This is the kind of news that gets a black film writer excited!
Fans of the web series that amusingly explores relationship dynamics, The Couple (created by Dennis Dortch, Jeanine Daniels, and Numa Perrier, via their Black & Sexy brand, starring Perrier and Desmond Faison), will be glad to know that a feature film based on the popular series is in the works!
Dennis revealed the news in an interview with 24 Wired TV earlier this week (embedded below), and of course I had to know more, as several questions immediately came me when I first heard the news.
Here's what I learned that can be shared at this time:
– First, it doesn't mean the web series will end; it will continue; consider the feature film an extension of the brand. It's a great time to be a content creator, as you're not limited to 1 or 2 platforms on which to distribute your content, and initial costs on some of these platforms aren't prohibitive. So why not have a web series, film, and even a TV show, graphic novel, and more, all based on the same property, simultaneously, if you can?
– The feature film will be made in the same neo-realisitic style as the web series, BUT, it won't comprise of a series of shorts/vignettes/episodes like the web series, or like Dennis' first feature film, A Good Day to be Black and Sexy.
– In terms of casting, the full lineup will be released soon enough, but expect to see some *name talent* in supporting roles, as well as some celebrity cameos. Let the speculation begin as to who some of these *name* actors and actresses might be.
– Thanks to the series' 10,400+ subscribers, really accumulated over a relatively short period of time, the production team plans to also self-distribute the completed film via "direct-to-audience" downloads – a similar strategy used by the likes of Louis CK and others.
– And finally, the film will be produced by series creator Jeanine Daniels, as well as Nikki Love (producer of Matthew Cherry's The Last Fall, and other films) and Numa Perrier.
I thank the Black & Sexy team for sharing all that info with me.
No word yet on when we can expect to see the finished product, but I suspect we'll be teased with bits and pieces of it here and there, during principal photography and post-production.
Congrats to Dennis and company, and I'm looking forward to experiencing The Couple in feature length.
Watch Dennis' interview with 24 Wired TV below:
