1 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Money Making Conversations. It's the show that she 2 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:10,039 Speaker 1: has the secrets of success experience firsthand by marketing and 3 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:13,039 Speaker 1: Brandon expert Rashan McDonald. I will know he's giving me 4 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: advice to many occasions. In the casion didn't notice, I'm 5 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: not broke. You know He'll be interview with celebrity CEOs, 6 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: entrepreneurs and industry decision makers. It's what he likes to do. 7 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 1: It's what he likes to share. Now it's time to 8 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 1: hear from my man, Rashan McDonald money making Conversations. Here 9 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 1: we come. Welcome to my money Making Conversation. I'm your host, 10 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:34,560 Speaker 1: ras Shan McDonald. It's time to stop reading other people's 11 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: success story. I tell people all the time when they 12 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 1: listen to my show, watching my show, you need to 13 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: start writing your own now. You can be motivated by 14 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:43,879 Speaker 1: other people's success because their stories could offer you direction 15 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:46,279 Speaker 1: and help you reach your goals through your planning and 16 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: your community effort. But remember, the interviews I bring on 17 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 1: this show allow you, as a consumer business owners to 18 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: access interviews with celebrity CEO, entrepreneurs, and industry decision makers. 19 00:00:56,960 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: I have two of the biggest inter decision makers on 20 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: My show today. My next two guests are Bennie Boom, 21 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:06,960 Speaker 1: well known director, and Solomon Onneita Jr. Bennie Boone is 22 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 1: one of the executive producers of Tasmanian Devil and Solomon 23 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 1: Ounita Junior is the writer and director of Tasmanian Devil. 24 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 1: He is a little history of My Man, Benny Boom. 25 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: He's a member of Appa Phi Apple As it Is. Solomon, 26 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,479 Speaker 1: he directed a much anticipated two pop cool bio pick 27 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: out All Eyes on Me. He has dominated television and 28 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 1: streaming platforms. Benny's directed episodes of n c I, s 29 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: l A, Black Lightning and All American The Quad and 30 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 1: Tales at BT Lee Daniels Empire on Fox Now. In 31 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 1: August of twenty The Tasan Tasmanian Devil Earned Solomon Nita Jr. 32 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:43,559 Speaker 1: The inaugural John Singleton Director Award for the Best First 33 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: Feature at the twenty American Black Film Festival. Tasmanian Devil 34 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 1: was streaming on all platforms, especially Amazon, iTunes and Fandaego. 35 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: Please welcome to My Man. To money making conversations, Bennie 36 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: Boone and Solomon Oneita Junior. How you doing, Fellas are 37 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 1: you doing, man, I gotta play apples on the call 38 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: right here. I think that's important to say this because 39 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:11,399 Speaker 1: we're talking about them more by pledging and and if 40 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 1: they you know, I've seen a lot of different versions. Uh, 41 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: I know. I was fortunate. Uh I should do sitcoms 42 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 1: and I used to. I wrote an episode with Sister 43 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 1: Sister when it was on the air and we did. 44 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,520 Speaker 1: Uh my man, Brian McKnight, he was a start in 45 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:28,080 Speaker 1: the sitcom and we and you know, when you start 46 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: talking about fraternitys and sororities and if you if you 47 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: make anybody walking the straight line or anybody to do 48 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: something against their will, then no national branch to mess 49 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaker 1: with you, because that's hazy. That's you know, if you 50 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 1: said walking the straight line, if they bowed out to you, 51 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 1: they say yes, sir, that is a form of hazing. 52 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: I just want to explain to people why they didn't 53 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:51,960 Speaker 1: use a f I A And you can't. That's hazing. 54 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: And if you acknowledge that use in a movie, then 55 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: they can come and can come back and bite them 56 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 1: into some form of a lawsuit because they can use 57 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:00,839 Speaker 1: that where you acknowledge just portray in a movie here. 58 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: So That's why even though they are members of a 59 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 1: phi A, they can't use it because guess what the 60 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:08,639 Speaker 1: images that they're portraying in this movie, which are very 61 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 1: realistic by the way. And I'm not saying anything negative 62 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 1: because guess what it happened to me when I pledged 63 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 1: to make a fire. In fact, it was pretty much 64 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: worse in certain situations. But you know, I have nothing 65 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,080 Speaker 1: negative about that, Benny and Solomon when I talk about this, 66 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 1: because I will tell you this pledge to maka scat fire, 67 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: as you probably say pledge in a phi A, it 68 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 1: changed my life, how about you, guys? Uh? For me, 69 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: a hundred percent changed my life. I pledged spring one 70 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 1: at Temple at University Pigro. I was a solo pledge. 