Trayvon Williams is Hollywood’s Next Dynamic Filmmaker

This interview was released on Feburary 25, 2020.

How did your collegiate career at Jarvis Christian College provide you with the tools needed to pursue your career in filmmaking?

At Jarvis, there wasn’t a filmmaking degree or program. I graduated with a Business degree. The funny thing is, before I got into acting and filmmaking, I wanted to become a model like Tyson Beckford and a singer. I performed at a ton of talent shows for students while at Jarvis. Jarvis was extremely harsh regarding audience feedback. It felt like Showtime At The Apollo, considering they would boo you during your performance. In the beginning, I was so shy, and I wasn’t very good in my creative outlet. I knew If I could conquer this, I would be able to do anything and break my shyness. From there, I mastered performing and became a great entertainer. I even sang my songs I wrote on the spot to women at Jarvis. Being ridiculed helped me develop a thick skin, which is what you need more than anything in this business.

At what point did you transition from a novice to a high-volume filmmaker?

When I met my team, everything changed for me. I’m so thankful to have a close-knit group of people who believe in my vision. My team consists of:

Jerry Pointer (Executive Producer)

Will Smith Jr. (Project Manager)

Erica Jones (Chief Editor)

Eric Williams Jr. (Financial Analyst)

Craig Nisker (Senior Film Editor)

Derrick Brown Jr (Film Editor)

Elizabeth Jackson (Executive Producer)

Mona Holmes-Nisker (Project Development)

Howard Alonzo (Producer)

I need to highlight them because, for the longest, I was doing it by myself. My team makes sacrifices for us to be successful, and I’m incredibly blessed for the family I’ve built. Nobody can win alone, but there’s so much you must do before garnering a reliable team. For that, I’m appreciative of them.

Aside from that, I’ve always had this go-getter, winning mentality. Anything I imagine, I can make it happen. Taking the steps instead of the elevator allowed me to make mistakes and see what I could improve on. I was challenged at every turn. I can always learn more and study more. For me, the transition came a long time ago after a tumultuous first project. I didn’t like how I felt after failing on that project, so I made sure no matter what, I would learn to finish every project I start, no matter what. The challenge for me was when I used to pay for everything myself. Now, as my budget increased, my ideas and execution broadened. I also took things to another level when I was able to afford the talented creatives I wanted to work.

Talk about the process behind creating your film production company, Pioneer Collective LLC.

In 2016, my friends and I started working on a particular film project. To make this a SAG film, we needed to have a company. So, I created one. Within the first three months, we had two music videos debut on Revolt T.V. and BET Jams. We also co-financed another short film. I served as an executive producer for a show called “Autographs.” Many of the actors on “Autographs” such as Woody McClain (The Bobby Brown Story, The New Edition Story), J.J. Green (Greenleaf, How High High 2, Mercy Street), and Qimmah Russo are now household names.

You don’t have the eyes of Hollywood on you, so how do you conceptualize ideas (through table-reads, budgeting, etc.) and turn them into reality through film and television?

Truthfully, Hollywood has eyes on me. I’ve been fortunate enough to have 25 projects under my belt as an actor. I’ve been contacted by nearly every network, either in front or behind the camera. I’ve been on tons of television pilots that didn’t get picked up, and national commercials. Some of the industry’s biggest producers and filmmakers follow me on social media, and I’m friends with tons of Hollywood producers, actors, and actresses. These accomplishments are significant, but I knew I hated being a work for hire when I knew I wanted creative control. I wanted to employ myself and help others simultaneously.

As a producer, I had to pay my dues so, I went outside of L.A. to produce for a ton of other people, so I could get the footage and build my resume as a producer. I took the Tyler Perry approach. I don’t need a million dollars to produce everything. I love to show the client how I can build from scratch within any budget range. In college, I learned if you could give individuals an ROI, you’ll always be able to receive funding for projects. Also, with my in-house projects and productions, I have a childhood friend named Jerry Pointer who covers half or all our project costs for sizzles we shoot for networks. He’s also an executive producer for Pioneer Collective.

Early on, I learned how to leverage costs. I’m also great at networking and building relationships, which helps if I want to shoot at a specific location, rent certain cars, etc. I’ve been able to also build with different film distributors. When I write a project, I have so many ideas on how to pitch it, who I should partner with, E.P. decisions, network landing spots, and marketing. In the beginning, nobody truly wanted to help me. If they did, it was minimal, or to no avail. I had to find my way and research things for months until I figured it out. In reality, so many people love my work ethic and material, that they want to be a part of what we’re doing. I do offer backend compensation or points on films, and we have networks on-call as well. We’re pitching a lot right now, and substantial funding is right around the corner. Behind the scenes, the industry knows me, and they know I’m coming. I’m anticipating that big break that will make me a household name.

You mentioned on social media that you had the chance to work with legendary film maven Tyler Perry. Knowing his pedigree, how important is it for you to create your creative footprint in your career?

It was an honor to work with Tyler Perry. I worked him briefly at the beginning of my career. I started in the background, which led to a tiny part in the pilot for “If Loving You Is Wrong.” What stuck with me the most was how precise he was. All the actors had to be very prepared because he would never yell cut if he didn’t like it. He’d repeat the same line, ask the actor to pick up from there and move forward. I never saw him get angry at all. Surprisingly, he seemed shy on set. He also never took himself too seriously. His heart and desire to see people of color win is something I championed behind.

With our unreleased content, it’s very black on purpose. Tyler is one of the filmmakers I aspire to be, simply because he’s an amazing creative. No matter what people say, I think his formula is exceptional. He made me feel justified to create from the heart and stay true to myself.