00:00So we're starting to do a short Q&A with all these wonderful creatives.
00:08I'm going to start with you, Bia.
00:11Okay.
00:12Let's talk about what the motivation was for starting a series where you are admittedly
00:19learning things right there in real time on screen.
00:23Yeah, absolutely.
00:24So during the time of filming this, it was 2019, I believe.
00:28So I was two years into my gap year, and I was just really taking the opportunity to
00:36learn in as many ways that I could outside of school.
00:39So I would constantly be traveling, and at the time I was filming a documentary that
00:44was focused on the political landscape of the country.
00:47And while I was doing that, I was just experiencing so many things, getting so much exposure.
00:53And I had met a producer who suggested that I capture all of these things that I was doing.
00:58And I was kind of like, no, I don't really, like, no, it's like my life.
01:02I'm not really into that.
01:04And it grew on me.
01:05And I was like, well, there's a ton of opportunity to share the things that I've learned and to
01:11ensure that other people get the opportunity to see, like, hey, you can learn on your own
01:15if you take the liberty into your own hands.
01:17And you decide, hey, I'm going to go out.
01:20I'm going to experience these things.
01:21I'm going to do things that might seem embarrassing to certain people.
01:26I'm going to go up and talk to that person who's in the corner of the room and just get
01:30any type of knowledge that I can.
01:32Learning has always been something that's been near and dear to me, even though I've never
01:37followed the traditional learning path, like, at all, hence the gap year.
01:42So this show is just really another opportunity for me to experience and be exposed to so many
01:48new things.
01:49And that's kind of where the inspiration came from, just, like, this desire to learn in a
01:52very untraditional, unorthodox way.
01:54That's amazing.
01:55And congratulations that it will be on Essence Studio soon.
01:58Clap for that.
02:01Tina, our Starkey.
02:05Starkey.
02:05Yes.
02:06So the film opened up with Peter Stark.
02:08That means it's a Starkey.
02:09We only have about three more minutes to go.
02:12So I just want to talk about, I love Sylvester.
02:15I think we all love Sylvester.
02:17I like how you did a movie, like a fictitious meeting with him and Harvey Milk.
02:21Talk a little bit about where you got that idea and just, you know, what that process was.
02:26Talk about film school.
02:27Okay.
02:27I'm a tour manager by trade right now.
02:29I'm actually turning into a producer.
02:32And so.
02:33No, you are a producer.
02:33I'm a producer.
02:34You produced him film.
02:35I didn't claim it.
02:36So the gentleman.
02:38And it represents me pulling artists out of the dressing room in their most vulnerable
02:46moments.
02:47And the gentleman who was outside that dressing room was actually my grandfather, Harvey Fuqua,
02:51who was Sylvester's manager back in the day.
02:54So it was inspired from a picture that I got of Harvey Milk, Sylvester, and my grandfather
02:59at a birthday party.
03:01And then it was an assignment.
03:03So I made it up.
03:03Wow.
03:04That's great.
03:05Hi, Taylor.
03:06Hi.
03:07Do you sing in real life?
03:10Um.
03:11It's so-so.
03:12It's so-so.
03:13Well, you were wonderful on screen.
03:17What was that process?
03:18Yes.
03:20Tell us a little bit about the process of casting.
03:24And was that one of your favorite songs already?
03:27Like, just go into a little bit about your role.
03:30Um, yeah.
03:31I really did love Journey before because me and my brother would always listen to Journey.
03:38And I think it's really cool how we, like, got the song.
03:40It did take a lot of work because Erica actually had to meet Journey.
03:45And they had to sing, she had to sing one of the songs in front of the band.
03:50And they immediately signed it.
03:52So I think it's pretty cool and crazy.
03:54Um, I was very nervous.
03:55My first time, like, being on a big screen, which is pretty cool.
03:59And everything was very exciting.
04:01Everyone was really nice.
04:03Erica is so sweet.
04:04And it was a really good time.
04:06Well, you did a great job.
04:09Taylor, is this your first band festival?
04:12Um, no.
04:14I think I went to the dances.
04:17I forgot what it's called.
04:18Dances with film.
04:19There you go.
04:20Okay.
04:21But you will be coming back to this film festival, correct?
04:23Say yes.
04:24Yes.
04:25Okay.
04:26Ayinde, thank you so much for being here and being in the film.
04:31Do you want, are you a Journey fan?
04:33Um, I mean, when you go to karaoke, you know, and there's white people there, you can't
04:38miss Journey.
04:39Somebody's gonna sing a Journey song.
04:42Um, but no, I mean, you know, I knew the song.
04:45I love the song.
04:46Um, and I, I was, Erica, you know, when she brought me onto the project, she, she taught,
04:51she said that, um, I played a character that was like her brothers who are like super, like,
04:55pro-black and militant, but she was always this kid who liked everything.
04:59Um, and, um, she, she said she felt like, um, I don't know, she said I made, she said I made
05:04her uncomfortable like her brothers there.
05:06She, you know, so that was, uh, and I think that came across on screen a lot.
05:09Yeah.
05:10Did you love doing the movie?
05:11That was great.
05:12It was great.
05:13It was like, um, I had just started my locks back then to have a little baby locks.
05:16Um, but it was, it was fun.
05:18We shot it in like maybe two days.
05:19So it was like, it was fun.
05:20It was super quick.
05:21Um, but the crew was really, really great.
05:23And, you know, Erica wrote and produced it and, you know, she was kind of stressing and
05:28all that sort of stuff, but I was like, I'm gonna show up and do a good job.
05:30So you don't have to worry about me.
05:31Perfect.
05:32That was my job.
05:33So I'm getting the last question signed.
05:35So my last question is going to be for everyone.
05:38Do you all promise to keep creating?
05:41100%.
05:43Absolutely.
05:45Absolutely.
05:46Um, I, I'm a writer, a producer myself, so I'm working on some stuff right now.
05:50And I'm also on the third season of For All Mankind on Apple TV.
05:54Congratulations.
05:55Mia, do you promise?
05:58Oh, absolutely.
05:59I think every single day there's an opportunity to create, whether it be making your breakfast
06:05look pretty or producing a whole film.
06:08Taylor?
06:09Yeah, absolutely.
06:10I love acting and I think I'll continue for as long as I live.
06:14Well, that's wonderful.
06:15That means we'll see them back here.
06:17And thank you all for staying.
06:19Thank you all for coming.
06:20This has been wonderful.
06:49Thanks for listening to the Happy New Year's Day.
06:50The Happy New Year.
06:52Yeah.
06:53A wonderful day.
06:54Thanks for listening and bringing this up.
06:55Bye.
06:56Leave me a moment.
06:57Bye.
06:58Bye.
06:59Bye.
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07:18Bye.
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