71 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: So it was a very very very difficult or deal 72 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: for me, and um, it definitely changed me from a 73 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: boy to a man. I was nineteen years old and 74 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: I had uh. I was a freshman. You know a 75 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 1: lot of those things you know that I was grappling 76 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: with as a young man. I was molded and guided 77 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: by by my bros. You know the it grows at 78 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: the time, and so it really changed my life, guided me, 79 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: matured me, really quickly, and I appreciated every single day. 80 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: You know, what I was, what I went through, and 81 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 1: what I was able to make it through. How about you, Solomon? 82 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,479 Speaker 1: For me, I had a very similar experience with with 83 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:21,279 Speaker 1: pledging Alphafi offa. UM. What I showed in the film 84 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 1: is not necessarily my exact experience, you know. I made 85 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 1: it a fixtionalized version for entertainment purposes. But the lessons 86 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 1: and the values that these organizations UH give young men 87 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 1: is what I was trying to depict through film. Um. 88 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 1: And so the journey that my lead character takes throughout 89 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 1: Tasmanian Devil, it's something similar that I experienced, you know, 90 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:49,840 Speaker 1: gaining self confidence, gaining that brotherhood factor that uh that 91 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:52,280 Speaker 1: you know, really propels you to that next phase of 92 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:57,039 Speaker 1: your life, especially as a young man. We know. It's interesting, Benny, 93 00:04:57,080 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: you said you pledged you when you was a freshman. 94 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 1: I was a senior and I played so you know, 95 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:02,920 Speaker 1: they hit me hard. Why do you watch you long? 96 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:06,280 Speaker 1: Why wat you long? Oh dude? Trying to pledge all 97 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:10,000 Speaker 1: these young people? And but and I say that because 98 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:12,560 Speaker 1: I was lost, man, and that's what I see in 99 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 1: this movie Tasmanian Devil, was a young man who's lost, 100 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:18,040 Speaker 1: trying to find himself. He's from a foreign he's from 101 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 1: another country. His mom is back in the country where 102 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: he's coming from his dad. I guess it's a disconnect 103 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:25,840 Speaker 1: because his dad wasn't with him as he grew up 104 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:28,360 Speaker 1: and became a man, and so he comes over here 105 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 1: and the manhood he receives it is really from the 106 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 1: relationship he creates with these young men in the in 107 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 1: the in the fraternity, he's trying to pledge and I, 108 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 1: in my reading it right, that's um, that's exactly right. 109 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:42,200 Speaker 1: I think that the one thing for me when I 110 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 1: read the script, you know, Solomon Uh Solomon's producer Trishia Woodard, 111 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:48,919 Speaker 1: got the script to me and and my company and 112 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: we're looking for um producers and financing and stuff like that. 113 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:55,719 Speaker 1: And so when I read the script, I was so 114 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:58,599 Speaker 1: familiar with the pledge process that that wasn't the first 115 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:00,040 Speaker 1: thing that jumped out of me. The first thing that 116 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,600 Speaker 1: really jumped out of me was the relationship, the father's 117 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 1: son relationship in the film, and I felt like reading 118 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 1: that script. You know, whenever you read a piece of material, um, 119 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 1: you try to find the commonality of the story that 120 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:16,039 Speaker 1: that you think everyone can relate to. So everybody can't 121 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: relate to for pledging or hazing, or the Black week 122 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 1: life or black colleges, but everybody can relate to their 123 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 1: own relationship or dynamic with their mother or father. And 124 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 1: to me, that is the strength and the foundation of 125 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:34,360 Speaker 1: this film. Um, that relationship that you know, um where 126 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 1: where where Diode comes to America thinking that you know, 127 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 1: he looked as his dad as a god, you know, 128 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 1: and he comes to America and he's falls very short 129 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:46,600 Speaker 1: of that. You know, you're also talking about in the film. 130 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 1: He's a man of God, he's a missionary and a pastor, 131 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 1: and so we have that dynamic of faith um in 132 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:55,279 Speaker 1: the film, which is also something that uh, you know, 133 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 1: I I'd like to talk about in the film because 134 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:01,160 Speaker 1: I think it's an important factor when when in this story, well, 135 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 1: you know, it was important to me because you know, 136 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: here's a guy he left his family, right, he left 137 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 1: his wife, His wife had to raise a young man, 138 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: and we all know the dynamics of it importance the 139 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 1: men in the boy's life, and he wasn't there in 140 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:19,040 Speaker 1: those important formative years and basically he was the only 141 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 1: reason he came to him. I'm not gonna tell the story. 