Movie Producer of A Series of Small Things
By: Kelvin Oliver
T4JYM: Have you ever attended acting school? Have you gone to any conferences or trainings to improve your acting?
PD: I went to theater school in Chicago originally for acting than changed mid stream to directing for the stage.
T4JYM: How do you live your life as a Christian in the world of media?
PD: As honest as possible. I believe that one’s spiritual journey is a private thing, and I keep it that way, the only time I let it out publicly is through the films I make. You can learn a lot about me, and who I am through my films. What I believe, struggle with, etc. Which is why I make movies. I think it is best to speak through your art if you are an artist.
T4JYM: If you could act in a movie with any one big name person who would it be? Why?
PD: De Niro. He seems like he would be an interesting challenge to work with.
T4JYM: What training do you have? Did you take any courses in college to obtain the skills you have currently?
PD: Acting and directing. I also wrote one-act plays for my theatre company while I was in school.
T4JYM: Could you tell our readers what A Series Of Small Things is about?
PD: To find out more about the film follow this link: http://www.undertheinfluenceinc.com/smallthings/
T4JYM: What is the focus of A Series of Small Things? Was it hard trying to find a cast to play the roles of the characters in the movie?
PD: The focus is asking the questions: Can we forgive? And what does that look like? Also, examining guilt…is that something we put on ourselves? How do we lift it off of ourselves?
Casting the lead role of Jenny was hard. She was a specific type. Korean, pretty, mid-twenties. We did a 3 city search, NYC, Chicago and LA. Saw 100 actresses all told.
T4JYM: How did you get started in the film/movie industry?
PD: As an actor, first doing commercials.
T4JYM: What are your next plans for acting? Do you plan to do any more movies/films along the same lines as your previous works? Will you move on to new genres?
PD: Acting has now taken a back seat to my directing and writing, which is more fulfilling for me. It is not as financially beneficial, but I have chosen it knowing that. My next film I direct is this fall titled The Man In The Silo starring Ernie Hudson.
The genres have all been different for me on each film. Wrestled was a drama, Series more of a film noir type, and Silo will be very Hitchcockian. But the themes always stay the same for me.
T4JYM: What was the movie Wrestled about?
PD: A young urban missionary who struggles with his own demons while he attempts to convert a local prostitute.
T4JYM: Is there anything else you would like to tell the readers?
PD: If you are reading this because you want to write, direct, or act, than go do it. If you are going to say you’re a director than you have to be able to show someone your film you made. Otherwise you can’t have that title, you need to earn it. This industry in particular is one that does not have a whole lot of structure to it. You’re either working or you are not. There is no internship to get into Hollywood. So, because of that, you have a whole lot of people who call themselves actors, but have never done anything professionally, writers who have read some screenplays and watched films and have written scripts their friends like, but have never had a script produced, bought or shopped. And so on.
So, when you start out, when you have done some things but do not yet have a “name” in the industry, but you have work under your belt, unfortunately the industry lumps you into the same category as the amateurs. So the key is to hang in there, keep marketing yourself, and separate yourself from the crowd. They call it show business for a reason. You have to be able to make money, you need to turn a dollar for someone, to be in it. If you want to be in the game, then get in it. Making movies for your church does not make you a filmmaker in the industry sense. You have to be able to make films for the masses. Making movies is the hardest thing anyone can do.
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