People often think they know how to make the best decisions when they’re working on a project in an area they have previously garnered success in. But after going through a harrowing, yet equally rewarding, experience, they realize how much they still have to learn, even in subjects they’re seemingly already proficient in. That gripping recognition is relatably presented in director and producer Robert Townsend’s new romantic comedy, ‘Playin’ For Love.’ The filmmaker, who also starred in, and co-wrote the movie’s script with Michelle Amor and Cheryl L. West, crafted an engaging sports comedy that proves that two seemingly different adults can truly bond when they finally accept that they can help each other.
‘Playin’ For Love’ made its streaming premiere on UMC – Urban Movie Channel, and will also be released tomorrow on Digital Video and DVD. The romantic comedy follows Coach Niven Banks (Townsend), who is used to calling all the shots for his championship high school basketball team and in his own love live. But that’s about to change when he meets Talisa McCoy (Richardson-Whitfield), the mother of a star player, Justice (Daniel Yorel Cooper), who recently transferred to Miami’s Jackson High School and its Generals basketball team. He’s interested in playing for the Generals, as it’s an extraordinary team that wins because of its fast plays, powerhouse athleticism and deadly defense. Under Niven’s guidance, it has been the champions for the past six years in a row. The charming coach has ulterior motives about signing Justice to his team, however, as he hopes the star player will help secure him a coaching job in the NCAA.
But the no nonsense Talisa is a strong-willed single mom who has her own ideas on what makes a winning team and the perfect man. She’s so protective of her oldest son and her other three children, and wishes to provide them all with a better future, that she isn’t afraid of sharing her knowledge on basketball with Niven. Eventually their mutual love of basketball exposes long buried passions in them both, and a romance between the two develops. But then ambition threatens to destroy it all, as well as any potential for winning the state championship. Since the two adults aren’t used to having someone enforce their beliefs on them so strongly, the coach and Justice’s mother will have to both learn a few new plays if they’re both going to stay in the games of basketball and love.
Townsend generously took the time recently to talk about co-writing, directing and starring in ‘Playin’ For Love’ during an exclusive phone interview. Among other things, the filmmaker discussed how he bases his scripts on things that he feels and is interested in, and how he’s always wanted to tell a story about basketball because he loves the sport. But he had never worked on a love story before, so he questioned if he could make one, especially with supporting child actors who have never starred in a movie before. He added how he appreciated that the cast, including the young performers, and crew were always supportive of his vision and enjoyed working together in Overtown, a Miami neighborhood where the movie is set and was filmed.
ShockYa (SY): You wrote the screenplay for the comedy ‘Playin’ For Love,’ which follows Coach Banks, who’s used to calling all the shots for his championship high school basketball team, until he meets Talisa McCoy, the mother of his new star player. Why did you decide to pen the script for the film, and what was the process of creating the story?
Robert Townsend (RT): Well, when I started writing projects, I base them on things that I feel. I’ve always wanted to tell a story about basketball because I love the sport. But I’ve never worked on a love story before, so there was a part of me that questioned if I could make one, and combined it with basketball.
Another element that led me to make this movie was that one of my favorite films as a kid was ‘Claudine’ with James Earl Jones and Diahann Carroll. It’s about a single mother with six kids who falls in love with a garbage man. I didn’t want to make a remake of that movie, but I wanted to add elements from it to my film.
So I started to write the script with another writer, Michelle Amor. Then I brought in another writer, Cheryl L. West, who I previously worked with on a television movie, called ‘Holiday Heart.’ So the three of us worked on the script for ‘Playin’ for Love’ together.
I’m interested in education. S I wanted the basketball coach to not be initially supportive of his players’ education, and then have the mother turn him around. I’m old-fashioned in a lot of ways, so I think movies should have moral values in them, and ‘Playin’ For Love’ has that.
SY: Besides scribing the screenplay, you also directed the comedy. Was it always your intention to helm the film as you were writing the script? How did working on the story influence your directorial approach?
RT: I love directing, so I always had it in my mind to direct the film, as well. As a Hollywood filmmaker, I started with (the 1987 satirical comedy) ‘Hollywood Shuffle,’ which I wrote, directed, starred in and produced.
