Film | The Next Day: Locs Take Center Stage
by Gail Mitchell
Meet Will and Desiré from The Next Day, the Internet’s newest serial, currently on blip.TV (http://thenextday.blip.tv) and http://www.youtube.com/user/
NextDaySeries. The film by Atlanta filmmaker Al Robbins (who stars as Will and co-star Deanna Dawn who plays Desiré) is an interesting tale about what happens to a couple after a one-night stand. Another star of the movie is locs, as both Robbins and Dawn proudly wear them in the movie. Will they find love? Will they get to know each other? Loc’d Life Magazine talked to the stars in a recent interview. Stay tuned…
Tell us about the Next Day. What is it about?
Al: It’s about the fact that some people have a physical relationship and enter into a relationship based on just that and not thinking about the consequences of how things can go wrong: sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, or someone can get hurt. It’s also about how someone can be perceived.
Deanna: It’s a message—a warning—to get to take the time to know someone before you enter into a physical relationship.
Al: You can almost feel like a fly on the wall. The characters portrayal…it’s basically life on steroids, about who people are, about what they say, how people live their lives—all of it is a part of the story. In episode 2 [Will and Desiré] talk about religion. Cancer and sexually transmitted diseases will also be talked about. Each episode is laying the foundation. By episode 3 and 4, things will pick up.
How do locs or the decision to wear locs play in the storyline?
Al: Film is a visual medium. In the past, people who have locs would be stereotyped into having certain positions. Now locs are acceptable. Its one of our cultural changes. The film makes a statement by not making a statement. It’s part of our African American heritage.
Deanna: I agree that’s its more groundbreaking for a woman. Natural hair is a part of who we are and should not be an issue. It shouldn’t be a thing that indicates militancy—just who we are. Me personally, I wear locs, and locs are a part of my everyday life.
How long have you worn locs?
Deanna: 10 plus years. I’ve cut them many times. Now it’s going on about 15 years.
Al: 7 years for me. I started growing them by mistake. I was working in the insurance industry and I had a short afro, thinking this would be a easy style. I started getting my hair twisted. Next thing I knew I ended up growing locs.
Do you think that The Next Day or films like this will further the image of people who wear locs?
Al: Again the film makes a statement by not making a statement. It’s a natural hairstyle.
Deanna: I have a script for a screenplay called Natural Woman made for cast with all natural hair. It tells a message that little girls need to be comfortable with being themselves. They shouldn’t need to be putting chemicals in their hair to feel acceptable.
Tell us about yourselves.
Al: I started in the industry about 15 years ago. My first big film was Grapes on the Vine (an independent film starring Jazsmin Lewis, Dwayne Boyd, Greg Alan Williams and Paula Rittie). It premiered at the 2008 Pan African film festival and was nominated for Best Director, First Feature. It’s now in distribution in stores (Best Buy and Target). In April 2011, it will be at Walmart. Right now, I’m excited about a new opportunity—my first real job as a filmmaker. I just came back from Morocco to scout locations.
Deanna: I’ve been acting for five years. I’ve done some prominent things. I was in Life is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story. I was also Tyrequa in Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion. I played the lead in How I Spent My Summer Vacation. I’m also a singer, songwriter, mother, consummate artist, and a happy person. I enjoy creating, enjoy doing what I love.
What advice would you give to anyone trying to do something like an independent serial or get into filmmaking/acting?
Al: Find out what you are trying to get out of it, so you can do it. Focus on your story. Get the best actors—even better, actors with some name recognition. Get good distribution. That’s what gets your film on the shelf. Get the best camera, get the best script, have readings, have stageplays, do what you can.
Deanna: Perform, hone your craft, whatever you enjoy doing. There’s more opportunities now that there’s more accessibility to the Internet and cameras.
Despite the rocky start of these two, do Will and Desiré have a future together?
Al: There’s a physical attraction, and you never know what can happen.
The Next Day airs new episodes each Monday (except on 11/23 for Thanksgiving) on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/NextDaySeries) and blip.tv (http://thenextday.blip.tv). Produced by Bottom of the Net Filmworks, starring Al Robbins and DeAnna Dawn.
View Episodes 1 and 2 right here on Loc’d Life:
episode 1 :
episode 2: