EntertainmentWEEK OF JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2009
THE CALL 9
DWAYNE BOYD
Influence Of Real Life Father Helps Local Producer/Actor Dwayne
Boyd Gain Black Film Festival NominationBy Tracy AllenCALL Staff
Writer
Had it not been for his firefighting Dad, George Boyd, Dwayne
Boyd could have gotten mixed up in a lot of things life offers.
Then again, had it not been for his love for the stage and big
screen, Boyd wouldnt be considered among rising young African
American filmmakers this country has to offer.
This week, Boyd is learning just how good his talent is
becoming. A finalist in the Best Narrative Film category for his
film, 4 Minutes at the 13th annual American
Black Film Festival in Miami through Saturday, says a lot about
Boyds talent. But most importantly, it also points how this Kansas
City native and now, Atlanta filmmaker and actor, learned from one
of the most important role models in his life, retired fire captain
George Boyd. Even Boyd admits, his father, and mothers influence
was key to not let his surroundings diminish what he aspired to
become -- an actor and producer/director. Boyd was raised around
34th and Askew, yet, he says it didnt stop him from going forth
with his dreams.
The fact that the 1990 Van Horn High school graduate, who also
attended D.A. Hol-mes, Sanford B. Ladd Elementary schools and
Central Junior and Nowlin Junior High schools, has named his film
company, 34th and Askew Productions, after his child-hood
neighborhood home, says a lot about what Boyd wants kids raised in
his inner city neighborhood to realize -- dreams can come true. At
least for Boyd, it has.
His acting credentials alone have taken him far. In 2005, he
starred as Oscar in the Screen Gems production, The Gospel,
opposite Boris Kodjoe, Idris Elba and Omar Gooding. His television
credits include appearances in episodes of NBCs Surface, the Black
Family Channels Playhouse 22, and Lifetimes Army Wives.
Boyds latest, 4 Minutes introduces movie fans to the character
of Terrance (Ja-son Sylvain), a school teacher whose priority is to
be the dad his father, Carl (Gre-galan Williams, Remember the
Titans) was not. Boyd stars as Terrance best friend, Omar, a
womanizer who tells any lie he can to get with as many women as
possible. Of course, Omar cons Terrance into some wild adventure
and funny moments with women they meet and, who they hope to have
relationships.
Boyd says the film itself, which has been on the table for some
time even while filming his The Gospel role, and the nomination for
Best Narrative have all been pleasant moments in a rising
career.
Its so much more fun to be on the creative side, said Boyd, who
admits, he still loves acting. Taking ownership of a project from
start to finish is such a good thing. Every time I think about it,
I think about the poster, the premiere, everything, the fact that
it was all in my imagination, that is a thrill in itself. I just
enjoy this process.
With 4 Minutes being the first film that Boyd has produced, hes
glad that he didnt listen to any con-cerns producers and directors
run into when it comes to finishing a project. It just goes to show
what we can do, says Boyd of his latest work.
Anytime youre a first-time director or producer, you want to
make sure you have people on board that can help bring that vision
to life, Boyd said. I didnt know a lot about writing, I didnt know
a lot but I had to have credible people that understood what needed
to happen here and there. . . Thats what we did with 4 Minutes. We
made people understand what these characters are, you can feel for
them and actually relate to them.
What happened is a best film nomination, something which is just
a beginning to a possible strong film and stage career for this
Kansas City native. I knew that we had a great script and thats
where it has to start, Boyd said. I knew that the story had to be
told a certain way.
But of course, Boyds path can be mostly credited with good
parenting. Its not hard to understand why
Boyd loves his parents and his father, who instilled in him its
not where you start out that matters, its how you finish the race
and life.
4 Minutes is a film that speaks about fatherhood on three
different levels. What a great example of that with George Boyd.
The film is distinguished among over 100 entries in the category
and at least 600 entries to the festival overall.
I know that God has blessed me because he was in my life, he
made a difference in me, said Boyd of his father. I wanted to make
sure that George Boyd showed up in this film, and in a sense, he
did. My relationship with my father, there was a time he was
molding me into a man, he definitely someone I grew up respecting
and I know the community respects him. For me, just having him,
that was a great
example. Without my father, I dont know where I would be. I know
he is proud be-cause Im not out doing something negative, Im doing
something positive and its all because of him.
Ill always give him the credit he deserves, Boyd said of his
Dad. Growing up near Prospect and Linwood, Boyd said it would have
been easy to fall
by the wayside. He didnt and he encourages other youth and young
adults in inner city Kansas City to not let the streets determine
their fate.
Growing up around Prospect and all, there was all that
negativity back in the day, said Boyd. I have to credit even my
mother for meeting my father, and I was blessed that she met the
kind of man that he. He and my mother both, definitely helped me to
understand that in the midst of the madness of being in
neighborhood that was at times, poverty stricken, a lot of drugs
and different aspects we had to deal with coming up, me and my
sister, we could have easily ended up on drugs, in and out of
prison, but it didnt happen because we had a positive example like
George Boyd in front of us.
