If you have a Facebook account or have taken time out watching hilarious videos on YouTube (college students, don’t front like you haven’t), then you’ve had to have probably watched a video created, directed, and shot by Tommie Green. Now, calling this man an “up-and-coming” anything is a true understatement, Green is President/ CEO/ Director/ Writer/ Actor of WhiteWood Entertainment, a multimedia entertainment company that Green established in 2005. Even though Green has a whole lot of projects in the works and is one of the busiest guys that I know, he has been gracious enough to have do an interview for my blog (with no interview blur, lol)Skighwalker: Tommie, what’s goin’ on man? What have you been doing up to this point in 2008?
Tommie Green: Wassup, man! Thanx for having me, by the way! Anywho, I started ‘08 with a BANG! I created my Demo Reel, took some headshots, created my resume and in January, I was off to LA. I hit the pavement HARD in search for an agent, came back later that month, dropped my latest film ‘White Girl’, shot a couple of commercials for some major companies like ‘Heinz‘, and I’m now taking part in this cool interview!
SW: What projects do you currently have in the works?
TG: Well, TODAY as a matter of fact, I’m releasing my commercial for ‘Bud Light‘. And I’m currently writing the screenplays for our ‘Ford’ & ‘Dentaburst’ commercials. For the past two weeks I’ve been shooting a music video for WhiteWood Entourage member, Dave Chaney, called ‘The LemonHead song’. We just released that this past weekend. And this next project is almost too top secret to announce: But I’m due to shoot a music video for a ‘Big’ artist on Kanye West’s ‘G.O.O.D. Music’ label in April. It’s going to be a BIG, HighDef deal.
SW: When did you start getting into film?
TG: My mom gave me her camrecorder when I was 15, 16 years old (Or should I say I stole it) and me and my friends started recording short films on VHS. There were never any scripts, lighting, editing, etc. involved. Just me telling people to do stuff and they’d do it. Then I went to the Detroit Film Center, learned to write movie scripts, bought my Panasonic AG DVX100, and here I am.
SW: What filmmakers, actors, etc. had inspired you to do film?
TG: None of my inspirations TODAY inspired me to do film back THEN. I gained all of my inspirations AFTER I got into film. But they include Will Smith, Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, George Lucas and the Wachowski Brothers. But most of all, Michael Jordan. His greatness transcends basketball.
SW: If you could, let us know how WhiteWood began to come about?
TG: Well, as I mentioned, I was always into recording things, but I NEVER EVER ONCE thought to be a Director. Heck, I never even called ‘Action’ and ‘Cut’ when I shot stuff. I just used to say ‘Go’. LoL. And even thought it was only 3-5 years ago, I don’t remember the turning point when ‘Directing’ dawned on me. I just know that it was in 2003 when I decided to go to college and I told them I wanted to take their film course. In 2005 I started WhiteWood as a company. NO ONE I had known at the time had ever started a COMPANY, so I figured I was doing something new and innovative.
SW: How many members of WhiteWood are there and what special attributes do
they have that have made them part of your company?
TG: Man, since the start, there have been 9 members of WhiteWood. But 5 of them didn’t make it for various reasons. Now we’re left with 4.
Aside myself, there’s Kierra Stafford. She’s the FACE and the very first member of WhiteWood. Anytime I do print or advertising Material on and offline, she’s on it. She’s a gorgeous, aspiring model who’s currently needing your votes at the following link to win a spread in Ambassador magazine:
http://topmodel.cw50detroit.com/SNC/ViewItem.aspx?pguid=22acdddb-69b0-43ec-aaeb-dbf019d9f47a&itemguid=7c728eac-edd2-4018-9c27-39950d527bc0
There’s Bretony McGee (Kill Will, Keygen). She’s the FIRST LADY & the most well known member of WhiteWood. She has a series on YouTube called Getting’ By (Which is how I met her). http://www.YouTube.com/Bretony
And then there’s Dave Chaney. He’s just a nut. I noticed him on FaceBook getting lots of attention because of a series of videos he does about how much he loves the candy LemonHeads. He’s still on that tip, but we’re currently looking to find a more definite direction for him in WW.
SW: You have a huge following on YouTube. What makes WhiteWood Films one
the elite on YouTube?