142 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 1: It was. It was it was kind of like happens 143 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 1: that that he actually was in the States to be 144 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 1: with his father. But his father explaining, Solomon, what were 145 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: you trying to achieve in the in the in the 146 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:35,360 Speaker 1: ark of the character with the father, because you're the 147 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 1: writer and the director, what were you achieving in that relationship? 148 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 1: Because I hear what Benny said, and I'm agree with 149 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 1: what you're saying, Bennie. And because my father was a 150 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:46,000 Speaker 1: disconnect with me, you know, I loved him to death, 151 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 1: you know, and uh, but we were not that type 152 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:54,440 Speaker 1: father s relationship. Uh for me. When it came to 153 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:59,560 Speaker 1: the father Tasmane in Devil, uh, it kind of mirrored 154 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: my relate and ship with my father. My my dad 155 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: is also in the ministry and OFT and often he 156 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 1: would leave to Nigeria to other countries on missionary trips 157 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 1: to uh, you know, because he he works in UM 158 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 1: and like radio broadcast and in order to kind of 159 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 1: you know, spread the message of Christ. And so I 160 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 1: was looking at that when I was when I was 161 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:24,679 Speaker 1: growing up, and I was thinking, you know, he's leaving 162 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 1: his family in order to push the Gospel and so 163 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 1: you know, his his attention is being carried away from 164 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:34,560 Speaker 1: things that I thought he should have, you know, been 165 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 1: at home trying to nurture us as we were coming up, 166 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 1: but he was instead doing other things. So for me, 167 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:43,320 Speaker 1: it's like that was the most interesting part of of 168 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 1: of the character for me, because I thought the art 169 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 1: there was he puts more value in this out is 170 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 1: in this external system of religion versus his own family, 171 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:56,680 Speaker 1: and that's what I was trying to portray. Well, you know, 172 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:59,440 Speaker 1: we're not being you know, you know I mentioned a 173 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:02,560 Speaker 1: different of as you show you've done success in the 174 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 1: film industry and then you get a project that comes 175 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 1: to your production company, Tasmanian Devil. You know, is it 176 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: is it the character structure or is the content of 177 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 1: what the script brought to the table that really excited 178 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:18,680 Speaker 1: you the most, or we're just the favorite mee ority 179 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: of the background because you are remember I'm apafip. Well, 180 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:26,320 Speaker 1: it was a combination of things. I think part of um, 181 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:32,319 Speaker 1: part of our responsibility as uh in these fraternities is 182 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:35,199 Speaker 1: something that's important, and I think over the years it 183 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 1: has gotten lost on on all of us, you know, 184 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 1: not just Alpha's not just cues. All of us we've 185 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 1: we've sort of we've taken a back seat to what 186 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 1: we're supposed to be doing. And what we're supposed to 187 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 1: be doing is giving back to the community. We're supposed 188 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: to reach back and bring other people up. Regardless of 189 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: what I mean, I would have had this film come 190 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:56,920 Speaker 1: to me Solomon not been an alpha and he was 191 00:09:57,559 --> 00:09:59,120 Speaker 1: you know, a queue or new I would have been 192 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 1: involved in the same way, because that wasn't the reason why. 193 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:05,440 Speaker 1: Um what I wanted to do was to be able 194 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:08,199 Speaker 1: to help a young man who wanted to be or 195 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:11,959 Speaker 1: who is a filmmaker tell his story and not be 196 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 1: held back by what happens when you make a studio movie, 197 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:19,400 Speaker 1: when producers who've never made a movie before or never 198 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 1: directed or never written have all these notes and ideas 199 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 1: and thoughts and all this stuff, and it goes against 200 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:28,760 Speaker 1: what you want to do creatively. Right, So what I 201 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 1: what I wanted to do was helped shepherd him in 202 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 1: this into this industry in a way where his full 203 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:38,079 Speaker 1: vision can be achieved. The way he thought about the scenes, 204 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:40,199 Speaker 1: the way he wrote the scenes, the way he directed 205 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 1: the scenes, or his vision. At the same time, because 206 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 1: of the experience I had. I wanted to give him 207 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 1: some notes and some ideas, but never was I in 208 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 1: a position where I said, Yo, you gotta take these 209 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 1: notes