I was always an intense child who preferred my studies and pursuits much more than social interaction with my peers, unless of course, they were doing the same thing I was. At the age of 12, however, my parents took me out of the arts programs because they decided, “little black girls don’t become prima ballerinas.” (They recanted their declaration later when I took them to see the “Dance Theater of Harlem” when the company came to town.)
So, I consoled myself in movies and television series
throughout my teen years. No one could
tear me away from the “Twilight Zone,” “Outer Limits” or “One Step
Beyond.” I mention those shows because
unbeknownst to me, they would shape my cinematic vision.
As my parents wished, I went to Case Western Reserve
University in Cleveland, Ohio to study pre-med. My artistic passions were reignited however
when I took Acting 101 as an elective.
Needless to say my parents were extremely disappointed when I changed my
major to Theater Arts with a minor in English.
I left the sciences, academically speaking, but I’ve found that NOTHING
in one’s life’s experiences is ever wasted.
Science features prominently in my writing, particularly Quantum
Physics. Oh yes, and may I add that I
continued to pursue my biblical studies in college and taught bible school at
church.
I enhanced my collegiate studies with practical application
by joining the prestigious Karamu Theater under the tutelage of the late Reuben
Silver and was privileged to work with such notables as James Pickens, Jr. ,
Ray Allmond, Pamela Hamilton and the late Raymond Harris. After graduating from college, I made a stop
(lasting 2 years) in Atlanta, GA. While
in Atlanta, I obtained my Actor’s Equity card while under contract at the famed
Alliance Theater’ danced with the Atlanta Dance Theater and performed with the
JustUs Theater Company. Most
importantly, I got “saved” at Martin Luther King’s church, Ebenezer Baptist
Church. (Even though I was always in
church, having been raised Catholic, I hadn’t formally accepted Jesus Christ as
my Savior. I knew Him quite well and
loved Him dearly but I hadn’t uttered the confession of faith. With that confession, now, the stage was
firmly and foundationally set for going to either New York City or Los Angeles
to pursue my performing career and I chose New York City.
For over 20 years, I performed Off-Broadway and Regional
theater and in various films, television series and soap operas shot on
location in New York. I went to Los
Angeles on two occasions and worked in a few films and most notably on the soap
opera, “Santa Barbara.” During my last
stint in LA, I began revising screenplays that I had begun writing and one of
my scripts, “Dominant Players” was optioned by Broadmind Entertainment; an LA
based production company.
I’ve toured with Gloria Gaynor (whom I met in church). Her European tour took me to over 20
countries; an experience that to this day serves to dress my writing with
beautiful locations and references.
When my parents died, I found myself feeling quite unhinged,
not knowing what to do exactly with my life.
It’s hard to explain but it is as though the familial walls of security
came tumbling down. My parents
represented the earthly safe haven I would retreat to even if it meant a only a
phone call for assurance. I hadn’t
developed many social relationships, nor did I have a solid industry
network. Interestingly, show-business,
like living in NYC or LA finds one around millions of people but it is
difficult to develop solid relationships.
It was always God, me, about 2 close friends and my art. After my mother’s passing, I decided to take
a full time position at the NFL with the intent of building financial security
to undergird my erratic theater and film income. Turns out my full time position overshadowed
my artistic pursuits for 7 years.
Recently, due to company restructuring, I saw an opportunity
which would allow me to leave and pursue my lifelong dream once again full time
and I took it. I decided to go full
throttle this time and use everything: gifts, talents, skills and abilities and
produce and direct a script that I had written.
Chronicles: So
your life long dream, I assume must be the pursuit of producing your
new film, "Meri, Mary, Mari". Tell us about this exciting project:
Michele: The film, “Meri, Mary, Mari” is a short and my first foray
into filmmaking on this level. My
experience as an actress, writer, producer, director needed to be debuted at
once. I poured all of that and my
penchant for science into a quirky short film to present as my freshman
debut. I’ve met some talented young
artists who liked the vision at once and have joined me in this endeavor. I’m actually co-directing with an extremely
talented director of photography.
I met both the DP, Antoine Jackson and the Executive
Producer, T. Billi Martin on the set of a locally produced talk show, “Second
Saturday” which I hosted and co-produced.
(For me, there are no coincidences; I met the Executive Producer of the
talk show through his daughter with whom I worked at the NFL.) Antoine wanted to make a short and I had been
toying around with a short that had come to me in a dream. (I’ve got several feature film screenplays
that I have been shopping and some of which I want to direct but not having
ever directed a film, I knew a short is required at least for an introduction
to the cinema world.) Hence, “Meri,
Mary, Mari” was conceived.
