Think Like a ManOn Set Interview with Producer Will Packer
by Damien D. Smith
December 19, 2011
Having come from the indie world (‘Trois,’ ‘Motives,’ and ‘The Gospel’) to successfully producing Hollywood hits, including 3 films which debuted at #1 at box office, Rainforest Films producer Will Packer is ready for his next challenge.
The Florida native has tackled the Gospel genre, the drama game (‘Obsessed,’ ‘This Christmas’), and the action genre with last year’s ‘Takers.’ His next film will be the romantic comedy ‘Think Like A Man,’ featuring a bevy of talent that includes Michael Ealy, Jerry Ferrara, Meagan Good, Regina Hall, Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, Terrance J, Romany Malco, Gary Owen, Gabrielle Union, and Lala Vazquez.
The film is based on Steve Harvey’s best-selling self-help book ‘Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment.’
For the film, Packer has chosen funnyman Kevin Hart to lead the charge as he plays a fictionalized version of Harvey, dispensing advice to his friends while dealing with the decay of his own marriage.
On a very warm this past summer, Blackfilm.com visit the set of the film, which was being shot in Culver City High School, where we witness several takes of a basketball scene being shot. After the shoot was over, we spoke to Packer about putting together this well-rounded cast and hoping to continue the success he’s received thus far.
What attracted you to the project and did you read the book?
Will Packer: This project was born out of the fact that I travel a lot and everywhere I went I was seeing women with this book. I saw it at the airport and on planes, in beauty shops, and nail salons when I would go and drop off my kids. I kept seeing this book popping up. This was before Oprah, Good Morning America. Before all of that stuff, Steve did that and got a lot of mainstream attention. So I called him and said, “Dude, this would make a good movie.” I read it, I read it. Saw it, read it, talked to some other people about it and it was being passed around. That’s always a good sign because these days books don’t really sell like they used to but I knew a bunch of people who were actually reading it because it was being passed around.
I called Steve up and we just knew each other peripherally. He was aware of who I was a little bit and I said I wanted to get the deal done. I wanted to turn it into a movie. He was definitely open to it and he had some ideas. The deal didn’t get done at that time and then Oprah happened and he did three Oprah episodes and Good Morning America and all that and then everybody wanted the book. There was a lot of attention behind the book. The book at this point had sold over 2 million copies, I think that is a really a phenomenal number in this day and time. I had competition from other people with some pretty, big names trying to get this book. I was really determined about it. I went to Screen Gems and Clint Culpepper, the head of Screen Gems, and I told Clint, I said, “hey man, I’ve got good news and I’ve got bad news. The good news is that…” no, “the bad news is that somebody stole the title to your autobiography. The good news is that I’ve got this property called ‘Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man’, and it is going to make a hell of a movie”. Clint of course, being the nice, funny guy that he is, he got the joke and he backed me 100% in chasing it. Steve remembered that I was one of the first people to come after him and he knew I was determined about it. So I think he had other options there but I, I think ultimately it was the personal relationship and him believing in the vision I had for it that allowed me to get the property.
Are you excited about the production?
Will Packer: It’s a blessing to be here and I’m really, really excited about this. I’ve been excited like I am now at this point in production, really maybe two other times. One was ‘Stomp the Yard.’ I was like, “we got something special here.” The other was ‘Takers.’n That was my first action movie. This is my first comedy. So it’s, it’s exciting and fun to me to be doing, a comedy because it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while and I think I finally figured out the vehicle to get me into that space.
Steve Harvey is also an actor as well as many things. Will he be included in the film?
Will Packer: Yes, absolutely. Steve is going to basically play himself in the movie. You will see snippets from interviews and articles and he will be on television screens and on the radio and, and things like that because he, Steve and his book are actual characters in the movie. The movie follows our guys as their women get their hands on the book and try to incorporate some of the strategies that Steve talks about in his book. Our guys are heroes and they find out and they try to turn the tables by tricking the women into thinking that they’re doing what they want them to do when they’re really not. With that kind of battle of the sexes and everybody playing games, nobody really wins. So at the end of the day it’s about, finding out what you really want in a relationship and being true to, not only yourself but with the other person.
Is he filming actual scenes from the book?
Will Packer: We’re on location right now in Los Angeles. We’re going to shoot Steve, later in Atlanta. I’m going to do some second unit stuff with him in Atlanta later this fall.
This is the fourth time you will be working with Chris Brown. What attracted you to him as an actor?
Will Packer: Well you know, I’ve known Chris for a while. I’ve actually produced all his films from ‘Stomp the Yard,’ ‘This Christmas,’ ‘Takers,’ and now ‘Think Like a Man.’ With this film, his role is a cameo. He’s a friend of mine and I like to work with my friends. So there are a lot of actors that I work with repeatedly and he’s one of them.