or it's gonna be whacked. No. I would offer 210 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 1: my ideas to him, some he took something he didn't, 211 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:01,959 Speaker 1: and I respected to respect acted them both the same way. Um, 212 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:04,199 Speaker 1: because the point of the matter is when you make 213 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:06,560 Speaker 1: a film, you have to as the director and writer, 214 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 1: you have to live and die by that film. So 215 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: I I just wanted him to make sure that he 216 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 1: was solid and stood solid on the ground and the 217 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 1: decisions that he made. And my whole goal was to 218 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:19,439 Speaker 1: be here to support him. And I think it's really 219 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 1: important to Solomon that you did have someone who had 220 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:28,079 Speaker 1: the fraternal experience, the pledge experience, because I would tell you, 221 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 1: man really enjoyed the movie. I was. I smiled because 222 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 1: they brought back memories, you know, zombody trying, you know, 223 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: when it was past, you know, when it was greed. 224 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 1: It was like, you know I was going through if 225 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:46,559 Speaker 1: I was going through, see it through, I was, I 226 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 1: was going I was just it was like even keep 227 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 1: your heading all about your losing theirs and blaming you 228 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:53,559 Speaker 1: I'm going whoo. You know, it was like it was. 229 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 1: It was the reason I'm excited about it. I wanted 230 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:58,839 Speaker 1: to highly recommend this movie is because you know, it's 231 00:11:58,880 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 1: a collegiate journey because you don't have people on the 232 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 1: outside saw what we experience, and then you have the 233 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 1: people who experienced it and can share that that that 234 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:09,800 Speaker 1: firm belief. But this is why I feel it was 235 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:14,080 Speaker 1: important that Benny was part of this, this this bootoo 236 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:17,559 Speaker 1: seen in uh process, because it didn't go over the top. 237 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:23,559 Speaker 1: Nothing in this movie. I went, that's some crap what 238 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:26,679 Speaker 1: you doing? And we were never on that dude. It 239 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:28,959 Speaker 1: stayed on the level plane field. It didn't go to 240 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:31,280 Speaker 1: the extreme because you know where it can go. But 241 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:33,559 Speaker 1: it was not nobody's jumping out of a plane, somebody 242 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 1: dropping out of a call, somebody robbing the store because 243 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:39,559 Speaker 1: they're trying to get some Everything that was asked in 244 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:43,199 Speaker 1: this movie by the young man actually happened to me 245 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:46,000 Speaker 1: or I asked somebody to do it for me when 246 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:50,040 Speaker 1: I became a big brother. That's important, Solomon, and I 247 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:54,200 Speaker 1: believe it. What's your what's your thoughts on that? Uh? Yeah, 248 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 1: I just wanted to show almost like a standard view 249 00:12:58,080 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 1: of what hazing is. I mean, a lot of people 250 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:03,199 Speaker 1: in hazen from other black films like Stump the Yard 251 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 1: and Spike Lee's movie, so we have a knowledge of 252 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,600 Speaker 1: hazing already. I didn't want to get too deep into, 253 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 1: you know, what different organizations do, because that's not what 254 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: this is about. You know, I created it. I created 255 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 1: a film that's outside of m pH C. So I 256 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:22,680 Speaker 1: just wanted to show a generic hazing process or pledging process, 257 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:26,439 Speaker 1: to use that as a vehicle to to show what 258 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:30,080 Speaker 1: it's like to to enter this organization and then uh 259 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 1: comparing compared contrast that to the religious aspects of it 260 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 1: and to the you know him trying to assimilate to 261 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:41,120 Speaker 1: American culture. Uh So that's why I kept a very 262 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 1: surface level. I just showed stuff that people probably already 263 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:48,319 Speaker 1: know about hazing or pledging. 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With auto dot ai, you can search the 291 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 1: meeting notes, insert images, play back the audio, and share 292 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:28,400 Speaker 1: them with your friends or coworkers. You can capture action items, 293 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 1: remember meeting details, and keep everyone informed. Auto dot ai 294 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 1: works for in person or virtual meetings like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, 295 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 1: and Google Meet. Sign up for free at auto dit 296 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 1: ai or download the app for free auto dot ai. 297 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 1: That's O T T E R dot ai. Well you 298 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:47,880 Speaker 1: doing someone, I don't want to. I don't say yourself short. Um, 299 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:52,120 Speaker 1: it's about an experience and and you know as a person, 300 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:54,720 Speaker 1: and you both you both fair plays, you know, any 301 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:56,800 Speaker 1: plays by myself. I played with three other brothers. I 302 00:15:56,880 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 1: players with a fifth one. But we're going to run, 303 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 1: and he jumped out of the car while I was 304 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 1: still moving. So we went down the flour So that's 305 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 1: how extreme pledging can beat, you know, and then ran 306 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: back to the door when we weren't gonna get out 307 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:10,000 Speaker 1: of his bed. I quit, I quit, I'm done, And 308 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: I know the first day, just sharing some experience. I 309 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 1: did get hit on the first day. That were the board. 