MADE FEATURES
can ’ t be successful . What do you have access to ? What can you get your hands on ? Use that . Use that to hone your storytelling skills . Maybe you can ’ t do a full feature , maybe you can ’ t do a 30-minute short . Maybe you can only do a 5 - 10 minute piece that you can put out onto the web and someone says “ That ’ s talent , how much did you spend on that ?” ( In response ) “ I spent $ 60 .” “ Well you know what , I ’ ll give you $ 600 to see what you ’ ll do ... or $ 6,000 ... or $ 60,000 .” Ultimately , you might get to $ 6 million or $ 60 million . But you gotta work your way up . Sitting back and talking about what you don ’ t have and dwelling on what you don ’ t have will ensure only thing - that you will stay right where you are .
MADE : What are lessons that you ’ ve learned from your mentor and lessons that you ’ ve taught your mentees ?
MADE : What has been your biggest challenge and what did you do to overcome it ?
WP : The key is knowing your audience . It is being open to your audience , listening to your audience and real people . Hollywood sometimes can be a bubble that thinks very monolithically . Sometimes Hollywood ’ s execs , filmmakers and producers don ’ t take into account enough of the perspectives and the sentiments of real people out in the world who don ’ t work in Hollywood - and I try to do that no matter what . That has certainly helped me to create commercial fare .
MADE : For your upcoming film Almost
Christmas , what are you looking forward to fans walking away with after they see that movie ?
WP : One of things is what Warrington ( Hudlin ) said after I first met him and told him I wanted to be a filmmaker . I ’ d done a small movie at FAMU called Chocolate City and I showed it to him and I had asked him if he would watch it . He said , “ I might .” He told me , “ Listen , the most important thing is that you have done something . You have a completed movie . Most people in this industry are talking about what they ’ re going to do , what they want to do , what they ’ re about to do . You have done it . You have something to show . Always be a doer , and not a talker .” Ultimately , he did watch it . He watched “ Chocolate City ” and he gave me his feedback on it . And he told me , “ Now if you shot this , shoot another one . And then shoot another one . And then shoot another one .” I said , “ Look , I didn ’ t make it or get in the door with the first one ? I don ’ t have the money to shoot another one . I have poured my heart and soul into this one . Can we stay with this one for a minute ?” And he told me , “ That ’ s what it takes ... You have to grind , and grind , and grind , and grind .” That ’ s what I encourage my young mentees , filmmakers , writers , actors to do - is to don ’ t stop . Don ’ t ever stop . The only thing that can stop you is you .
WP : It ’ s an amazing experience . It ’ s a really good time . That ’ s the key with Almost
Christmas is that we want to make sure that people know that this is a film - it ’ s a family film , there ’ s something in it for multiple generations - that ’ s literally going home for the holidays with the craziest family around . With everything that we ’ re going through and everything that has happened recently in this presidential election , we need to laugh . We need something that says , “ We ’ re not trying to be too serious , we really just want to entertain and allow you to have a good time ”. That ’ s what this movie is .
MADE : What is your encouragement to film creatives about how they can change our situation with their art or platforms ?
WP : I think being true to yourself - it ’ s nothing that will change overnight . But , don ’ t be afraid to put important issues on film and television , even as you “ the filmmaker ” try commercial fare . Don ’ t be afraid to have a message . Whatever your message is , whatever you may feel . I think that film and television are so powerful . It can get people ’ s attention and keep it for long periods of time . And with that
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