VII Interview: Director Alonzo Anderson

(Angela Phillips, Alonzo Anderson, and Jennifer Sears)

Too often in the African American film industry, there is only room for one actress, one actor, and one top director but Alonzo Anderson is setting out to change that. The independent film producer is gearing up for the release of his new film StepSisters, a film that explores race, friendship, and sorority life. We sat down with the producer to talk his writing career, Tyler Perry, race in stepping, his Greek experiences, and the creative process.

VII Mag: How did you get your start writing?

Alonzo Anderson: I’ve been writing since I’ve been old enough to write. I got into writing 15 years ago when something unusual happened to me and I said to myself “this would be a good movie” I just sat down and learned the process and I just started writing. For the last 15 years, I’ve been trying to get my projects filmed and I’m doing smaller projects just learning the process. I’ve put this film together and now it’s up and running.

VII Mag: What are some of the other projects you’re involved in?

Alonzo Anderson: I have a project entitled Omaha Street that’s in production. I’ve worked on a film that I produced and directed called Rain and 20 something. Both received local limited releases. Nothing has gone into theaters. This is the first project to get wide distribution.

VII Mag: How did step sisters came around?

Alonzo Anderson: My co-producer Anthony Nixon came to me with an idea a few years ago and said he wanted to do an idea about college but didn’t want to do something fluff. He said he wanted to show a different side of college. The side that isn’t so rosy and the troubles that people have to go through adapting from home life to college life. I started writing on that two years ago. As I was working on that concept, I kept thinking I had to do something different, that would grab people and still teach them something along the way. I decided to change it up and build the concept around stepping. Around the cocept I injected the story around two best friends who decided to go to college together.

VII Mag: Did you pull experiences from your own Greek life?

Alonzo Anderson: I’m not Greek. I was always intrigued by the fraternity thing but I was never motivated enough to pledge. I enjoyed what they did but I didn’t agree with the way they became brothers.

VII Mag: How did you accurately portray the stuff they went through?

Alonzo Anderson: I reached out to sorority and fraternity members so I could accurately portray what they went through. As I was writing I would call them up and say hey I wrote this thing and let me know how accurate it is and they say “nah that would never happen, this is what is more likely to happen.” So they kept me in check that way. I also brought in consultants from fraternities and sororities. I think the authenticity is in check.

VII Mag: Were there any other steps you took to accurately portray the HBCU experience?

Alonzo Anderson: I didn’t get too much into the other stuff because the sorority and stepping stuff is a broad enough story as it is. This project is more about the character study and the impact of stepping. I did reach out to HBCU students and getting a take on their experiences. That was as far as I went with that. I didn’t go to an HBCU but I have a lot of family members that did.

VII Mag: What is your favorite part of film making?

Alonzo Anderson: It’s the writing process. Honestly, without a good screenplay the film never happens. That is the heartbeat, the blood, of any motion picture project. There is nothing more exhilarating than sitting in front of my computer at a blank screen and having a finished movie three or four months later and it all came from my mind.

VII Mag: What’s the hardest part of making a film?

Alonzo Anderson: As an independent producer, the hardest part is the financial piece. I’ve got everything in place and now I have to go out and convince people to buy invest their hard earned money, not knowing if the movie will make a profit. The same thing with distributors, convincing them that it will return on their investment. That’s the part of I like least because it’s a part of the movie business not the creative process. The business part of it leaves me dry because you’re dealing with people who could care less about all the things that go into putting a project together all they care about is can it make them money. The writer side of me is in conflict with the business side because it makes me feel cheap and dirty to make the confessions that I have to make to get my projects completed.

VII Mag: How do you feel about Tyler Perry?

Alonzo Anderson: I think I’ve seen one or two Tyler Perry films, and personally they do not entertain me. I understand that he fills a need in the entertainment industry and I applaud that. I applaud the brother for what he’s done and the opportunity he has created for everyone. I don’t think he’s a bad writer, producer, or director; I think he’s an excellent businessman. He’s set up a great business model for upcoming filmmakers.

VII Mag: Do you have a favorite Indie movie?

Alonzo Anderson: There is one I’ve watched over and over again and it’s called American Violet. I’ve seen it 8 or 9 times and I loved it. It wasn’t the best-made movie or best-written movie but it stimulated me and had great actors. The girl who played the lead, I want to work with her and make something specifically for her. I thought she was excellent and should have been nominated for some awards. I think that was her first film and I was mesmerized by her.

VII Mag: What makes a movie great for you?

Alonzo Anderson: I look at movies differently than the average person. A great movie for me is one that has great dialogue and great character development. If I can’t believe a character would exist in the world created in the film, I’ll zone out. That’s what catches me in a film, that it is believable. My favorite films are character driven films.

VII Mag: What do you want people to get from this movie?

Alonzo Anderson: This movie is called stepsisters, but it is not about stepping. In a perfect world, stepping wouldn’t be in there but I’m not an idiot and I know stepping is what is drawing people in. When people read the story, they realize there is actually a story in there. step sisters is hopefully going to enlighten folks that friendship has different layers to it and peer pressure is real and you can’t fight both monsters and you’ll have to give into one.

VII Mag: What will make this project successful for you?

Alonzo Anderson: Everyone is not going to be the next Tyler Perry but for me success is seeing Step Sisters on a billboard, seeing it in the theaters, and seeing it in Best Buy. That’s success to me because everything after that is collateral from the hard work we put in.

VII Mag: Is there anything else you'd like to say?

Alonzo Anderson: It’s a hot projects and I hope everyone supports it.