Love Goes Pop

Meet Indie Producer Tracy Taylor of The New 20's

2011-05-16T12:53:00.000-07:00

To show our support of indie producers on the web and otherwise we will be showcasing a few of them here on the site. This month features Tracy Taylor creator and producer of The New 20's a web series about six friends ten years after their college graduation. We had a chance to speak to Ms. Taylor about this and future projects.

Where did you get the idea for your series?

Well, I am in my 30s and I was seeing a lot of life changes of my own and the people around me and I thought, it was interesting to tell a coming of age story for people who've already come of age. I also love movies like St. Elmo's Fire and shows like thirtysomething and wanted to see that kind of story with an African American principal cast.

Why did you think the concept deserved its own series?

I think the concept is original and there was a void. When you see African American shows, they are usually rooted in comedy, but there aren't any urban dramas that just deal with the issues of everyday life, marriage and family and career and jobs and infidelity. There's a whole world to explore with people who look like me and it's not being explored.

What are your goals for the series? The ultimate goal was always to move to television, preferably cable because there is so much room to explore and play and the reins aren't as tight. My short term goal is to raise the funds to keep shooting.

What is your current budget?

We can do 6 episodes for the web for under $15,000.

Are you working on other projects if so what?

I am working on a couple of feature projects and a short that I've been banging around in my head. I'd love to shoot my first feature by year's end.

How long did it take you to produce your series?

It took about 6 months from the writing stage until we actually finished production and then several months of editing after that. With a small budget and having to call in favors, you can't always do things as quickly as you'd like.

What are the biggest challenges as an independent producer?

Everything! From getting locations, to money, to scheduling to crewing up. Everything is an uphill battle for an indie producer. You have to be very deliberate and strong to keep going when sometimes you just want to give up!

Any advice to aspiring producers and writers?

It takes a lot of hard work to get things done. I have to remember that myself. Nothing just falls out of the sky and into your lap, you always have to be in forward motion to make it happen. Don’t let fear of failure stop you.

What is the future of internet video in your opinion?

I’m not really sure what the future holds. I know that the number of content creators keeps growing and advertisers and networks are paying attention. It’s still a great place to get your work seen and develop and audience.

What makes a quality web series?

I think you get out what you put in. For us, our work is our name so we don’t want to put out anything that undermines who we are as filmmakers. It may take us a little longer and cost more money to produce a series like The New 20s, but I can’t have poor sound quality or shots that don’t match. I think what makes a quality web series is the same thing that makes any visual medium quality, if you know what looks good to you on screen, you emulate that. I wanted The New 20s to be as close to television quality as possible. And it’s not easy, but worth it.

What area would you like to improve in your production?

I would have loved to be able to use more locations and fancier backdrops.

Who do you most admire in the industry and would like to emulate?

I look at Shonda Rhimes and I want to do what she has done- is doing. I look at other Black Female television producers who have these wonderful diverse shows and that is what I want for myself. I am so inspired by them and their work.

Do you follow a particular series? If so what?

I’m a big Grey’s Anatomy fan. You can actually see I am influenced in my style of directing by that show.

What do you love about the industry?

The possibilities. I love that all these crazy ideas that are in my head can be formed into stories that I can share.

Fantasia in stable condition in North Carolina hospital

2010-08-10T20:52:00.000-07:00

According to the Associated Press Idol winner Fantasia Barrino was hospitalized after overdosing on "aspirin and a sleep aid".

Fantasia and Antwaun Cook vacationing together.

The singer is apparently being sued by Paula Cook (pictured below), who accuses Fantasia of having an affair with her husband Antwaun Cook. Fantasia reportedly is "overwhelmed" by the media attention and the lawsuit combined and distraught over any pain she may have caused.

Why Alicia Keys Gets Away Spot Clean

2010-08-03T15:21:00.001-07:00

I follow a blog called The Black Snob and she wrote a wonderful post about why only Black folks are concerned with Swizz Beatz' ex-wife Mashonda.

