Although I have had the pleasure to meet some pretty awesome young movers and shakers, few have been filmmakers. I've been in the company of painters, writers, rappers, and singers, even got to jam with a trombone player once. But my time with filmmaker Paarker Oliver was a first and a pleasure. I got the chance to get an upfront experience on the set of her latest film, Tacit. She revealed the short film in New York and shortly after here in D.C.. I interviewed this young starlet and dug deeper into her craft and what inspires her. Click Read More for the exclusive interview check out the subscriber exclusive for this story!Mk. What made you want to start doing films?
Paarker Oliver. I wanted to do films because I was already involved in it anyway. My father is an artist. He’s a professional scenic designer. You know, he paints sets. So I was always around it. I came to Howard as a business major and I was doing terrible. My grades sucked. I wasn’t into it. I was just like, what am I doing. That summer after I had a shitty semester I went to intern with Spike. M. How was that? P. That was awesome. I mean it was one of the most…That was definitely my turning point as far as my career. It inspired me, gave me other opportunities. It had a domino effect. It was really just me realizing I’m going to do it. Because it was always in my head, but I was trying to do it another way but that just doesn’t work some time. You just got to go for it. M. So where did the name Paarker Oliver come from? P. Well, I like last names as first names. I like the name because it’s an androgynous name. You can’t really tell the sex. And it really just came from me. I like rich names. It sounds rich to me. Paarker Oliver. Whoa, whose film is that? It makes you just wonder. Who is that? Is it a girl? Is it a man? What’s the film going to be like? M. The spelling, did you? P. Oh, the spelling, I just threw the two a’s in there because I thought that was cool. The name, this little black child that grew up next to me, his family is like the Cosby’s, and his name is Parker. I thought that was so cool. We grew up together and he’s like my little brother. So I was like I’m going to take your name. That’s tight. M. I’m sure he thinks that’s awesome! P. (laughing) He doesn’t even know. I’m going to tell him. M. What kind of films do you make? P. That’s a good question. They’re emotion films. They’re definitely a form of activism. And that’s what I think filmmaking is. It’s a form of activism and it makes you think. They’re definitely thought provoking and visually stimulating, so I guess it would be social change. M. That’s awesome. Would you say that Howard has helped you at all? Has being at Howard University aided you? P. Howard has definitely helped me. If you’re not already passionate about something, nothing is going to bring that passion to you. I am passionate, so therefore I can go the extra length, and seek out extra, go to my professors. I feel like it’s really what you make it. You feel me. Howard is awesome because it gives you that extra confidence because you have support. And I feel like that’s the perfect thing to start off with before you go out into the world. It’s that love and support that you won’t get anywhere else. M. What was one of your first film experiences? P. Well this wasn’t my first film experience but when I went to Cannes and I sat in the theatre where they premiere the top films in the world. I was there when they opened up the festival, and I was just like this is what I want to do. I was crying, it was mad emotional. The theatre was beautiful. M. What is your ideal film? P. My ideal film would have aesthetics; it would have a strong social undertone. Visuals are very important to me. The visuals will make your feeling, and enhance it. Something that is visually strong. M. They were saying [in the screening] that sounds is the most important [aspect of a film], do you agree? P. Yes, definitely. If your film doesn’t sound good it’s going to be automatically labeled as amateur. “Some college student did this.” You don’t ever want that to happen. M. Explain the emotions you experienced making “Tacit.” P. It’s actually funny. When I was making the film, during the process of it a lot of times, I felt like one of the characters. I made the film of course, but also my self is in the film. I had a lot of moments where I was on the phone a lot, doing stuff for “Tacit,” but it was ironic. Realizing how real the issue is that I was tackling. I’m affected by it and I’m the one who’s producing the film. It was also just frustration with the topic and with people in general, and how communication can be really fucked up at times. I feel like most times that’s what happens with people. We’re so complex. There are so many different messages that are out given out and we all take them differently. M. I figured it had to be surreal because watching the film was surreal because I have had these same experiences. Your phone is kind of your basis point. P. I know, it’s crazy. Yeah that’s really what the feeling was, the message. When I have an idea it’s like constipation for me. I want to get it out. You know when you have ideas and you just need to get them out, even just to write them down feels good; that’s what a film is for me. M. Where would you like “Tacit” as a film to go? P. I think it has a lot of potential to be in a lot of festivals. Also to schools and kids in our generation. Anything that discusses the human development, “Tacit” can be shown in. It just shows where we are, it’s showing the lack. Just waking people up. M. So what’s your next film? Are you thinking about what’s next? What’s your timeline between projects? P. Every couple of months I like to do something. I like to stay relevant. And it keeps me fresh to always be doing stuff. M. Where do you see yourself in five years? Where do you see Paarker Oliver films? P. I definitely see it winning film festivals being screened all over the United States. M. Have you ever considered other forms of films like sitcoms or series or movies? P. Yeah, definitely. TV is really big right now. But I have to work on my writing skills to make them stronger. I would love to direct someone else script. M. Where do you see yourself personally in five years? P. Personally, I just hope that I’m happy. And that I’m doing what I love. That I’m working on films. All I want to do for the rest of my life is make movies. It’s definitely happening. I’m getting my confidence. People are seeing what I’m doing. I feel like your vision comes as you go. I see some of my [vision] but I’m still trying to figure out. I have an idea. M. Last question, what’s the message you want to tell people? P. The message I want to tell people is to stay human. That’s my main philosophy with my films is to remain a human and not to allow society to make you. You make yourself in society, don’t let it make you. It’s so easy. And it’s sad; it makes a generation of drones. People just need to be more in-tuned.
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ATS MagAgainst the Stream Magazine is an urban platform. We edify our readers by finding noble, pure, and true talent and giving it a stage to flourish. While we love bragging about the folks around us, we also tackle urban issues by giving real world solutions. Archives
October 2015
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