Meet the mind behind the award winning Sci-Fi film "Emotical"
The independent filmmaker is bringing his visions to LIFE
We’ve always said that there are two kinds of filmmakers out there: The ones who sit around and wait for the perfect opportunity to knock on their door, and the ones who kick the door down, camera in hand, creating the stories they wish to see. John F. Thomas would fall into the latter category. The multi hyphenate artist wanted to see more black faces in the Sci-Fi film genre and eventually created his own film. “Emotical” is the story of 4 young people seeking shelter from an alien invasion as they plan out their escape strategy. John wrote, starred and produced the film which has gone on to receive acclaim on the film festival circuit.These days, he is focused on continuing to expand and turning his hit film into a series. We spoke to him about his vision for the future, past inspirations and more.
1. Let’s start from the beginning. What led you to acting and directing? What were some of your earliest film related memories?
I think it started all the way back when I was in Elementary School. I remember we'd have stories that we'd take turns reading aloud during class, and my favorite stories were the ones where you could choose to be a character before you started reading. I didn't know why at the time, but that excited me to portray a certain character and help bring them to life. From there, I watched Denzel Washington (Malcolm X, John Q, Training Day) and Will Smith (I Am Legend, I, Robot, Seven Pounds) deliver amazing performances which inspired me to finally take the chance to audition for my High School play during my senior year. I was awarded the role and became even more interested in acting from that moment on. Afterwards in college, I started doing small parts in student films, then finally gave myself to the world of acting a year after I moved to Los Angeles, CA. I was trying to ease my way in via Voice-Over, but my agent at the time convinced me to just dive right on in completely to acting. Every year, the roles and opportunities keep getting bigger and bigger, so I haven't looked back since.
2. You mentioned creating and producing projects that showcase the black community in a more positive light. Can you speak a bit more on this vision?
Yes! I've noticed in the early 2000's, that there has been a huge decline and lack of positive black images in all forms of media - especially in TV and film. There started being so many images of us being the token black friend, the thug, the highly dysfunctional and ignorant black family, or the angry black woman who's always pissed off and bitter. I didn't see any positive and loving black families on TV anymore. Not many black men (outside of Will Smith) were saving the world without a white savior - and even Will couldn't escape that for the most part. Not many black male leads were allowed a black female to co-lead in a big budget movie. If it was a woman, there most likely had to be a white love interest. And if there was a black lead, it had to be a white or Hispanic love interest. I wanted to change things since it seemed like no one else could or maybe they weren't fighting for it, at all. I was determined to bring that much-needed change, so I started creating stories where we didn't need help from a white savior - we were our own saviors. I can showcase true black love, and present us as more than just the sidekick. We can be the heroes because we are so heroic each and every day to survive in the world we so desperately fight to live in. I want it shown on screen how brave, inspiring, layered, textured, strong, vulnerable, and magical we really are. I'm glad that we are getting more stories, but even with that, it's nowhere near enough. That's why I want more fully black casts that present more stories than the typical ones of us being slaves, thugs, drug dealers, or extremely dysfunctional. We are so much more than that. And that's why I've been creating and partnering with other black creatives who have a much broader story to tell about black lives and the richness thereof. My production company, Thomas Heri Visions, Entertainment, will do just that.
"I wanted to change things since it seemed like no one else could or maybe they weren't fighting for it"
3. What was the thought process heading into Emotical? What drove you to make the film?
One of the main genres we barely see black people in is the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre. It's as if we're only fed the idea that we can only be what media has often been portraying us to be - helpless slaves, broken people desperately fighting for equal rights, or glorified sidekicks to our white counterparts. My close friend, Ellis E. Fowler, and I always have these expansive ideas that easily fits a black man or woman into a world that is rarely ever see onscreen. But it's been on the screen in our minds! I became so tired of simply talking about these rich stories, that I decided to write something where we can see an all-black cast employ the burden of saving the world on their shoulders. No one else's shoulders and no one else swoops in to help. It's up to them to save humanity. And while dealing with that, they're dealing with very real human emotions. They love, are afraid, get angry, nervous, hopeful, and find their bravery throughout this entire story. That is the black experience that we are barely shown in media. I wanted to shine a light on that. And there are so many more emotions to sift through, so that's why I have so many more projects to create to show just that. But with this, I wanted these four black people to be our hope and future. And I felt like I was able to accomplish that very thing with "Emotical".
