Thirty something filmmaker and jack-of-all-trades Shawn Woodard recently marked the release of his third feature film, Darling Nikki. Not to be confused with the infamous Nikki, of the erotic Prince song and video – the film is nearly as innovative and is making almost as much commotion in the indie film industry.
The film’s director, Shawn Woodard, a Ohio State and Walsh College graduate, continues on his plotted course to greatness with the completion of his latest film project.
Woodard made his first feature length film an action thriller, R.I.C.C.O. in 2002, before going on to make the award-winning Office Outbreak in 2006, a comedy-horror flick that premiered at the Bare Bone Script to Screen International Film Festival and earned Best Picture and and Best Cast Runner-up. Woodard also earned the 2006 Oscar Micheaux Award for the film, and in 2007 it won the Best Comedy Award at the Trinity Coalition Film Festival.
“We filmed entirely in Detroit and the movie is reality based. It’s a fresh look at what happens when a promising career crashes with street life and the urban struggle,” explains Woodard. “Life experience is what inspired us to do the movie. This is an important story that needs to be told. It introduces America, especially people who have never been to the ghetto, to what’s going on in the ‘hood, and hopefully, it gives them some insight as to why,” comments Woodard.
Darling Nikki essentially centers around a college football star destined for fame who falls victim to street life when he involves himself with a stripper named Nikki.
Woodard recruited high-profile actors for the project, including Fredro Starr (Save the Last Dance, “The Wire,” “Moesha”) and Noel “G” Guglielmi (Bruce Almighty, Old School and Training Day) along with veteran of the stage and screen, Mike Allen (A Woman like Ruth, Soul of Music and Murder Next Generation). -roz edward
