#THE NEIGHBORHOOD WILLIAM DEMEO HOW TO#
#THE NEIGHBORHOOD WILLIAM DEMEO MOVIE#

For me, if you get the beginning to flow, then everything else will come together. I do an outline, but sometimes the character will take me in a different direction. Photo Credit – Lisa Petz Photographyĭo you work from an outline or do you follow the character when writing? There are a few things that I envisioned differently, but on the whole, I am very happy with this film.īack in the Day. So most of what I wrote is on the screen. With this script, I didn’t want anyone to touch one word in the script. But I was determined to finish this script alone because I’ve shared writing credits and I didn’t get everything I wanted out of that experience. It’s hard to focus when you have some much going on, especially with smart phones and social media.

I actually go up to my house in the Poconos to do my writing because I can get away from it all and lock myself in. Can you elaborate on some of your writing rituals?įor me, it’s better to write at night, when my brain is clear.

#THE NEIGHBORHOOD WILLIAM DEMEO MOVIE#

My friends who grew up in that time have seen the movie and expressed how real it felt to see it again on screen. Not everyone experienced that, but someone with Puerto Rican blood in that neighborhood, in that time period, amongst those people, would certainly face those hurdles. So a person of half Italian, half Puerto Rican heritage would certainly deal with some adversity.

The Canarsie real estate endeavor is also a true story. A Spanish person or a Black person couldn’t buy a house in the neighborhood. I knew a few people that were Jewish, Irish, or Greek, but other minorities simply weren’t in my neighborhood. In that time period, I didn’t really know any Italians. I’ve had numerous friends that grew up that way. It’s the first time we’ve really seen a movie that touches on the half Puerto Rican, half Italian ancestry. You’re going to be on edge, but you’re going to leave the theater with a really good feeling.ĭanny Glover as Eddie ‘Rocks’ Travor in Back in the Day. The story really comes together and it’s less predictable than most boxing movies. I felt like the backstory was even more important than the boxing. I understand how things happen and those things make me really proud about this film.īesides starring in a movie and getting another movie complete-which is an ultimate achievement-I’m the most proud of creating a story within a genre that’s been done so many times, and making it fresh. I did have to do some research on the boxing, but I didn’t need to do much outside research to capture the feel of the streets. What’s it like writing these stories that are both historic and personal? Can you elaborate a little on the research and your writing process? Then, showing the strength of the mob back in the day versus how it is today, where it’s depleted and under-seen, is another. That led to a racial protest where Al Sharpton was stabbed, which was one aspect of the era. Yusef Hawkins came to the area to look at a car and was killed through an act of racism. Things like the racial protest scene actually happened in 1989. So that childhood was your influence for Back in the Day?ġ00 percent.

#THE NEIGHBORHOOD WILLIAM DEMEO HOW TO#

Growing up in those surroundings, I have a very good idea of how to write these types of projects and how to show the street and the gangsters present in that time period. I grew up in a tough neighborhood in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, which gives me a unique perspective from those things that I’ve seen on the streets. I love telling stories and I think I can capture some of those stories from my youth. And making my own movies helps me get other roles, because I’m also showcasing myself as an actor.Ī lot of actors are involved in their own projects, either as writers, directors or producers-which also includes “big actors.” Not all of them write, but they are involved in one way or another. This is actually my fifth script, so it’s the fifth movie that I’ve gotten distribution for. The collaboration showcases you in many ways. Can you elaborate on the process of writing and acting?Īs a filmmaker and screenwriter, if you can get your work done, then you can raise the money to do your projects.

The neighborhood william demeo