TG: Above all else, it’s the material. Material like ours doesn’t usually come out of Detroit. It just doesn’t. Not only the quality of it, but the dialogue, the editing, etc. People in Detroit appreciate that something like this comes from where they’re from & they aren’t accustomed to seeing it. Our local television programs are so makeshift, as most of what comes from our area. We give the people something they can pride themselves in. Then I’d have to say it’s our online branding and presence. We’ve NAILED the Green and Pink thing. When people see those two colors, they’re to think of WhiteWood (Either before or after the AKA’s. LoL). And the fact that we stay in contact with fans. I respond to EVERY message I get on MySpace, FaceBook, YouTube, etc. telling them ‘Thanx’ and remaining humble. And so do all of the members of our Entourage.
SW: What is your favorite that you have made? (I promise I will not
re-edited your video with me doing a voice-over about it, lol)
TG: LoL, I like how you drop the little innuendos. Anyways, My personal favorite film is ‘Keygen’. It’s the ONLY film that I felt like I was doing for ME and not the fans. (Which would explain why it wasn’t a hit). It resembles the types of films that I can see myself doing in the industry. The story is one of the best stories I’ve ever written (For those that can understand it).
SW: Your latest video, Dave Chaney’s ‘Lemonhead Song‘, is gaining hundreds of
views by the day. How did this idea come about?
TG: Maaaaaan, Dave Chaney’s crazy ass. In the beginning of that video, there is a scene where Dave tells me that he made a song about LemonHeads and wants me to shoot the video for it. That scene is a reenactment of what ALMOST actually happened. What REALLY happened is we were on the phone and he told me he made a song about the candy and wanted me to shoot the video. I THOUGHT all of the negative things that I SAID in the actual scene, but I actually didn’t say them. I just agreed to shoot it because I support everyone in WhiteWood. It wasn’t until the FIRST DAY of shooting that I started believing in it’s potential to be successful.
SW: What sets you apart from every other director?
TG: I’m self made. I’m from the WORST AREA in the state of Michigan, Highland Park, thus making me a rose out of the concrete. My achievements will NEVER amount with my aspirations. EVER. I’m an African American man that dreams beyond my skin complexion. I don’t make films for Blacks. I don’t make them for Whites. I don’t make them for Humans. I make them for anything with eyes, ears and the ability to comprehend. I make films to be acknowledged when I’m dead, not when I’m alive. Films are like my backup life. Via them, I can never die.
SW: Aight man, being that I’m a sneakerhead/streetwear enthusiast, I have a
couple questions pertaining to sneaker & streetwear culture...
SW: What makes a hot sneaker (in your opinion)?
TG: Hmm... I think that depends. People will wear anything if Jordan says so. So in that sense, the man/idea behind the product. Right now, the more it stands out color wise. During one period, it was all about which shoes cost more money. But at the end of the day, it’s all about which shoes bring more attention to your feet.
SW: Last pair of sneakers you bought?
TG: Black, Grey & Pink Trainer Dunk Lows.
SW: Dopest pair of sneakers (that you own)?
TG: Air Jordan 11’s. Black patent leather, white and red soul. Classics. I waited @ 5 AM for the mall to open that December along with a CROWD of sneakerheads. Had them since 2002, never wore them more then 10 times.
SW: Favorite pair of sneakers (that you wish you had)?
TG: I wish I had EVERY PAIR of officially released Air Jordan’s EVER made in EVERY color.
SW: What is your grail (sneaker that you are in a never-ending quest to
find, and will buy no matter the cost)?
TG: There are these pair of all black and silver Air Jordan 18’s that I once went on a CRAZY QUEST for and couldn’t even find on Ebay.
SW: Favorite streetwear brand?
TG: I don’t have one. I work too much to shop. I’ll focus on shopping when my work pays my dues off.
SW: Favorite place to cop the dopest sneakers and streetwear in the Detroit
area (I’m not bias I swear, lol)?
TG: I guess I HAVE to say Burn Rubber right here don’t I? LoL.
BURN RUBBER!!!
SW: Favorite place to cop sneakers and streetwear outside of the Detroit
area?
TG: Well, Burn Rubber isn’t technically in Detroit, so um... BURN RUBBER!!!
SW: By the end of 2008 what does Tommie Green hope to accomplish??
TG: I plan on moving to LA for GOOD next month. Finding me and everyone in WhiteWood an agent with a top 10 agency that will see us into roles in nationally distributed HollyWood films, magazines and television shows. I plan on having my first full length film (Whose screenplay I’ve been perfecting for just about a year now) completely wrapped or in the works. That’s the minimum that I can ask for. Thanx a lot to you Cliff, and to all the good folx @ BR. PEACE!
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