310 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 1: I got paddled, you know, because my my Lyon brothers knew. 311 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 1: I didn't know them. We're just all pleasure. At the 312 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: same time we're playing cards. They said, look look at me. 313 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 1: Serious now, however many points y'all lose by that's that man, time, 314 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:33,880 Speaker 1: we're gonna hit him. Ye, they were really okay. They 315 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 1: just the points kept, And in my mind, I'm going, 316 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 1: are they seriously up a hundred points here? Damn? You 317 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:43,840 Speaker 1: know what I'm saying, And and then all real it 318 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 1: was a hundred and eighty four points they lost? Come on, 319 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 1: come on now, And I got hit a hundred and 320 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:52,520 Speaker 1: eighty four times on my first day. And I'm not 321 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: saying that as a badge of courage. I'm just saying 322 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:57,920 Speaker 1: that that in that point of life, you make decisions. 323 00:16:57,960 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 1: And I think that that's what this movie is about. 324 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:04,080 Speaker 1: It's a decision making movie. It's a decision about relationships. 325 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 1: It's a decision about his dad, this decision to come 326 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 1: over there, it's decision how people look at you. When 327 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:11,399 Speaker 1: he finally stood up to Homeboard that told him he 328 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 1: know started calling him names, and he stood up for 329 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:16,520 Speaker 1: him the first time because he found he was soft, 330 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:19,359 Speaker 1: because he had a soft tone and he wasn't aggressive. 331 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: This is a really great movie, Solomon, and it's not 332 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:25,680 Speaker 1: about the levels that you deliver. It's the story that 333 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:28,080 Speaker 1: you're telling. Man. And Benny, I'm sure you played a 334 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: major role. And I'm and I'm not trying to undersell this. 335 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:34,200 Speaker 1: I'm just selling it right. Man. I enjoyed. I would 336 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:36,680 Speaker 1: watch it again because I watched it this morning. Whenever 337 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 1: I do interviews like this, I don't like to watch 338 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:40,960 Speaker 1: a movie three days or four days. I like to 339 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:43,239 Speaker 1: watch it the day of. So I got up at 340 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 1: four o'clock this morning and I watched the movie. And 341 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:48,480 Speaker 1: it's entire to the one hour and fifty nine minutes. 342 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:52,160 Speaker 1: I know. I watched it and I enjoyed, and I went, wow, 343 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:55,680 Speaker 1: this is really good because and the lead character is amazing. 344 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:59,520 Speaker 1: That plays d He's amazing. Abraham. Yeah. You know. The 345 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:03,000 Speaker 1: one thing too, I want to say the culture of 346 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 1: the cultural aspects of this film are important. And you know, 347 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:08,359 Speaker 1: when when we made this movie, we didn't you know, 348 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 1: this was pre pandemic, this was pre George Floyd and 349 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:15,679 Speaker 1: all these things. And I think one interesting factor about 350 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 1: it is that um as as Africans in this diaspora 351 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 1: of America. We we are finally, I think now have 352 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 1: finally come together as one unit where we can look 353 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 1: at each other as real brothers. And I mean, you know, um, Russia. 354 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:34,359 Speaker 1: You know, we were probably not that far in age, 355 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:36,840 Speaker 1: and we grew up in a time where you know, 356 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 1: if you as African or Haitian or Jamaican or something 357 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:44,159 Speaker 1: like that, southern Southern brothers and brother people that grew up. 358 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:46,359 Speaker 1: I grew up in Philly, but my parents, my father's 359 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:49,240 Speaker 1: from the South, you know, from Virginia, and my mother's 360 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:52,160 Speaker 1: from Philly, but she's her parents are from Virginia, North Carolina, 361 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 1: so southern roots. And we always looked at Africans or 362 00:18:56,119 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 1: blacks coming from other places in a little weird, a 363 00:18:59,119 --> 00:19:01,399 Speaker 1: little weird way to way they sounded, the food they 364 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: ate and all these things. And so this is this 365 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 1: film showed It showed a little bit of that, but 366 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 1: it showed the respect factor too. He was like, you're 367 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:13,360 Speaker 1: from Africa, right, and he says, you got a four 368 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:16,879 Speaker 1: point oh. And I think that right there showed a 369 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:20,840 Speaker 1: lot because it changed that little scene changed the dynamic 370 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:25,960 Speaker 1: of what African Americans