Channeling her creativity by writing stories
Coming from what she describes as a very creative family, Tamera Hill was exposed to the arts from a very young age. So, although she studied business administration and legal studies in college, and was employed by the City of San Diego for 17 years, she always knew she wanted to pursue a career as a creative.
“My mother did not allow me to watch television. Instead, she took me to the library, and I would check out a ton of books. I read a lot,” she says. “When reading, I would get so lost in the story, it was as if I was there. All my senses were attached.
“I believe this led to me having a vast imagination and learning the structure of how a story is told. I began to write my own stories (and) sometimes I would go as far as imagining the characters in my room, and I would direct them at what to do next.”
So, it likely came as little surprise that she would leave her job with the city to write full time. One of the number of stories she’s written was a stage play that was turned into a feature-length film, called “Never Heard.” The film, which is available on Netflix, will also have selected scenes screened at the “African-american Women in Film” event at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., where she’ll be a panelist.
Hill is CEO of her own production company, Tamera Hill Productions, and lives with her husband, Eddie Mcdowell, and their two children in the Eastlake neighborhood of Chula Vista. She took some time to talk about her career and her experiences as a black woman in film.
Q:
The “African-american Women in Film” event at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation on Tuesday is celebrating black women in film. How did you become involved with this event? A
: The president (and CEO of the Jacobs Center, Reginald Jones) saw my film on Netflix. He really liked it and wanted to have me as a guest on their panel. I was ecstatic to be a part of the panel with other women filmmakers. No matter the ethnicity, I always want to be a part of that conversation. It’s going to be great. … A woman working in the film industry is a very important subject right now. It’s a male-dominated industry, and we are fighting for the same opportunities as our male counterparts.
Q:
Are there any black women filmmakers you’re inspired by? A
: Yes, Ava Duvernay. No formal training in filmmaking, just passion and grit. I see myself in her. My favorite writer is Shonda Rhimes. She’s a go-getter, too.
Q:
What works have these black women created that you particularly connect with? And what is it about those works that you enjoy? A
: “13th” on Netflix by Ava (a documentary about the history of race and the criminal justice system). I’ve seen it several times. The research was well done in this documentary and very insightful. I knew I liked Shonda Rhimes when the show “Scandal” aired, but the moment I knew I loved Shonda was a scene with (the lead character) Olivia Pope’s mother. It was a monologue that was out of this world. It was bold, risky, and downright truthful. As a writer, I always write what’s true, no matter who does or doesn’t agree. I respect her tremendously.
Q:
What’s been your experience as a black woman in film, especially as a filmmaker? What kinds of challenges have you dealt with? And how did you work through those challenges? A
: It’s been an interesting journey. Sometimes you feel surrounded by wolves, but you know you belong, so none of that matters. My main challenge in the industry, especially early on in my career, was people attempting to steal, or steal, my work by reverse engineering the scripts I’ve written. This is a huge problem in the industry. Most can’t or don’t want to do the work it takes to write a script, so they’ll steal other writers’ work. You definitely have to be equipped with a literary agent and an attorney to submit your screenplays. The way I solved this problem was to raise my own funds, and produce and direct my own scripts.
Q:
Tell us about “Never Heard.” I understand that it started as a stage play and later became a film? A
: Yes, it was a play first. It was always meant to be a film. The story is about a father who was falsely accused (of a crime) and imprisoned. His incarceration affected his relationship with his son. He was exonerated and pursued his relationship with his son, although the mother didn’t encourage it. He wasn’t a very good father before he was incarcerated and had to make amends with his son and ex-wife. It’s a story about redemption, love, and forgiveness. Black families that were going through similar situations inspired me to write this story, and also knowing that a lot of issues in black families are because of fathers being absent from home.
Q:
Your film seems to have a spiritual focus. Can you tell us about your decision to include that in the story? Why was this something you wanted to do? A:
Honestly, I didn’t. It was not in my script. The director decided to add in the church scenes. I was not in agreement with it. That wasn’t the focus of my story. I think he was after a certain church market/tyler Perry market. … For me, it was more about telling an authentic story. I’m going to share my thoughts on this at the panel (on Tuesday) and also show some deleted scenes that were very necessary to the story.
The director was a white male and did not understand the culture and the significance of certain scenes as they related to the story. I’m not saying a white man can’t direct a black film, but some stories he will not be able to execute well because he only knows the “stereotype” and he has not had the black experience. My advice to any white director who wants to write or direct black stories is to do the research and listen to your writers.
Q:
How would you describe your point of view as an artist? A:
Stay true to the story that you are telling. I have three questions I asked myself: Why am I writing this? Who needs this? How can I write this story and execute it to satisfy the “why” and “need”?
Q:
What inspires you in your work? A: People. I watch people a lot, I observe more than I talk. Mostly, I see a need and I write about it. Inspiration can come from the smallest things.
Q:
What’s been rewarding about your work as a filmmaker? A:
The most rewarding part is seeing how much my work blesses people, actors and fans. I get emails and direct messages from people who’ve seen a play or film of mine, and I’m overjoyed with their responses. I love writing comedies. I love making people laugh and, maybe for just a moment, they can forget about their problems. And I’ve been responsible for changing the course of a few people’s lives for the better. Now, that is awesome. I love my job!
Q:
What has this work taught you about yourself? A:
That I love people and I want to see them happy and living their best lives. And my gifts and talents come from God to fulfill a specific purpose in the earth. Everyone is called to do something. When you find out what that is, nothing can stop you.
Q:
What is the best advice you’ve ever received? A:
When you say, “the best,” I think I’ve yet to receive “the best” advice. I’ve received a lot of good advice, though. Out of all the good advice I’ve received, I remember my mother telling me to be myself and it has worked well for me. When I want the best advice, I usually go to the book of Proverbs for that. King Solomon had a lot to say about life.
Q:
What is one thing people would be surprised to find out about you? A:
I enjoy interior design. If I wasn’t a filmmaker, I’m sure I’d be on HGTV.
Q:
Describe your ideal San Diego weekend. A:
If I’m in town and not working, my daughter, Taylor, cooks our breakfast on Saturday. She insists. Afterward, we go to a movie or the beach, take long walks, later we go to lunch, maybe some shopping or visiting friends, or having them over to our house. Sometimes we stay in our pajamas all day, pig out, and watch movies. That’s my ideal weekend. There are some weekends we just want to get away and do something different. We pack our bags and fly out or drive to a place where we can relax and spend quality time with each other.