When a film is complete and set to premiere, it’s common to cast all credit to the director. The reality, however, is that many hands are involved and few of these hands are more essential than those of producers. Tonik Productions‘ film, “Monster,” is evidence of this notion.
For 10 years, producers Nikki Silver and Tonya Lewis Lee have been working on the film, recruiting the right team to capture author Walter Dean Myers‘ vision and the right partners to finance the project. The two said it’s been a long and rewarding process and that to be successful, producers need endurance and grit. A project like, “Monster,”which deals with serious social issues, also carries a great deal of responsibility.
“This book was very important to Walter Dean Myers,” said Nikki Silver, producer and cofounder of Tonik Productions. “It is a cautionary tale for all teenagers and before he passed, over two years ago, he knew we were getting close to bringing it to life. We actually showed it to his widow and son last week who said to us his father (Meyers) would have been very proud.”
“Monster” is the story of African-American 17 year old, Steve Harmon, an honors student and aspiring filmmaker who is imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. The film is an adaptation of the novel of the same name.
In addition to the premiere of “Monster,” Silver and Lee also have projects with Netflix and Paramount Pictures which they will announce soon.
