Page 55 - NCAT Magazine Fall 2018

Kevin

As a child growing up in Durham, When Wilson started film school in The production of the film took 11
North Carolina, Wilson was always 2015, he knew that he wanted his days to shoot in Money, Mississippi,
fascinated with the story of Emmett project to be about Emmett Till. As and every day of production counted
Till. He remembers visiting family in a husband and father of two sons due to budget restraints. In addition, Wilson JR.
the south and rural areas of North with a daughter on the way, he the majority of the film was shot in
Carolina seeing the Confederate flag wanted to use a perspective that is slave quarters on the Whittington
and he was always reminded of not explored in the story. He wanted Plantation at night between midnight
Till’s story. to give a cinematic voice of Mose and 5 a.m.
Wright, Till’s uncle, and show the
While Wilson attended North Carolina intense agony behind the decision to “When you are producing a short film,
A&T as a broadcast production hand over a child in the middle of the there is no second wasted and every
student, he was given an opportunity night to his abductors. moment has a purpose,” said James.
in 2009 by then-staff member “It is my hope that the audience
Ryan Maltese to produce the play, “As an African-American father, you connects with the film and grasp the
“The Emmett Till Story,” at Harrison worry about keeping your children true story of Emmett Till.” Writer, producer, director
Auditorium. The success of the play safe and telling your sons about www.directedbykevin.com
fueled his desire to bring the story Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Before the film was completed, the
to film. Tamir Rice,” said Wilson. “These lead actor who played the uncle of
stories affect our communities and Till, L.B. Williams, passed away in Kevin Wilson Jr. is an Oscar-nominated and
After graduating A&T, Wilson worked it’s my contribution as a director to July 2017. Student Academy Award-winning filmmaker
as a production assistant for NBC produce films about our justice based in New York City. His first works as a
Universal in New York and as a and equality.” Wilson plans to start production on filmmaker came shortly after directing a
cameraman on the set of “Law & a full-length feature film and use sold-out play as an undergraduate student
Order: Special Victims Unit.” Even Wilson gained support from two the momentum from the Academy in North Carolina. Since that time, his short
though the work helped him to hone fellow Aggies, who served as co- Award nomination to direct and films have screened at film festivals all over
his skills and taught him about the producers on the film: former Miss produce more movies, plays and the world, including the New York Film
industry, he wasn’t being fulfilled A&T, TaNisha Fordham ’09, and commercials. Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Cleveland
artistically. Film school was something former Mister A&T, Austin James International Film Festival and HollyShorts
he desired, but when he applied for ’11. These two were instrumental on Film Festival where he won Best Director.
the first time he was rejected by NYU; campus when he first produced the
nevertheless, he didn’t give up. play and he knew that he needed
them along the journey. In 2017, he won the Gold Medal at the 44th
“It was heartbreaking finding out that Student Academy Awards for his short film,
I didn’t get into film school on my “Kevin is the most humble person "My Nephew Emmett," a 20-minute short
first attempt,” said Wilson. “I realized I know, and seeing him in action film based on the true story of the 1955
with the whole situation that it takes showed me that it’s okay to dream murder of Emmett Till. Months later, "My
a certain type of maturity and growth big and achieve your goals,” said Nephew Emmett" was nominated for an
to be serious about making movies, Fordham. “This journey tested him a Oscar for BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
and I gained that perspective from lot and he was pressed on every side, at the 90th Academy Awards. "My Nephew
Oscar- Student Film Award.
being a husband and father.” but he never gave up and that’s what Emmett" also won Wilson a Directors Guild
I admire most about him.” of America Student Film Award and a BAFTA

worthy Having just received an M.F.A. in film
production from NYU’s Tisch School of the
Arts, he is in development for his debut
feature film.

52 • N.C. a&t MagaziNe NCat.edu • 53