyoncé.
Featured Articles: “Flip Ya Life”: Eric ‘Shabazz the OG’ Lowe Inspires with His Book Launch, New Release of Joker To King To Help Young Men Navigate The Real World
