CHICAGO (WLS) — Anthony Williams is breaking obstacles together with his filmmaking.
“Concern retains folks paralyzed. I do not subscribe to concern,” Williams stated. “I acknowledge that concern exists, however I transfer by concern. I do not let concern cease me.”
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Williams, who now lives in Chicago, grew up in Arkansas, however moved to Los Angeles to pursue a profession in performing. Nonetheless, he discovered the dearth of various, authentic content material in Hollywood irritating.
“I used to be like, ‘there’s nothing out right here that represents who I’m as a Black individual, or as a queer individual, or as something,'” Williams stated.
In 2009, he moved to North Carolina, the place he began his manufacturing firm, Second Look Productions.
“I took a leap of religion, and actually sort of believed in myself, and stated, ‘I am simply going to do what I do know,'” he stated.
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Williams produced a number of quick movies all through his profession, together with his movie “Completely Constructive,” which tells the story of 4 people ready for HIV check outcomes. The movie even caught the eye of the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention and the White Home, and Williams was invited to the 2013 White Home Nationwide HIV/AIDS Technique Conference.
“To search out myself in that room, with these people, who made these choices for our nation was simply astounding,” Williams stated. “To today, I am like, ‘how did I find yourself in that room?’ However, I am grateful that I did as a result of it actually sort of despatched my profession off into the place I’m immediately.”
Williams additionally produced a characteristic movie, “Thicker Than Blood”, that explores the dynamics of a son coming dwelling after a protracted separation from his household. The movie, which opened in 2017, continues to win awards, together with six nominations and two wins for Greatest Actor and Greatest Supporting Actress at this yr’s World Music and Impartial Movie Competition.
Now, nonetheless, Williams is popping his focus from scripted storytelling to documentary movie. His new sequence, “It is Not You, It is Me”, follows three single LGBTQ+ males of coloration as they reenter the courting world after coping with numerous traumas of their private lives. As they go on dates, additionally they attend solo and group remedy classes with Prem Pahwa, a licensed psychotherapist, intercourse therapist and professor.
“Once I noticed the decision for the docuseries and I used to be studying by what they have been on the lookout for, I used to be like, ‘ah, they’re describing me.’ And so it is truly work that I have been doing for 25 years,” Pahwa stated.
Pahwa mentioned a myriad of points with the lads concerned within the docuseries, together with religion, age, HIV standing, substance abuse and extra.
“I really feel as if this documentary serves for example to the queer neighborhood that you do not have to ascribe to what folks say that you’re,” Williams stated. “You do not have to cover below a rock as a result of persons are attempting to push you below there.”
One component of Williams’ filmmaking that stands out is his dedication to showcasing various voices.
“There’s an excessive amount of illustration of white folks in every single place. In all places we go, we see white folks. Can we get a break?” Williams joked. “Not in a foul sense, however you realize, there are completely different folks out right here. It is essential to me that there was intersectionality on this documentary as a result of nobody strolling the face of the Earth is one factor.”
Williams sees his filmmaking as a type of activism as a result of it permits him to stay authentically and share his story with the world.
“I really feel it is essential in actual life, but additionally in, you realize, the tales that we’re doing,” he stated.
Williams encourages people of all backgrounds to observe his docuseries, which just lately obtained a grant from Open Tv, the Emmy-nominated streaming platform the place the sequence will debut later this yr.
“This present has a queer slant, however it isn’t only for the queer neighborhood,” Williams stated. “In the event you take out the queer slant, you actually understand that this present is a present about relationships, and it is only a present about communication, and it is a present about human connection.”
Williams hopes his tales empower others to seek out their voice, nonetheless which will search for them.
“We are able to navigate subjects in particular and distinctive methods to get folks speaking, to get conversations began,” he stated. “And to get folks out of this house of concern, to have the ability to transfer previous it.”
Go to www.instagram.com/secondglancepro for updates on “It is Not You, It is Me” and Williams’ different initiatives.
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