think of Afrikaans, right, And I 371 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 1: think that's important given what we are all going through 372 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:32,200 Speaker 1: uh in this country right now. And in terms of 373 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 1: you know, when when that policeman stopped you, he's not 374 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:38,120 Speaker 1: asking you if your parents are from Nigeria or Keaston 375 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:43,560 Speaker 1: or or Charlotte or you know or Southfield, Virginia. He's 376 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 1: they looking at the black skin. And I think, now 377 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:49,439 Speaker 1: we we uh at a point in in in this um, 378 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 1: you know, in this journey of of African people that 379 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:54,960 Speaker 1: we all together now you know, we can look at 380 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:57,520 Speaker 1: each other and respect each other. It takes alloy took 381 00:19:57,560 --> 00:20:00,040 Speaker 1: a long time for that, but I think now I 382 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:02,119 Speaker 1: probably you know, we could respect each other when we 383 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,520 Speaker 1: see each other, you know. Not when I think about 384 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:06,800 Speaker 1: this when at four I remember that scene because they 385 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:09,119 Speaker 1: mentioned that four point four point or great point that 386 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 1: like three times in the movie. When I took away 387 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 1: from that Solomon and being able, I always tell people 388 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:17,880 Speaker 1: when you have value, when you create value, then there's 389 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:20,560 Speaker 1: a need or want for you, you know, because people 390 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:22,880 Speaker 1: girl wants to be a millionaire, but what's your value? 391 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:26,400 Speaker 1: Everybody wants to be active? Can you act and more basketball? 392 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:28,920 Speaker 1: Can you dribble? You know? Can you show up for 393 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:31,639 Speaker 1: practice on time, and to me, that was a strong 394 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:34,720 Speaker 1: moment for me, for for just young black people in general, 395 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:38,600 Speaker 1: especially black men. If you create value, then there's a want. 396 00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:41,480 Speaker 1: You create want, then there's a desire to make you 397 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:43,600 Speaker 1: part of or make you a whole part of something 398 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:46,920 Speaker 1: that's bigger. And that's the whole thing about the Tasmon 399 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:49,840 Speaker 1: and day of experiences that you know, being our players 400 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 1: to make as fire. You know, we had the cute 401 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 1: pearls and all that's all these different layers, the A 402 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:56,399 Speaker 1: K s and all that stuff. I remember the scene 403 00:20:56,440 --> 00:20:58,879 Speaker 1: when there was at the UC Center. We all know 404 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:01,520 Speaker 1: when is the I don't care what campus you on 405 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 1: in America, Wednesday noon, brother, on the campus, that's where 406 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 1: you got to be on any black hbc U white 407 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:15,119 Speaker 1: Wednesday New not Tuesday, Thursday, but Wednesday New. So I 408 00:21:15,280 --> 00:21:17,680 Speaker 1: had so many flashbacks in this movie, but it was 409 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 1: tied to the realism and the portrayal of the college experience, 410 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: because you really gave me the college experience, not only 411 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:26,800 Speaker 1: from his point of view, for the other young men 412 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:29,879 Speaker 1: who wanted to fit in. Because you can agree with this, 413 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:31,399 Speaker 1: Ben and you went to Temple. I went to the 414 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:35,639 Speaker 1: University of Houston. So even though it was like we 415 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:37,600 Speaker 1: thought it was a lot of black people on campus, 416 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:43,399 Speaker 1: it was only like dred of Us, right, you know 417 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:46,760 Speaker 1: what you thought you thought we was like of the campus. 418 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:49,880 Speaker 1: You know, do you realize it's thirty five thousand white 419 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:53,440 Speaker 1: people on this CAMPU we only and but but that's 420 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:56,280 Speaker 1: the black experience. But also I remember I became vice 421 00:21:56,320 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 1: president's student body and that was because of the black 422 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:03,480 Speaker 1: experience allowed me to experience that. But truly, I'm talking 423 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:06,720 Speaker 1: to you saw the black experience just talking about what's 424 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 1: happened in and seeing what happened to Georgian Floyd, George Floyd, 425 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:15,680 Speaker 1: and watching black men talk, you know, used in word 426 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 1: like they're supposed to use their word on the streets, 427 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:21,159 Speaker 1: you know, being comfortable in using that. What was your 428 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:25,639 Speaker 1: whole ultimate goal besides being a personal story that you 429 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:27,840 Speaker 1: can relate to use a return to remember your dad 430 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:30,960 Speaker 1: was in the ministry, did radio some form of entertainment? 