What is it that brought you and Michael Ealy together?
Will Packer: The reality is that Michael Ealy is a light-skinned brotha, okay? (laughs) That’s really what it is and he needs to work with a darker-skinned brotha in order to keep everything even keel. The world needs to be balanced. Absolutely. They don’t like to talk about that aspect of it but that’s what it is. He needs more melanin in his life. Ealy is somebody that a professional. He brings it, no matter what. You know that he is somebody that is going to show up. He’s going to show up prepared. He’s going to come to play. I found that out on ‘Takers.’ I knew of him. I hadn’t worked with him yet but I was a fan of his work. So when this role came up we needed somebody and his character’s Dominic is the dreamer. His character is the guy who is the good looking guy; he’s got all the potential in the world but he wants to get a woman that is, in theory, over his head. He has to reach to get her. Michael Ealy can pull anybody. He’s perfect for that role.
What role does Taraji P. Henson play?
Will Packer: Taraji and Michael actually are a couple in this film. They play each other’s love interests. I’ve wanted to work with Taraji forever and she’s a friend. It was the timing and it really worked out. I was able to shoot this before she had to go and film her new television show ‘Person of Interest’ and right after she had finished another project, so she was available for me.
With this film being a romantic comedy, who would you say is the funniest of the cast?
Will Packer: They all are funny in their own way. That’s a political answer but that’s the truth. Kevin is silly, and at times, over the top foolish. Michael has got that understated sarcastic delivery. Romany is a lot more edgy. Jeremy also has good comedic timing but it’s understated. Gary Owen is over the top silly. People will, if you don’t know him, be able to see his talents from this film. Terrance J just balances out because he can do a little bit of everything.
This is the second film you’ve worked with him.
Will Packer: Yes. Although he had smaller roles in other films, I think this is going to be his most major role. He did a small role in ‘Stomp the Yard 2,’ which I produced. He had a small cameo in a film called ‘Burlesque’ last year, but this will be his first starring turn. While he’s familiar to other people because of his TV gig, I think this is something that he’s expanding into and he is taking it very, very seriously. This is going to help put him on the map because he is serious about it.
You have another VJ in the cast, LaLa.
Will Packer: Yeah, she started off as a VJ on MTV but she’s got a hot television show on VH1. The new season starts soon. She’s from Atlanta, which is where I’m based and so she’s got ATL roots; but she is also somebody that is really trying to put Hollywood on notice that she’s taking this acting thing seriously. Absolutely.
When is the film being released?
Will Packer: March 9, 2012. I have been so blessed. I have had 3 ½ number one films. ‘Stomp the Yard’ opened at number one, and held it for two weeks. ‘Obsessed’ opened at the top of the box office. ‘Takers’ opened at number one and ‘This Christmas’ opened at number 2; however, there is an asterisk because it opened at number 2 behind a huge Disney film. You just can’t beat Disney. That’s like trying to beat Jesus. You don’t beat Disney. They’ve more on their marketing budget like twice as much as I spent on my whole movie. I came in at number 2 there but I have been very, very fortunate to have successful films and I’m confident this is going to be successful as well.
What’s coming up next for you?
Will Packer: I’ve got a couple of things that I’m working on and I will be able to talk more about them later when they’re heavy and serious. The thing I’m working on the most actively right now, other than the film, is actually a new television network. It’s a television network called Bounce TV that myself and, my business partner, Rob Hardy, Martin Luther King III, Ambassador Andrew Young, have all partnered on to create. It’s actually the first African American broadcast television network. It’s for those people that do not pay for television, do not have satellite or cable, and we’ve reached our agreements with, some 40 plus percent of the country to carry this network, which will be programming, aimed and geared towards African Americans. The network will launch as a 24/7 network with licensed programming first and original programming to come later.
‘Takers’ was a fan favorite among many. Are you working on a prequel or sequel?
Will Packer: Absolutely, yeah. I’m looking at a ‘Takers’ prequel because I killed everybody in the first film.. As soon as we said “wrap”, I was like, “that killed the sequel, right there”. So, we thought it would be interesting to figure out how these guys all got together?
Anything else you want to let folks know?
Will Packer: I’m excited about this movie. The cast is amazing. We’ve got something for everybody in this thing. I’m proud of it. I can’t wait for it to come out. I’m proud to be working with such a great cast, such a varied cast and I’ve been getting a lot of support on all my films. Like, I mentioned the, the success we’ve had at the box office. I hope that continues. I always want to thank people for their support because they allow me to continue to do what I love, which is tell a wide variety of diverse stories and try to hit commercial as well as artistic viability.
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