▁for ▁the ▁Arts , ▁the ▁function ▁of ▁this ▁organization ▁was ▁the ▁fund ing ▁of ▁deser ving ▁local ▁mult icult ural ▁arts ▁organizations . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁Hook s ▁co - f ounded ▁( with ▁writer ▁L onne ▁E lder ▁III ) ▁Arts ▁in ▁Action . ▁Loc ated ▁in ▁South ▁Central ▁Los ▁Angeles , ▁this ▁was ▁a ▁film ▁and ▁television ▁training ▁center ▁established ▁to ▁guide ▁individuals ▁who ▁asp ired ▁to ▁care ers ▁in ▁film ▁production . ▁It ▁form ulated ▁strateg ies ▁and ▁training ▁for ▁se cur ing ▁entry - level ▁jobs . ▁C ourses ▁included : ▁career ▁development ▁work sh ops ; ▁pre - production ▁and ▁production ▁for ▁film ▁and ▁television ; ▁cre ative ▁problem ▁solving ▁in ▁production ▁management ; ▁direct ing ▁for ▁stage ▁and ▁screen — pr inci ples ▁and ▁practices ; ▁also ▁the ▁craft ▁of ▁assistant ▁direct ors , ▁script ▁super visor , ▁techn icians , ▁w ard ro be , ▁make - up , ▁etc . ▁ ▁The ▁Neg ro ▁Ens emble ▁Company ▁of ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁( 1 9 9 4 - 1 9 9 7 ) ▁was ▁created ▁because ▁so ▁many ▁New ▁York ▁members ▁and ▁original ▁members ▁had ▁re located ▁to ▁the ▁West ▁Coast . ▁Hook s , ▁as ▁founder ▁and ▁executive ▁director ▁Den ise ▁Nicholas , ▁Den zel ▁Washington , ▁James ▁Earl ▁Jones , ▁Laur ence ▁Fish bur ne , ▁Richard ▁Round tree , ▁Samuel ▁L . ▁Jackson , ▁all ▁al umn i ▁from ▁New ▁York ▁Neg ro ▁Ens emble ▁Company ▁to ▁serve ▁as