431 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:34,120 Speaker 1: What was the ultimate journey for the movie Tasmanian Devil, 432 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 1: Um with Tasmanian Devil, And also hopefully as I progressed 433 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:44,160 Speaker 1: in my career, my goal is to show Black people 434 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:47,320 Speaker 1: ask who we truly are? Um there's a lot of 435 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:50,440 Speaker 1: like most of the stuff that that depicts African American 436 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: culture and film is us having to overcome some type 437 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 1: of system or like racism or slavery. Something that is, uh, 438 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 1: that's something that we have to fight against. But I 439 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 1: just wanted to us living our lives, like doing things 440 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: that we do. You know, that's that's that's my voice 441 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:09,119 Speaker 1: as a filmmaker. That's that's my contribution. I want to 442 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 1: make films for black people that that that that's just 443 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:16,000 Speaker 1: us existing in our everyday lives and showing the different 444 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:18,119 Speaker 1: things we can do, not just having to overcome a 445 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 1: white system or being inferior to some other kind of 446 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:24,440 Speaker 1: race or something like that. So with Tasmanian Devil, that's 447 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:26,560 Speaker 1: what I was going forward as I created, As I 448 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:28,840 Speaker 1: continue to make films, that's what I'll continue to do. 449 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:32,680 Speaker 1: So I'm glad that you saw that in Tasmanian Devil, 450 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 1: because I hope to do more of it. Hey man, 451 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:36,440 Speaker 1: I believe me. I saw that and more. I saw 452 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:39,359 Speaker 1: a talented young man, and I'm so happy that Benny, 453 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 1: you're doing that. You know, Basically I created money making 454 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 1: conversation because so many people would ask me to mentor it, 455 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:48,240 Speaker 1: you know, and I just can't mentor everybody. So I 456 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:50,320 Speaker 1: kind of like use these interviews I'm doing with you 457 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 1: guys as a form of mentoring people. Listened an interview, 458 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 1: they grab your experience being they grab your experience, Solomon, 459 00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:58,760 Speaker 1: and it becomes a possibility those neuggage that you guys 460 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 1: dropped doing an interview. Now you talked about script to 461 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:04,399 Speaker 1: come your way. You created a production company with a 462 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:08,120 Speaker 1: fellow fraternity brother, Benny. Talk tell us about your production company. Well, 463 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:11,760 Speaker 1: we have Groundwork Studios and it's uh, we created myself 464 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:15,040 Speaker 1: and Gerald Rawls, who's brother alpha brother from my chapter 465 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:18,400 Speaker 1: who I pledged, and we you know, from day one, 466 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 1: we always um said that we we have you know, 467 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:24,160 Speaker 1: we know that there's something greater that can be done 468 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:27,640 Speaker 1: in entertainment. So while I was directing videos and having 469 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:31,239 Speaker 1: the opportunity to do movies and television, I'm also uh 470 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:35,360 Speaker 1: opening myself up to the next voices and the important 471 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 1: It's interesting to hear Solomon say that because it's it's funny. 472 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:41,080 Speaker 1: This is the first time I'm actually hearing his mission statement. 473 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:44,359 Speaker 1: Funny enough of what he of what he sees himself 474 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:47,800 Speaker 1: as a filmmaker, which I think is great because you know, 475 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:51,119 Speaker 1: when I was trying to come up and make you know, 476 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:55,359 Speaker 1: from transition from music videos to film, did knock was 477 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:58,960 Speaker 1: that we didn't want to do anything that was black 478 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 1: subject matter because it really wasn't popular then, right, So 479 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:05,760 Speaker 1: we were trying to fit in, get in somewhere. Um, 480 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:08,640 Speaker 1: that didn't really happen for me. So the first film 481 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 1: I did was Next Day Air, which was the first 482 00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:14,360 Speaker 1: feature of Mike's Mike Epps and Wood Harris and Ormari Hardwick, 483 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:20,200 Speaker 1: which is a very black, very um our comedy. You 484 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:23,920 Speaker 1: know that that kind of dealt with the drug subject matter, 485 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:27,639 Speaker 1: and it was very relatable to my life growing up 486 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:31,280 Speaker 1: in West Philly in a way. Um, And so that 487 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 1: although you know, the film is funny and people talk 488 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:35,960 Speaker 1: about it, you know, had I made that film in 489 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 1: this climate and probably would have been received more or 490 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:41,440 Speaker 1: better or bigger, you know, and something like that, had 491 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:44,520 Speaker 1: more interest in it. But it was just very hard 492 00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:47,840 Speaker 1: at that time to get people interested in black movies. 493 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:50,360 Speaker 1: And I'm just so glad that I'm able to sit 494 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:53,600 Speaker 1: here now, um, you know, some fifteen years later from 495 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:57,200 Speaker 1: that movie almost and be able to help a young 496 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 1: filmmaker tell his story a way that he wants to 497 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:04,159 Speaker 1: tell it to to and give it to the world, 498 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:07,760 Speaker 1: and and the other great thing, um and it's not great. 