Producer and director Darryl Pitts is an innovator who creates a variety of programming featuring such celebrated talent as Halle Berry, Nia Long, Keenen Ivory Wayans, and Chris Paul. A few of the titles he’s produced include “Back to School Summer Jam,” which became a pilot program for Warner Brothers Television; “Reel Black Love,” a documentary on Black romance in movies, and “Urban Life and Style,” for Toyota/NBA.
Since 2018, Pitts has been the executive producer of a national television series titled “Women on The Move.” The quarterly series airs on a combination of network affiliates across the country.
Pitts, who served as the executive producer of the newly released documentary “What About Me” on Amazon Prime, talked with rolling out about motivation, recharging and more.
What three skills are critical for the future executives you hire for your organization?
The ability to process information in a manner that is beneficial to the organization; being a self-starter, and someone that doesn’t need micromanaging, and innovation. [Innovation means being] a person that looks at what we are doing and understands the process, and in that seeks to find expansive ways for us to do what we do better and more efficiently. Also, if there is a need for radical change, they can articulate the reasoning with both a fiscal and systematic rationale.
Finish this sentence: Teamwork is important because … it determines the efficiency and quality of your product in any industry. In 2020 I produced eight documentaries: Six “Women On The Move’s” (wotmtv.com), “What About Me,” and Imported Dreams, a feature film. In the midst of a global pandemic, I had my most prolific year of output and that is because of the great team, both professionally and personally, that surrounded these efforts.
Name your two favorite vacation destinations to relax and recharge.
I travel often and what I have come to realize is that the recharging has more to do with the people then it does the place. As much as I don’t particularly enjoy cold weather, with the right people and group I could recharge on an Alaskan excursion.
Name your two favorite books.
I read a lot so I don’t have favorite books, but books that I would recommend are The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks and The Way of the Superior Man by David Deida. The first book talks about conquering your hidden fears and taking your life to the next level. The latter book deals with male accountability and living in your purpose, which is extremely important for our culture.
What are two of your favorite quotes that motivate you?
Two terrible thieves of happiness are “regret of the past” and “fear of the future,” and Matthew 6:33: “Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.” This is an important one no matter your beliefs because it means find your higher purpose and gifts to the world, and if they are in line with the higher being, all blessings will be given to you.