Said Boyd, While my father was well respected in the city, I
want to be well re-spected in my industry.
Like so many black producers/directors, Boyd wants to make films
that speak about urban life, but also, gives both sides to the
story.
I understand where we (as blacks) come from so you cant really
move forward unless you understand where weve been, said Boyd. I
remember when the Blax-ploitation era blew up and it became
profitable in Hollywood. There was nothing wrong with that. But
what happened was when it started getting watered down and it wasnt
as profitable and they stopped making films. Then, you saw, Spike
Lee coming back in 86 and he started the movement all over again.
When he started doing films
like Do The Right Thing, or Coming to America, films like that,
those all were classics. We need to continue that trend. There are
much more stories out there, some that have yet to be told. We have
to have that platform. Lets face it, Hollywood is going to stick
with what they know. And theyll stick to what they think is urban
comedy. But, the more you get behind the independent film movement,
youll see different voices, different stories emerge.
In Boyds case, its a story about urban life that he says all
blacks can relate to, regardless of family upbringing.
Im all about stories that say, hey, its a little different here
but it is a story that I can relate, said Boyd.
A story that Boyd hopes continues receiving interest. A Kansas
City premiere is planned in late July and Boyd cant wait to come
home. He also has advice for local film nuts interested in getting
in the busi-ness: Shoot your film no matter what. You have access
to equipment now. Were in a time now where affordable equipment is
more accessible than ever before. Also, have a platform. Use the
internet. Now, there is no need not to make a movie. Put your stuff
out there.
Fast And Furious: New Transformers Still Operating With All Its
Craziness By Tracy AllenCALL Staff Writer
Okay, fasten your seat belt and dont look far off base until you
reach your destination.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is your typical ac-tion,
spectacular big spending film filled with suspense, crazi-ness,
nonsense and a little plot.
As expected, another sum-mer blockbuster takes center stage and
it isnt hard to figure out what the second rendition of Paramounts
Transformer is all about -- yeah, lots of wild sus-pense, potty
mouth humor, loud noise and as always, moments of nonsense.
Okay, here is how the latest Transformers goes in speed
format:
Beginning starts off with ba-sic car wreck gone real bad in
Shanghei, China. Part of the Asian city goes up in smoke thanks to
smash effects by dreadful machines.
Story takes a turn: Goes from serious destruction to plenty of
laughter. Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) and his family are worst than
My Wife and Kids characters -- silly mom Judy Wit-wicky (Julie
White) is your basic nut case, son Sam has rebel ten-dencies --
although he is off to college, and dad, Ron Witwicky (Kevin Dunn)
well, he is a little more sane than Al but still has moments of
kookiness.
Best part of the Transform-ers: Revenge of the Fallen My Wife
and Kids version is when Sam heads off to college. Before leaving
for his collegiate experience, his house is invaded by little
machines who perform
a tremendous Toy Soldiers performance at the house (in short,
house mates turn into mean little machines whose only goal -- aim,
shoot, fire).
This Transformers does like you expect -- it takes so many
different twists that you never stay on the same plot scene at
once. Thats right, youll go from a crazed college campus with babes
and hunks running around -- including a super freak whose only
intentions is to nab the new college freshman Sam.
Youll get everything from ma-chines blowing up Sams college, to
scenes with h gorgeous girl-friend, Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox), to
trips to Egypt to once
and for all, end all this machine madness with the help of the
Au-tobots.
And oh yes, we can never for-get those Autobots that made the
first Transformers movie fun to watch. This time though, these
potty mouth hoods sound more like mechanical hoodrats than machines
ready to do some damage.
While it will be a long night for those who see this latest
summer show -- approximately two and a half hours seems a bit too
long, if you like lots of action, you enjoy watching machines blow
things up and you enjoy some moments of raunchy humor, you will
like Transformers: Revenge of
the Fallen. If youre looking for a plot, and lots of it, well,
take a notepad: it might be hard to find at times, during this
three-hour journey.
REUNITED. . . Bumblebee (left) is reunited with Sam Witwicky
(Shia LaBeouf, right) in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. --
Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Man Sentenced For Stalking Tyra Banks
NEW YORK (AP) -- A man convicted of stalk-ing Tyra Banks has
been sentenced to a years pro-bation and ordered to complete a
treatment pro-gram for stalkers.
Brady Green must also stay away from the su-permodel-turned-TV
host for the next two years under an order of protection.
Manhattan Criminal Court Judge James Burke warned the
39-year-old Green that he would face 90 days in jail if he disobeys
any of the orders.
Green was convicted in April of stalking Banks from California
to New York -- calling her offices, showing up at her TV studios
and sending her flow-ers.
Police say when Green was arrested March 18, 2008, at a
restaurant near Banks Manhattan stu-dio, he told officers they had
a thing together.
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