499 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:10,040 Speaker 1: But something that's come out of COVID is that we 500 00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 1: don't we don't have to be hampered by the idea 501 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:17,760 Speaker 1: of um of what do you call theaters of theatrical release, 502 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:20,320 Speaker 1: And so we can put this film out and give 503 00:26:20,359 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 1: it to the audience without having to go through the 504 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:25,680 Speaker 1: trades and say, oh, man, we only made you know, 505 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:28,160 Speaker 1: three million the first weekend or two million the first 506 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:31,359 Speaker 1: week those kind of things. Is which I'm really happy about. 507 00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:34,680 Speaker 1: We can actually actually service the audience with a great 508 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 1: movie and not be worried about, um, what the perception 509 00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:41,520 Speaker 1: is of it based on how many people saw it 510 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:44,239 Speaker 1: the first weekend. Well, you know exactly what what I'm 511 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:46,240 Speaker 1: saying when you said all Eyes on Me. It was 512 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:50,360 Speaker 1: considered a black movie. It was only basically domestically released. 513 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:55,120 Speaker 1: It was limited released into foreign selected markets maybe England, 514 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:58,760 Speaker 1: the Caribbean, maybe South Africa, or Africa in general. Where 515 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:02,720 Speaker 1: this movie when released February nine, it's gonna be on 516 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:05,480 Speaker 1: the entire it's worldwide release. That's that's what I really 517 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:07,679 Speaker 1: love about streaming. I'm glad you brought that up because 518 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:10,680 Speaker 1: our champions streaming, especially when it comes to black products, 519 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:14,440 Speaker 1: because we're not limited to what somebody says we should 520 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:16,800 Speaker 1: be seen by. All of these people really want to 521 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:20,199 Speaker 1: see your movie. Now. People are everybody seeing your movies, 522 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:23,520 Speaker 1: and that's important because it's premiering on Amazon, it's premiering 523 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:27,320 Speaker 1: on that tune, and these are international platform Fandango, Google, 524 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:30,880 Speaker 1: Play Off the Horizon. That is the beauty of why 525 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:32,760 Speaker 1: I wanted to make sure I was a part of 526 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:35,040 Speaker 1: this interview you. I'm gonna put it on my social 527 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:37,640 Speaker 1: media and put it in my newsletter because my man, 528 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:40,800 Speaker 1: you know, like Bennie said, you are our future. And 529 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:43,080 Speaker 1: I'm not saying being a not ready to die, I'm 530 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:46,080 Speaker 1: not saying that solid okay, but you are our future 531 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:48,680 Speaker 1: and it's important that we let you understand. Man. Look, 532 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:51,119 Speaker 1: it's a whole ne different game out there because he's right. 533 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:54,520 Speaker 1: You know, Next Day are funny boy that ended, but 534 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:58,280 Speaker 1: they were shooting up everybody that ended, you know how 535 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:00,720 Speaker 1: saw the movie and so but it was it was, 536 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:05,280 Speaker 1: it was it was funny Mike eb that's my boy, Harvard, Harvard, 537 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:08,000 Speaker 1: all these things and so it's all about timing. But 538 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 1: guess what if that movie back there was released domestically, 539 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:14,159 Speaker 1: if every movie is released right now, the options of 540 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:16,720 Speaker 1: being able to say I don't like that deal, I'm 541 00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 1: gonna take that deal over here because I want my 542 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:25,000 Speaker 1: product to see be seen by everybody China, uh, Russia, England, Germany, 543 00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:29,840 Speaker 1: all of Africa, Italy, you know, Brazil. That's what's gonna 544 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:32,680 Speaker 1: happen to your project. That's why I like your project 545 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:36,199 Speaker 1: because you're telling the story to me that's very honest 546 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 1: and very relatable. And I just want to say congratulations 547 00:28:39,560 --> 00:28:41,960 Speaker 1: Mr Writer, Mr Director, and I'm glad you had an 548 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:45,840 Speaker 1: EP like Mr Benni Boone to show you the stay 549 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 1: true to your story because your story related was relatable 550 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:51,320 Speaker 1: to me even at my age. You made me smile. 551 00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:56,520 Speaker 1: That's great. True. Well be I wanta thank you for 552 00:28:56,600 --> 00:28:59,200 Speaker 1: coming on the show. Solomon Ornita Jr. I'm sure I'm 553 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:01,600 Speaker 1: gonna hear you in the future. Brother, You'll start on 554 00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:04,000 Speaker 1: the rise. Man, don't stop. Man, I appreciate you are 555 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:06,960 Speaker 1: coming on some money making conversations. Thank you, Rush, I 556 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:09,240 Speaker 1: appreciate the time. Man, Thank you so much. Hey man, 557 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:11,320 Speaker 1: many you know I know you're gonna have projects in 558 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:13,320 Speaker 1: the future. I always know you can come to me. Okay, 559 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:16,440 Speaker 1: thank you, I appreciate that. Man. Alright, the Apple Apple 560 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:22,040 Speaker 1: Omega Main. We all fraternity brothers. Okay, alright, y'all stay strong. 561 00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 1: You want to hear conversation interviews, please go to Money 562 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:27,800 Speaker 1: Making Conversation dot com I with Sean McDonald, I am 563 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:34,680 Speaker 1: your host. In this season of giving, Coals has gifts 564 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:37,040 Speaker 1: for all your loved ones. 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