MOF: Which do you feel is the most difficult?
Carl: Most difficult? Probably Producing. It's thankless and fraught with unforeseen problems....but also the most gratifying.....seeing a project from its infancy; through its development to completion before an audience is the ultimate rush!
MOF: Who has been your biggest inspiration along the way?
Carl: Many inspirations. As an actor. Sidney Poitier, Jack Lemmon, Glynn Turman. Producers...Brian Grazer....so many people. I am privileged to work anywhere in this business on any level and have been blessed to work with so many wonderful artists and I am not close to being done!
MOF: With everything that we see in the media as it pertains to people of color being in the industry and the challenges that come with having equality in the industry, how do you deal with it all? What exactly keeps you striving despite the obstacles?
Carl: This business without regard to race is fraught with rejection and disappointment. The key, for me, is to stay focused, work hard and to stay artistically authentic to my voice and point of view. But since you bring up being a person of color? There isn't a better time to be that. BET, TVOne, AMC, NBC, FOX....we're everywhere. Exciting times. And. We're here to stay!!!
MOF: How do you propose that the gap that we currently see as it pertains to equal opportunities and recognition as it pertains to people of color be closed?
Carl: It's closing and technology and the open distribution platforms and making all that possible. No more BIG 3 with TV....and because of AMAZON, NETFLIX, YOU TUBE, HULU and others, there's a hunger for more content including those created by people of color.
"I was the weird kid who'd go to see movies and watch the same film over and over."
carl gilliard
renaissance man
Magazine / March 2017 9