“Our Musicians Were Historians” Says Magic City: An American Fantasy Director Charles Todd

What happens when a natural hustler has a dream and the determination to provide a better life for himself and his family? You get one of the most popular clubs that transforms lives, changes the culture, and becomes a legend. Welcome to Magic City, a place where opportunity meets fantasy. This isn’t just a place for adult fun, where hustlers made deals, dancers saw their careers flourish, and a family business turned into an enterprise.

In Starz’s Magic City: An American Fantasy, director Charles Todd explores how Magic City became the epicenter of entertainment, attracting legendary celebrities, both before and during their rise to superstardom. Magic City was about one man’s vision and a demand that his club have the best of everything. But beyond the glitz and music, the docuseries delves into the stark dualities of this era—unveiling the dangers faced by dancers, the brutal reign of the RED DOG police unit, and the imprisonment of Mr. Magic himself.

In celebration of Magic City: An American Fantasy, The Koalition spoke to Todd to learn more about crafting the series, how the political and cultural climate impacted each episode, and the goal of the series.

“From the beginning we had four pillars of themes that we wanted to focus on. We had the story of Atlanta, the rise of hip-hop, or the migration of hip-hop from New York and LA to Atlanta. We had the fact that Magic City is a family-owned and operated business, [which told a] family story there. Then last but certainly not least and most important is the story of the women, past and present, who have come through that club. So having these four pillars allowed us to examine at each decade what was happening within these pillars. Then [we decided], “How do we fit that cohesively into a story that tells a larger picture of a cultural institution like Magic City?”

Magic City: An American Fantasy goes beyond the glitz and music by delving into the stark dualities of this era—unveiling the dangers faced by dancers, the brutal reign of the RED DOG police unit, and the imprisonment of Mr. Magic himself. “As a documentary director, you want to have perspectives from all sides. You don’t want to have a one-sided story. Our producing team was always searching [and asking], ‘Well, if this is one person’s perspective, can we find someone with the complete opposite perspective? And can we present both sides to the audience and then let the audience decide?’ [Then I ask myself], ‘Well, how do I feel about the information that I’ve been given?’ That was a focus and an aim and a desire from us from the beginning, and having some of this news matriculate into the story only helped us broaden the scope and understanding of Atlanta and Magic City at the same time.”

Spread across five episodes, Todd guides the audience through the Magic City’s role in the rise of Southern hip-hop, the impact on Atlanta’s nightlife and economics, and the evolution of women’s empowerment and mindset in the entertainment industry, including music videos, across generations.

“The thing is there’s so much music history tied to the club. I think the best way for us to approach this was just by listening to the stories that were being told to us, even talking to Mr. Magic firsthand in his multiple interviews. [We asked], ‘What were the key milestones, in your opinion, that dictated or charted the rise of music here?’ Then we went to Jermaine Dupri and heard his version. [We realized], ‘Oh, we may have missed a moment here, or we should focus on this moment here.’ Hearing the same from Big Boy from Outkast, even down to 2 Chainz and Quavo in the present. Honestly, all of our musicians were historians in their own right because they had all grown up around the club. So, they had a lot of respect in making sure we tell the story the right way.”

“The goal of this documentary is to be honest and truthful and honor the perspectives of those that are sharing their stories. There are elements of social critique about strip clubs that are valid. There are elements of social critique that are invalid. There are beautiful moments and community that exist within a strip club. There are grittier and not-so-beautiful moments that exist within a strip club, and all of that lives in conversation with one another. It’s not just this or that; it’s ‘How do I share this perspective to have a deeper understanding of the environment of the Magic City?’

To learn more about Todd and his approach to the series, watch our full interview in the video above. Magic City: An American Fantasy releases on Starz on August 15th.