Although I don't know the exact reasons why the mainstream media has been so tame toward Alicia Keys after having an affair and getting pregnant by a married man. However, I do agree with Ms. Snob that mainstream media may simply not know either Swizz Beatz or Mashonda or the horrific thought that maybe they do know and don't care as neither name will sell newspapers and magazines. Or they may simply realize that any man (single or married) would easily fall prey to the charms of the great Ms. Keys or shall I say Mrs.Beatz.

Whichever the case may be I admonish Ms. Snob to distinctly remember back when Brittany Spears was the other woman and she and Kevin Federline were attacked viciously in the press while Shar Jones was protrayed as an innocent pregnant jilted girlfriend. So my vote is Alicia gets away spot clean because she dogged an unpopular non newspaper selling former wife and married a nobody.

Are African-American women too sensitive and easily offended?

2010-07-21T16:17:00.000-07:00

I saw on BlackTalentNews.com that the football star Chad Ochocinco (real name Johnson) was criticized by African-American women that only two were chosen on his new VH1 reality show The Ultimate Catch. My first reaction was "So what?" Then as I read more and saw there were 85 women chosen! Then my sister girl "Oh no he didn't" came out and I have to admit I was truly annoyed. So I searched the web more and found an article about Wendy Williams openly criticizing him on her show while interviewing him and how she was personally "offended". However, I calmed down after doing a bit more research. I read through some comments on the Wendy Williams' article and saw that Ochocinco has children by several different women. And my next question to myself was "how can this man be considered "the ultimate catch?" Any man that won't commit to one of the women having his children and has the nerve to have a dating show as though he has yet to find a mate is not only not the ultimate catch he is a straight throwback! And I don't care how much money and fame he has. So trust me my African-American sistahs - Let it go

Mad at Tarriq

2008-12-20T21:55:00.001-08:00

Every morning I listen to the radio on my way to and from work. I either listen to jazz or the hip hop station that airs Big Boi's Morning Show. This particular morning earlier this week Big Boi had on a gentleman named Tarriq Nasheed. Tarriq has made a name for himself as a Player Guide. Meaning he goes around speaking to men about how to "step up their game". How to not get played and teaches women the secrets of how not to get played and most recently how to find a man that will take care of us financially. Big Boi opens the radio lines and callers ask Tarriq questions about their relationships. He tells them they're either getting played or not (they usually are) and he gives them some brief insight on what to do. That's not my main issue with this brother. Currently Tarriq has started to venture from books (yes, he's written several books on this topic ) into television. He's started a reality show called "How to be a Golddigger". Now, I have to admit the title intrigued me. But what I don't understand is how can a man teach a woman a skill that most women were born with? And besides that why would he want women to master this skill anyway? For me its a disgrace for any woman in this day and age with all the progress we've made to have to resort to chasing a rich man for his duckets? Although I know golddiggers are real why would he recruit more? The golddiggers that exist are embarrassing enough. I cringe whenever I see some young hottie traipsing through the mall with grandpa behind her and we all know he obviously got some cash otherwise she wouldn't give him the time of day. In my experience golddiggers are sometimes attractive with usually enhanced beauty, insecure, talentless, unintelligent and supremely superficial women who know their weaknesses thus find solace in attaching themselves to someone who is already successful. Success to them is finding someone else with it since they don't have it and believe will never be able to achieve it on their own. They're rather tragic individuals. I actually feel sorry for them (ie Anna Nicole Smith). A golddigger that comes to mind that some of you may or may not agree is Kim Porter. Pdiddy's baby mama is a good example of this she has been with two famous men that she had children with and neither of them married her. Her first child's father is Al B. Sure and the rest are Diddy's. Though she appears "successful" Kim is probably the most insecure in her position with Diddy. He has all the wealth and stabilty. Her identity comes from being his kid's mom only. I feel for her. I hope Diddy does right by her one day but it just goes to show that having a man's kid doesn't mean your his wifey! As for golddiggers...pray for them. I hope one day they find that instead of digging for gold. They should dig for their own inner souls.