4. What was the most challenging part about the process? How has the reception been?
Honestly, the most challenging part of the creative process for "Emotical" was to fight the urge to insert a white character in this film. I was initially afraid that maybe there wouldn't be support or that some people wouldn't find it believable if there wasn't a white character added somewhere. But I fought against that because I realized that I only had to answer to me, so this was my chance to make my dream into a reality. No one else was above me in this project, which was very liberating. The story I wrote enticed everyone who was able to read the script. They wanted to see it come to light because it proved to be such an interesting story. Also, trying to make sure that everything and everyone on set was happy and comfortable while I was running on one to two hours of sleep was no fun, at all. But we accomplished shooting this awesome film! And the reception has been truly amazing! So many people have been asking when the follow-up to this film is coming out, that I have literally lost count. We won six awards, five nominations, and the praise from critics proved to me that my vision that was brought to life wasn't in vain. The black community want to see themselves in varied and interesting stories outside of what they usually see on TV and film.
5. We hear you’re in the process of developing Emotical into a series. How has that been going for you? Are you planning to self produce the series as well?
Yes, I am currently working on how the series will ultimately play out with my fellow producer and writer, Ellis E. Fowler. We have some ideas on how to expand from here into something truly interesting, a ride that people will definitely not forget! As far as production, I am self-producing, but I am open to receiving assistance from established networks such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc. To make that process easier and to expedite the series coming to fruition, I can only ask that more people purchase "Emotical" on Amazon Prime, leave reviews, and comments - truly make some noise to get this out in front of more eyes. The more attention, sales, and support - the easier it is for "Emotical: The Series" to come to life. I have faith that it will happen because, even when I doubted if "Emotical" could get this far, I pushed on because I couldn't let my vision die. Not without me giving it my all. Now, here I am and I'm so very happy I didn't give up.
"The black community want to see themselves in varied and interesting stories outside of what they usually see on TV and film."
6. You have your hand in a lot, from making music to writing books etc. What are you most proud of thus far in your career?
I'm extremely proud of all of my accomplishments, but if I were to choose one that stood out, it would be my short film "Emotical". To have four amazing black actors and an amazing crew that went above and beyond to ensure that this project was completed during our filming process, it nearly brought a tear to my eye. To have so many people believe in your idea, to do more than what was required, and for them to have a smile on their face throughout it all was a gift given to me many times over. When the film was completed, even those outside of the black community enjoyed "Emotical" and wanted to see more of it. I was floored by the response so far. It's one thing to have something only in your head as an idea. But to finally take that idea and turn it into a reality, receiving all the attention and kudos it's been accumulating - I am extremely humbled and grateful. It's funny because I used to imagine that I might be a Producer one day, and now it's just jaw-dropping to see that the vision that God planted in me is coming into fruition like this. Again, I am humbled and thankful for this entire experience.
7. What should we expect to see going forward from John F. Thomas?
New, exciting, and amazing stories to tell while showcasing black lives in much more positive light. I'm going to show a larger spectrum of the black experience. Especially when it comes to the Sci-Fi and Fantasy genre. We are sorely underrepresented in those areas. The sky is the limit and I aim to push past the previous limits that were set for us. I want to innovate, inspire, and motivate the black community to aspire for more - because we more than deserve it. And we can achieve it. So follow me anyway you can on social media because this will be a journey you won't want to miss. What's coming up is more black-led films, a follow-up of new books in my ongoing book series, and a video game showcasing my black character from my book series, "The Prodigy Series". Super exciting stuff!
8. What piece of advice would you give to the fellow actors and filmmakers preparing for their first project?
My advice for other actors and filmmakers preparing for their first project - you are your own worst critic and you are the only thing standing in your way. It's scary, I know. Even so, be sure to get out of your own way and make sure to be kind to yourself. Yes, there will be those people who may not like your work - and that's okay. I promise it's not the end of the world. Focus on the ones who do like it, because they will highly outnumber those who don't. And ultimately, you're doing this for yourself. Your creative side demands it from you that it be freed out into the world. Because in the end, it's better to put something out and say, "I tried", rather than to look back years later, filled with regret, telling someone, "I wish I would've..." Remember, you miss one hundred percent of the shots you don't take. Go out, and be great.
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