The Journal. Podcast Interviews Director Lee Daniels

 The Journal. Podcast -- a co-production from The Wall Street Journal and Gimlet (a Spotify company) today interviewed Lee Daniels, who is an award-winning film director, producer, and screenwriter.

 

The global COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted nearly every industry around the world including that of the motion picture business where it has wreaked havoc on the box-office and raised larger questions about the future of film distribution and theatrical launches. 

With movie theaters largely shuttered since March 2020, and some audiences reluctant to return, many filmmakers and studios have been forced to grapple with alternative ways of reaching the millions of people who are stuck at home, and looking to be entertained. While many of the big-budget blockbusters have continued to defer their release dates in hopes of theaters reopening, others are moving forward, and exploring digital alternatives like going straight to streaming.

The decision, for example, by AT&T to release the "tentpole film" Wonder Woman 1984 on its streaming platform, HBO Max, caused tremors in the film industry.

 Lee Daniels, the creative force behind award-winning films such as Precious, Monster’s Ball and The Butler, to name a few, is among those in Hollywood taking a chance on this new route of streaming. 

Today, his latest film – The United States Vs. Billie Holiday is making its debut, not on the silver screen as he originally hoped, but instead online via Hulu. Having a virtual premiere is a significant change, especially for a decorated filmmaker like Daniels who debuted his previous films in-person at tentpole events like Sundance and Cannes. 

In the run-up to his film’s “virtual premiere” today, Daniels sat down with The Journal. to discuss the impact COVID-19 has had on his new film, including its effect on his creative process, why he decided on streaming and how it may change his potential profits from the film, what it’s meant for his actors and crew, and what he believes the future of the film industry might look like moving forward. Daniels explores all these questions and more in today’s episode.

In the interview, Daniels discusses his reasons why he felt compelled to tell Billie Holiday’s story.

“I was blown away by the story of this woman that I had no idea, no clue that she was the civil rights leader," says Daniels. 

"When you think of Billie Holiday, you don’t really think of her as a civil rights leader. You think of her as a troubled jazz artist who had been in and out of jail, trouble with the law.//BUT // She's the godmother of civil rights. So I had to tell this story.” 

In the interview, Daniels was candid about the challenges and limitations of making a film during COVID-19 and his painful choice to throw in the towel on screen testing.

Daniels explains, "And so we try to do it with small groups of people. But then it was becoming illegal. You couldn't do it. So I'm like, OK, so how do I test the movie? And they put me in a. On a virtual thing with like, 100 people on the computer screen in these little tiny boxes and people were picking their noses, eating pizza, smoking cigarettes, smoking weed, going to the bathroom, walking away. 

"As a filmmaker, it's the most painful thing ever. I put the computer down as I don't want to know about what these this is going to be a movie that will have to roll the dice. Guys, we're going to just see what this is like. And so I haven't really tested the film.”

During the interview with Wall Street Journal reporter Kate Linebaugh, Daniels discussed the agonizing decision to either stream his film or wait for a theatrical release and why he ultimately chose the latter

“So then. The clock is ticking. It is very clear that theaters are not going to open and everybody's wishing for the best over at Paramount and finally. I go, this isn't happening, guys, and you know it's not happening," Daniels explains during the interview.

"Theaters are not opening, and I got to get this movie out. I think this is an important time to tell the movie right now where people have to see the movie. We didn't do the movie because of George Floyd. George Floyd was in the air, and it was clear that, you know, that people were singing strange fruit in the streets. Like people were sending me videos of people singing strange fruit in different cities in the middle of these riots. 

Daniels continues: "There was no way I was not going to uh... this movie had to come out now. And the decision was made to go to sell it to streamers and in it, it was for the survival of the film itself, always protect the baby under any circumstances.”

The Journal. is a daily podcast about money, business and power, hosted by veteran Wall Street Journal reporters Kate Linebaugh and Ryan Knutson. 

 You can listen to today’s full episode here.