ABFF 2016: Producers Will Packer, Gabrielle Union and David E. Talbert Talk ‘Almost Christmas’Posted by Wilson Morales
June 20, 2016
Among the films, panel discussions, and networking going on during the American Black Film Festival was the showing of clips of writer/director David E. Talbert and producer Will Packer‘s new comedy, Almost Christmas.
Directed by David E. Talbert with him serving as a producer with Will Packer and Gabrielle Union, the all-star cast of Almost Christmas is led by Kimberly Elise, Omar Epps, Danny Glover, Romany Malco, Mo’Nique, Nicole Ari Parker, J.B. Smoove, Gabrielle Union, Jessie Usher and DC Young Fly.
Executive producers on the film include David E. Talbert, Lyn Sisson-Talbert, Preston Holmes, James F. Lopez, Gabrielle Union, and Jeff Morrone.
Almost Christmas tells the festive story of a beloved patriarch who asks his family for one gift this holiday season: to get along. If they can honor that wish and spend five days under the same roof without killing one another, it will be a Christmas miracle.
Blackfilm.com caught up with Packer, Talbert and Union as they talked about working together as producers of this ensemble film.
As producers who have worked on different projects, what are the pitfalls that you try to avoid when you’re working together?
Will Packer: I think that everybody has to stand in their own lane. I think that when you look at the three of us-
Gabrielle Union: He’s just really talking to me.
Will Packer: That true, you see you have no lane you can do it all, so you just have to contain-
Gabrielle Union: I’m like a hover board, I have no lane.
Will Packer: You just have to focus on one aspect of what you do very well and I and Dave as well. Think about what we bring to it and experiences that we have. Dave, as you know, it started with him. It starts with the pages always, it started in his heart, soul and mind. And with Gab there’s nobody understands what the acting side of it is and how that relate to the larger productive like Gab. For me, I had to keep track of the dollars and cents and so I think that together we made a very good collaborative effort.
What did you learn throughout the process and coming on big project? What you bring into the table that everybody else can learn from?
Gabrielle Union: I’m extremely anal retentive. I have a intent respect for time. I always want to know how can we get the most in the least amount of time. I really felt like I drought that to the table. I like to, lets call it, “Lets find the bogies, where are the bogies at in this situation.” If we can identify what’s going to screw us up down the road. Lets address it now, before it derails us. I think that’s my foresight. I like to think.
You’ve done theater, you’ve done your own films. You got coming on board as one of the producers. How do you tell yourself, “Okay I got to scale back and hear what they have to say?”
David E. Talbert: Gab has done more, she’s done more movies than I will ever hope to do in my career. You talk about career you spend quite some time in. With Packer, if you go in his office, he’ll let you know, he doesn’t say it out his mouth, but there’s only a number one frame. There’s no wall space in his office. Obviously they know what they doing, so the smart thing to do is to sit back and glean from their experience. Gab brought a wealth of ideas to the table that I wasn’t even thinking about that elevated the story. Pac doesn’t get in your way as a producer. He just drops those C’s and you know when he says something it’s important.
With Gab there were a few times, we were running a little late. I was like, “Dam, how am I going to get this covered?” I just looked over there and looked at Gab and I’m like, “Gab what do you think?” She said, “Well you going to get in trouble if you do this. How about if you do this and you do this.” We follow it and we save time and we get out of there and we have coverage that’s elevated. It was good for me to have them both lean on.
Does it get easier for you knowing you have an accomplished director and an accomplished actress and they can just do their job, without you coming in and micro-managing?
Will Packer: A hundred percent no question. This is a collaborative medium and you’re only as strong as your team and only as strong as your collaborator. Having these two with the experience that they have, the example that they just gave about Gab knowing, shot that’s from experience. All the films that she’s done you know that and intense desire not to miss any (Miami) Heat games. (laughs) We work together well, because we each have something that we do and it helps so much that I’ve been half the time. Where I didn’t have a director with the experience level. Dave I didn’t have somebody sitting next to me with the experience level of Gab. I have to watch every single thing, because you’re nervous somethings going to come off the rails. It was great with this team.
Almost Christmas hits theaters on November 11.