This film came together in a very unique way, because we made it with the community. I’ve been associated with the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) for 20 years now. We were in Miami, and the commissioner of Overtown in Miami approached me about making a film there. It’s a rough neighborhood, and the kids go through a lot of rough times, especially with violence. She asked me if I could teach the kids there about filmmaking, and maybe make a short film. I said, “Why don’t we make an entire movie? The kids can learn about filmmaking, and they can also be in the movie.” That’s really how the movie got started-this commissioner, Michelle Spence-Jones, approached me with the idea of making a film in Overtown.
We then shot the film in the roughest neighborhood. The kids were able to play basketball players in the film, so it became a community project. So I was a teacher, as well as one of the actors and the director, and really made everything work.
SY: Besides writing and directing the film, you also play Coach Banks in ‘Playin’ For Love.’ Why did you also decide to portray the comedy’s protagonist? How did penning and helming the film influence the way you approached playing the character?
RT: You really have to be crazy to do that, but I love what I do. I love writing, directing and acting. I also love comedy, and I started out as a stand-up comedian. So making this movie was really easy for me, because I really got to play.
I also had great actors around me, including Salli Richardson-Whitfield, who has been on all kids of TV series, including ‘Eureka.’ Jenifer Lewis, who’s on ‘Black-ish,’ was also in the movie. We also had Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, who was on ‘Welcome Back, Kotter.’
So when you have really great actors around you, they make your life really easy. The kids also wanted to learn, and we all also knew that our mission was to have fun. Making ‘Playin’ For Love’ was fun, and you’ll have a good time watching it. I also had fun as the director, producer and writer.
SY: Like you just mentioned, the film features a diverse supporting cast, including Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Esai Morales, Jenifer Lewis and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs. Once the rest of the actors were cast in ‘Playin’ For Love,’ were you able to rehearse with them? What were your working relationships like with the rest of the actors, as both their co-star and director?
RT: Well, many of the kids in the movie were working on a film for the first time, and they were acting with professional actors. But they all took to each other, and we all became family. So everyone wanted to do the best job they could, and make something special.
Again, the film was meant to help the community. So everyone was able to play basketball players, cheerleaders or teachers in the hall, and they all had a good time. They all asked, “Robert, what can we do to make the film even better?” So the saddest day on the set was the last day when we wrapped. Everyone was crying because we had such a good time.
A lot of people, like the kids in the film, wish they could make a movie, or have a movie play on television or come out on DVD. The kids all got to be producers on the film, and their names are in the credits. So everyone had a good time making the film. For me, as a director, when people show up with the right attitude, it makes my job really easy.
SY: Besides writing, directing and starring in the comedy, you also served as one of it producers. Why did you also decide to produce the film? As the director, lead star and producer on ‘Playin’ For Love,’ what was the experience of filming the movie independently like?
RT: Well, as a producer, especially on a film like this one that has a small budget, you want to make sure everything’s done the right way. I was also teaching the kids about producing.
This was really a rough assignment, because there had never been a movie that was made in Overtown. We were also teaching people as we were going along. So we wanted to make sure that the budget didn’t go over, and we were able to keep everything together. So that’s why I also put on the cap of producer, because I was really able to teach everyone a lot about making movies.
SY: What was the experience of shooting the comedy on location in Miami, particularly the neighborhood of Overtown, where the story is set, like you mentioned earlier?
RT: I have to say, I had the best time. Everybody in Overtown, including at all of the different high schools where we shot, such as Booker T. Washington, opened their arms to us. They wanted the film to succeed, and saw the impact that it had on the kids and community.
When you do something like this that’s out of the box, it helps the community. Again, it goes back to Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones, who said, “Why don’t we do a film in the community? It will send a certain message.”
So I think everyone was pulling for us to win. The crew and cast were all asking, “When do you need me to show up?” No one wanted to go home when it was time to wrap. So we all had a really good time.
SY: ‘Playin’ For Love’ is set to be released on DVD and Digital (tomorrow). Do you feel the On Demand platform is beneficial for independent movies like this one?
RT: Well, since technology has changed so much, I think it’s important to utilize all formats. People can now watch films on all of these different kinds of technology, like their phones, computers or iPads. I think all of these different types of technology can make things really affordable. So I think the new technology is really good.
I also wanted to share with you that this is the 25th anniversary of one of my movies, (the music drama) ‘The Five Heartbeats.’ I’m working on a documentary about how I made ‘The Five Heartbeats,’ which will be released this fall.
Photo Credit: RLJ Entertainment
Written by: Karen Benardello