Diversity Pays Off for Plan B
PRODUCERS RECEIVE SELZNICK AWARD
“FOR A LONG time people tried to figure out ‘What is Plan B?’” says Plan B principal Dede Gardner, who along with fellow executives Jeremy Kleiner and Brad Pitt will receive the David O. Selznick Award at the 31st annual Producers Guild Awards on Jan. 18.“I remember Brad came to us the year that we released ‘12 Years a Slave’ and ‘World War Z’ with a grin on his face: ‘That’s Plan B.’ Truthfully, it’s narratively driven. We are real lovers of stories, and that’s been the singular guidepost since the very beginning.”
Those films, along with a prestigious, awards and nomination-heavy output including “Selma,” “The Big Short,”“moonlight,”“vice” and “If Beale Street Could Talk,” form the sort of enviable body of work over the course of Plan B’s two decades — one Kleiner says is informed by the fluid Pitt-influenced development culture “of trying to stay present tense and be inspired, when the inspirations arrive in whatever form: a filmmaker or a book or a piece of journalism.”
“Brad’s a true cinephile, and genuinely blows our mind constantly with the amount that he sees, the depth to which he does to investigate as a filmmaker,”gardner says.“his curiosity is an inspiring thing to be around.”
Kleiner also praises Pitt’s cinematic insights. “The language he uses is as specific as his choices are as an actor.”
Gardner, Kleiner says, demonstrates the courage to tackle complicated material that inspires respect, while she praises her partner for keen intuition for the needs of a disparate array of filmmakers. Plan B’s enduring partnership is also key to its success.
“Longevity is an underrated characteristic in creative industry,” Gardner says.“we have a lot of moments in meetings where we don’t say a word to each other, but we know exactly what the other person is saying.”
PGA RECIPIENT CONSIDERED HERSELF A PRODUCER FIRST
Octavia Spencer never believed she would be in front of the camera. Instead, she always saw herself as a producer.
Her award-winning performances in movies such as “The Help,” “Hidden Figures” and “The Shape of Water” helped Spencer, recipient of the Visionary Award at the PGA Awards this year, to do both. But getting traction in Hollywood wasn’t easy for the Alabama-bred multihyphenate.
“It took me 15 years to become an overnight success,” says Spencer, who appeared in films including “Never Been Kissed” and “Coach Carter” earlier in her career. “That’s the case for the majority of people. It took a little time, a lot of relationships. Building relationships with the people I worked with. I don’t take it for granted.
“I’ve always been a big dreamer. If you don’t dream big and you don’t see yourself where you want to be, it’s hard to put yourself there.”
Spencer first gained recognition as a producer with Ryan Coogler’s “Fruitvale Station,” and has since produced films and TV series including 2018’s “Green Book,” starring Mahershala Ali — Spencer received an executive producer credit for the Oscar best picture winner — as well as Apple TV Plus’ “Truth Be Told” and Netflix’s “Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker.”
“What pushes me is what pushes me as an actor,” says Spencer, whose production company Orit Entertainment is managed in partnership with her former WME agent and partner Brian Clisham. “It’s passion. It’s a part of who I am, it’s in my DNA. Content is very important. People want to be entertained. We have to remember to allow for escapism — especially in these dark times,” she says. “I’m excited about the prospect of getting to continue to do what I love.” — Breanna Bell