We’re in the last legs of pre-production and we’ve actually
shot one scene where, again no
coincidences, the Executive Producer (Alfonso Siverls) of the talk show is
appearing as a Physics Professor in the film explaining “worm holes” and
“parallel universes” in a very lively way.
MERI,
MARY, MARI
A Modern Day Alice In Wonderland, Wormholes,
Parallel Universes, Dystopian Future, Love, Betrayal, Destiny, Soul Mates,
Quantum Jumping/Time Traveling Brooklyn Hipsters, Quirky Characters,
Provocative Soundtrack..... with a Hollywood ending.
OUR STORY BEGINS WITH OUR PROTAGONIST
DISCOVERING A PORTAL TO A PARALLEL UNIVERSE.
Chronicles: Well, you've certainly gotten us excited about Meri, Mary, Mari..How can the readers who want to help this project assist you? Also..we're celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday from the 15-19; would you care to share some insights about what you remember about Dr. King?
Michele: Currently, we are running a crowdfunding campaign on
Indiegogo. Meri, Mary, Mari is a short
film but we soon found out that the Special Effects would cost us. We’re budgeted at a modest (as far as effects
are concerned) $30K. We’re soliciting
help from movie lovers, particularly, who have lamented the dearth of
independent films with different storylines other than the stereotypical fare
often produced by people of color. As a
Black Woman, I found it rather amusing that I would be inspired to write a
sci-fi film as my first short. “God has
jokes,” I often muse to myself.
Understand, that this short will identify my cinematic voice. There are very few Black Women writers or
directors in the sci-fi genre. A
successful outcome for this film would definitely set a precedent.
Martin Luther King’s birthday and
his legacy is of particular personal importance to me being that I was saved in
his church. He had been assassinated
long before I got to the church but his family was in attendance. I will never forget the day, I saw Daddy
King deliver the sermon. He was sickly
at the time and it looked as if he could barely make it to the pulpit. However, when the anointing of the Holy
Spirit hit this man, he rose up straight and there was a miraculous change in
his stature, countenance and speech.
Such power, I’ve not seen since emanating from a pulpit.
I wasn’t in Atlanta long but to this day, I believe that God
positioned me to be in that city and attend that church. (Mind you, I was a devout Catholic but I
couldn’t find a Catholic church near me when I had moved to Atlanta, so I
decided (or at least I thought it was my decision) to visit Ebenezer Baptist
Church.)
The following two Martin
Luther King, Jr. quotes are my favorites and personally resonant in my
spirit.
“We must accept finite disappointment, but never
lose infinite hope.”
When my parents died, that was a finite disappointment. It took some time to recover but I realized
that my life had to be the personification of their infinite legacy. My production company is called, “infinite
Intel Productions.” All power, hope,
blessing, dreams, etc. are infinite; only limited by my vision and my vision
for my life is as far reaching as the infinite intelligence of Jesus Christ.
“Faith is taking the first step even when you
don’t see the whole staircase.”
Lord knows, I took my first step into independent filmmaking
stumbling like a baby and sometimes, the pressure of production literally makes
me stop in my steps and cry out, “Lord, please deliver!” But, that still small voice continually prods
me to continue on the journey with “Daughter, I’ve got this and some of My
people are praying for you. You have no
idea how far this little film will take you and eventually “the film” that I’ve
ordained for you to make for My people will manifest.” That’s what I see as the staircase. People, places, prayers, experiences and even
disappointments are the building blocks of the staircase.
What does “Divinely Inspired” and “Victoriously Ascending” mean to me?
Well, when I write, one of my prayers is, “Lord God, please
anoint me with the same anointing that You used to form the worlds out of
nothing and to raise Your Son, Jesus from the dead.” Needless, to say, I never have a writer’s
block. That’s my definition of being “Divinely
inspired.” “Victoriously Ascending” is
exactly what I am experiencing now and have been experiencing all of my
life. We move through life in levels and
experience it in stages. We are
victorious when each stage is completed successfully allowing us to ascend to
yet another level. I want to go as high
as any human is allowed in ascendancy.
Infinitely yours,
Michèle Cannon
Divinely Inspired, Victoriously Ascending; Diva!!
Paul S. Jones FB Diva Chronicles (c) All Rights Reserved 2014-15
No comments:
Post a Comment