The upcoming feature film Differences narrates the tale of a store clerk’s endeavor to rescue his uncle’s shop from shutting down. All the while navigating an unforeseen romantic connection with an R&B icon. Read the interview with the talented writer and producer MoReese Madu to find out more. The movie premieres this September on Tubi TV!
Tell us about yourself and what you do?
I go by MoReese Madu and I’m an author turned screenwriter and producer. I always had a deep love for movies growing up but never in a million years did I think of pursuing it as a career. I had no knowledge of the movie business, nor was I interested in being a writer as a child. It wasn’t until college that I began writing, after I heard about a fellow student selling a screenplay for $100,000. This piqued my interest and inspired me to study the film industry. However, I ended up becoming an author instead, and published several books over a decade before writing my first screenplay and later producing my first film.
What inspired you to write and produce the film Differences?
I was tired of pitching and waiting for one of my scripts to be greenlit, so I decided to fund and produce my own film. I grew up watching classic black rom coms like Boomerang, Love Jones, Love & Basketball, The Best Man, etc. and I just wanted to write something that was as unique and necessary as those films were during its time. But on a much smaller scale for a budget that I could afford to shoot.
How was the cast for Differences selected?
Well, I put out a casting call on backstage.com to find around 90% of our prospects. The remaining prospects I found by scouring the internet for local talent who had a growing buzz and sent them to backstage.com as well for auditions. Me and my wife auditioned each actor twice and whoever embodied the role the best, that’s who I chose. And I’m very pleased with our selections as our cast did an amazing job!
Describe the most challenging production problem you faced for this film. How did you solve it?
I’d say the most challenging problem I faced during production was time management because I had to wear so many different hats. I was the writer, producer, co-director, 1st AD, location manager, transportation, etc. So this became stressful at times. And when it did, I leaned on the support of my family to help me in areas I needed the most.
What is the best piece of advice that you could offer to someone who is looking to break into the world of writing and film production?
For aspiring screenwriters, you have to put in the time to become great at your craft. Learn the art of screenwriting, study the scripts of your favorite movies, and practice-practice-practice.
For aspiring producers, I’d say find a producer in your city and ask them to be your mentor. If that’s not possible, then go to YouTube University and watch everything you can on film producing and/or buy an online film production course from a reputable producer. However, all the knowledge in the world won’t make up for real world experience. The only true way to learn how to produce a film is to produce one.
Where and when can we watch Differences?
Differences premiers this September 1st on TUBI TV. It’s free, so I encourage everyone to watch it!
instagram.com/differencesmovie
