Okay look...can I say something? I’ve opened this bottle of wine I got for my damn birthday so I’ma say it. I’ve been pitching all week. It’s been so incredible. I’m directing the film I’m pitching. Right? Ok. I got involved with this film via Twitter. The writer & producers...
...also met via Twitter. Twitter has been so amazing, not only for me but for my career. Honestly if It wasn’t for Twitter, I don’t even know if I would be directing right now. And not because I wouldn’t want to be. Pull up a chair...
I came to Hollywood the summer of 1994. Booked a film & P’Hood. I co-wrote an ep of P’Hood when I was about 16. Did my manager/agent say “oh look she writes”? No. I kept writing. Mostly storie/character I wished I could audition for. Reps did nothing. To be fair it was a diff...
...time so who knows what that would’ve looked like? A manager/agent getting their Black teen girl into meetings as a writer. The biz def was not as open as it is now? But a lot of that “openess” is because of SM like Twitter. Went into my 20’s still writing. The first time...
...a producer ever took an interest in my writing was on Never Die Alone. I was 24. A BW producer heard that I wrote & asked to see some of my writing. I showed her. I think we were at Sundance. We immediately started working together & started pitching. Nothing ever came...
...of it, but she saw something in me, aside from me just being an actress. While I was pregs with Scarlett (26) I said you know what, I’m a writer. I have scripts for days. Lemme call some of these producers I’ve worked with & see what can happen. I pitched to these folks...
...I knew the last trimester of my whole pregnancy. They’d always be impressed but nothing would happen. I had Scarlett at 27. Around that time, I was too busy to check my Myspace & was looking for something new. Me & Questlove followed each other on Myspace & I saw...
...he was on some new app called Twitter. I will never forget it. I was on the set of the Sherry Shepherd show (I was in the orig cast/pilot but when they moved to NYC they cut me) and I started my account. 2009. I was 29 yrs old. Within a year of being on here, I met...
...Matthew. I smelled that hustler spirit immediately. I wrote ‘This Time’ & flew to Atanta to shoot it (he directed). 2010. I was 30. Did my reps see/say “Maybe she has something”? No. 2 yrs later we did our first crowdfunder. 2012. Folks thought I was a scammer😂. Back then...
...Go fund me’s weren’t the norm. But we raised the $ to shoot season 1 of Almost Home. Written by me & directed by Matt. I did direct 1 scene because he insisted 😂. Season 2, Matt was unavail to direct so I did. Written by (and starring) me. I was 32-34. Then came...
...Surviving. My first experience with Genre. Surviving was horror/Thriller. Written/Directed by me. About 2 Black sisters tryna survive the Zombie apocalypse & stay away from the Gov who want them dead. Right? Super interesting & fun. Just like with Almost Home, I called...
...friends to be in it. They were excited just like with Almost Home. We do a crowdfunder again (my 3rd one) and shot it. Just so happened that year I made the most residual income from Cleve Show than any other yr & I used that $$ (and our savings) to fund that project. I was...
...35. In Sept 2016 we found out Surviving was nominated for a Gotham Award. I STILL HAVE NO IDEA WHO SUBMITTED US BECAUSE WE DID NOT. We were nominated for Best Original Show Shortform. We wers told we had to have 30k to attend the show. Um...we did not have that. Btw...
...the “we” is me & my husband. We produce everything together. Then they said forget it. If you can get here (NYC) you can go to the ceremony. We’re in LA with 2 kids in school. Thank God for my mother in Law WHO TOOK OFF OF WORK to watch our kids so we could go. We go...
...and it was amazing. Incredible. That same yr we were there, a man named Barry Jenkins was there with the cast of a film called Moonlight. We didn’t win but it was a huge moment for us. For me as a writer/director. I was 36. I am now 40, pitching at TFI Network, on a film...
...I’m now directing, with an incredible group of women I met...ON TWITTER. Long story short, this shit is NOT set up for Black Women. And I already had an ‘in’ being an actress! It’s just super frustrating & heartbreaking because I know so many Black/Brown women who have...
...dope stories. Are great writers/directors AND HAVE THE AWARDS TO BACK THEM UP and still it’s like pulling teeth to fucking get in! Make your own...yeah I’ve done it. I’d like to be able to pay my bills creating bomb ass stories. I’d like for my husband to be able to...
...wuit his fucking job & produce with me full time. No matter what folks say, it is NOT easy for Black/Brown people to “get in”. And if it’s hard for WW, it’s 4x as hard for Black women. ESP in genre. And when it comes to horror (a genre I love) forget about it. So I’m here...
...on a high from Gabby’s post reminding me who the fuck I am. Yeah. I’m super real with ya’ll. That’s my story. And at 40 years old, a mother of 2, I’m just getting started. Make your connections on here. Folks are not gonna give you the keys. It will not be easy. Your own...
...family may not understand. But go after what you want. And go after it hard. ~Fin~
