Today we’d like to introduce you to Darius Dennis.
Darius, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Coming to you from Memphis, TN, born and raised, I’ve always expressed an interest in creating content and movies. My childhood was filled with creative projects like reality shows and short films I created. I also used to spend the summer at my aunt house with my cousins and we would film multiple skits. I was always the one behind the camera because I was the best director and producer.
What inspired me to create a reality show was watching Braxton Family Values. I loved seeing how their relationships and personalities were. At the age of 13, people would regularly come to me to make logos, websites, and thumbnails. My godmother, K Michelle, reached out to me as well to work on her promo for an R&B album. I always enjoyed being behind a camera. My love for the film industry came from Tyler Perry’s Big Happy Family. Watching his productions growing up sparked an unknown interest I had for film. That grew into making youtube videos and vlogging as a regular hobby for me. In high school, my theater teacher, Mrs. Bolden, gave me my first opportunity to manage and direct our school stage plays. I knew once I graduated high school I’d be in the industry. My senior year of high school is when I reached out to the executive producer of Tamar Braxton’s Get Ya Life, Michael Beck. To my surprise, I got a response at 3 in the morning after sliding in his DM’s. I inquired about the industry and where to start. Beck informed me to start as a PA and climb the ladder to being a producer. He advised me to move to Atlanta so he could help me find work for me. I joined a networking app called clubhouse. Due to the pandemic, many people used this resource to find work. After telling my story on there, Nina Hodge, reached out to me to work as a PA on P-Valley Season 2 and Tyler Perry studios as well. I never would’ve thought I’d be working for major production companies now at the age of 19.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This journey has been everything but smooth. I had to face constant obstacles along the way. Since the pandemic hit I’ve had constant problems getting to where I need to be and family issues at home. Things were getting better and I was preparing for school the next year. Then I lost my grandma Margret unexpectedly right before Christmas. It was something that really took a toll on my mental because of the tight bond we shared. Me and my grandma Margaret watched Tyler Perry’s plays all the time. Losing her really put me in a dark place, but I knew I had to pull it together for my mom and siblings who needed me. After a few months passed, my dad’s mom passed away. My grandma Carolyn and I had a very close bond as well, she always encouraged and supported me with everything I did. Losing both of them in such a short time hit hard with the whole family. I had to help my grieving mother and father. After coming to terms with both of their deaths, I graduated high school and moved to Atlanta working on my first big project (P- Valley).
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Before I knew I was going to be in the film industry, I used to manifest almost every day that I’d be a part of the film industry somehow. Currently, I am a producer and I’ve worked on some big-known Union shows. My first show, P-Valley, I had the honor to work on season 2. My daily job duties vary depending on the show being filmed. In most cases, I usually schedule meetings, send out scripts, retrieve rental cars, and etc. I perceive the producer to handle the important things such as: contracts, budgets, and etc. Due to persistence on the job, many producers and executive producers have taken notice. Just recently I got the chance to work on a horror film as the Production secretary. That role gave me the chance to take a leadership position and show to others I’m capable of taking the lead and handling it well. Many people refer to me as “Producer Dee” because I’m good at juggling multiple things and people all at once. My most proud achievement is getting the chance to work for Tyler Perry and my work actually getting noticed by him. With an outgoing personality and hard work ethic, it got me noticed by many people in the film industry.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/weluvdarius?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weluvdarius
- Other: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm12848812/
