"4 MINUTES"

"4 Minutes"- ABFF experience

2009-07-05T10:44:00.000-07:00

First off, being accepted to the ABFF was an honor. Out of 600 submissions we were in the top 4. This year's festival was interesting to say the least. They kept the filmmaker's pretty busy. However, I still had time to hit the Miami clubs. If you ever get a chance to hit Fountain Blue's club Liv, trust me it's the hottest club ever! My boy Will Packer shut it down Sunday night. As far as exposure for the film, both of our screenings were sold out. Robert Townsend sat in the row right behind me. To see him cracking up laughing at scenes in the film was an honor. Sylvan White, director of Stomp the Yard, really enjoyed the film and said it was really funny. Cathie Hughes, founder of Radio One and TV One, enjoyed my performance in 4 Minutes and said that I was a talent she looked forward to working with. The fact that we didn't win was overshadowed by this great humbling experience. To be in a room with Sanaa Lathan, Rockmond Dunbar, and Eric LaSalle, was truly an honor. I felt like they were passing the torch to the next generation of actors and filmmakers. Now is the time to cease the moment and move forward with integrity.

Francis Ford Coppola's Principles of Spontaneous Recklessness

2008-08-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

EE, you were on it all along-

Francis Ford Coppola's Principles of Spontaneous Recklessness

1. Care more about your vision than your reputation.

2. Challenge the powers that be.

3. Never let your children hear you say "I wish I had lived my life differently."

4. Be an adventurer--always try something new. Be one big yes.

5. Don't be afraid to take gargantuan risks. It's the only game worth playing, and it's not a gamble unless you go all the way.

6. The unlived life is not worth living.

7. Be interested in everything; experience life to the fullest.

8. Get into situations in which failure isn't an option. If the stakes are high enough, you have to succeed.

9. Your work is your life--give in to it. If you are a serious artist, your work will always be about you.

10. Passions are wired into the real world more directly than our workaday routines are. If you love something, you'll bring so much of yourself to it that it will create your future.

11. Think like a child. Children think that they can jump from here to the moon. That's a useful point of view; it has great power.

12. Your greatest gift is your enthusiasm. Be excited about whatever you're interested in.

13. Define success and failure for yourself.

14. Don't ask, "What does the customer want?" Ask, "What does the future want?" Being spartan not only greatly reduces overhead but destroys hierarchy.

15. Don't hire people who play it safe; destroy systems that encourage the instinct for security.

16. Success means living the life of your heart.

17. Always work on an epic scale. Henry Ford didn't just design cars, he designed cities as well.

18. Discover the art of treating money outrageously. If you spend $1000 recklessly, it will feel like $10,000. Everything will seem bigger and more exciting. In that spirit, don't deny yourself anything. And don't say no to anything.

19. Whenever you get into trouble, keep going. Anything you build on a large scale or with intense passion invites chaos. To keep going in a crisis, do a 180 degree turn.

21. Don't look for the secure solution. Don't pull back from the passion. Turn it on full force.

10 Questions with Dwayne Boyd, Producer of "4 Minutes" by Autumn Jones

2008-07-18T03:13:00.000-07:00

AJ: What is “4 Minutes” about?

DB: It’s a romantic comedy inspired by films such as Swingers, 40Year Old Virgin, The Best Man & Brown Sugar. We wanted to tell a story dealing with speed dating.

AJ: What inspired the Film?

DB: A lot of real life situations from people I know. I always wanted to tell stories from a different perspective. We don’t get to see honesty enough when it comes to what dating is really like for African-Americans.

AJ: Who wrote the film? Who produced it? Who directed it?

DB: I co-wrote with Charles Saunders jr., produced, and co-directed with Bodie Norton. Genia N. Nooks served as Co-Producer.

AJ: When you wrote the film, did you already have the actors in mind for each role?

DB: I did. I wanted to cast types. I was able to let the actors bring what they wanted to bring to the role. They did an amazing job in bringing these characters to life.

AJ: Who are some of the actors in the movie?

DB: We have an outstanding cast. We have Pierre (B.A.P.s., How To Be A Player), Gregalan Williams (Remember The Titans, Baywatch), Lil’ Duval (Grand Hustle Recording Artist, Comedian), Bobby Valentino, Jason Sylvain, Ja’el Roberson.

AJ: What’s the biggest obstacle in completing the film?

DB: Staying on budget and schedule.

AJ: Which of the character do you most relate to?

DB: The character I played, Omar. I think a lot of guys will relate to him.

AJ: What do you want the audience to take from the film?

DB: To believe that no matter what has happened in the past, love conquers all. Also, we have to fight for what we believe in and forgive one another.

AJ: What's the biggest challenge you think for African-American movies today?

DB: Breaking the mold of what Hollywood wants to see us as. In the independent realm, we have a voice that’s untampered with. No execs telling us what’s the trend. We are the people who live and breath in our communities. We know what we want to see most.

AJ: Is it hard writing material for such a large number of people, a challenge?

DB: Not at all. I had fun writing it.

AJ: What's next for Dwayne Boyd?

DB: A thriller.

AJ: Which do you prefer? Acting? Directing? Writing? Producing?

DB: All of the above. I have to say producing the most.

Dreams can come true...

2008-07-18T01:57:00.000-07:00

Good People,

We have officially wrapped production and are in the post stage. I will have to be honest with you, shooting a feature is really hard work. Post- production is just as hard. I didn’t realize how much time and money goes into making sure you have great sound, publishing, marketing (which has already started) and achieving the professional look that everyone doesn’t expect an indie to have. I have done and will continue to do everything in my power to ensure that does not happen with 4 Minutes. I am extremely proud of what we have and I know once post is over, we will have created a great feature film.

While producing 4 Minutes, I realized the importance of having key people around you be positive and supportive. It was a lot of daily stress for me just making sure we stayed on budget and on schedule. It made all the difference in the world to have people who shared the same goal and had fun in the process. It was days where every one was tired and drained, but the morale remained high. Always make sure the environment YOU create is conducive to a relaxed atmosphere. Remember why everyone is there, because YOU asked them too. Not really for pay or credit, but because they believe in your vision. Its so important for you to be able to share your vision and have others see it as well as believe in it.

I am also proud of the fact that we set a start and finish date and we stuck to it.

And finally...

Just wanted to say a heartfelt thanks to all the members of the 4 Minutes Team who all put their souls and wallets on the line to make this happen - couldn't have done it without each and every one of you...

Thanks Family

Dwayne-

Pierre on the set of

2008-07-17T12:48:00.001-07:00