With the ever-evolving technology landscape, what advice do you have for young filmmakers without resources?
Well, I think that’s the great thing about this generation is that now you have more resources. When I first got started, I used to have to print the scripts out at Kinko’s and drop them off, and now you have kids shooting critically acclaimed films on iPhones. You know, Tangerine was a critically acclaimed movie that went to Sundance and was shot on an iPhone.
I produced a movie called Nine Rise with Matthew Cherry who produced on Black Klansman. We shot Nine Rise, his feature on an iPhone. This thing [the iPhone] is state of the art now, so you can edit your own stuff and make your own movies. [Producer] Brian Grazer said … the things that he’s seen kids make today for like $5,000, they couldn’t make that for $5 million 20 years ago … you have so many more resources.
How does it feel to receive this RIDE Film Icon Award?
I’m so grateful, I really am. God has blessed me because I’ve done a lot of things without monetary gain, just out of the goodness of my heart. I’m all about working with my people and us galvanizing together. I’m just grateful to be here. My body is just my body, but God is using my spirit and using my body to be able to help people. That’s all I’m here to do, is my service. If I can help a young kid realize their dream or if I can inspire a young kid to do what I do and do it better than me … then I did my job down here on this planet.
