George Tillman Jr. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Tillman Jr.
Tillman Jr. at the 2013 MontClair Film Festival.
Born	(1969-01-26) January 26, 1969 (age 56) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Alma mater	Columbia College Chicago
Occupation	Film director screenwriter film producer
Spouse(s)	Marcia Wright
Children	1

George Tillman Jr. (born January 26, 1969) is an American filmmaker. He is known for directing movies like Soul Food (1997) and Men of Honor (2000). He also produced the popular Barbershop film series. Tillman Jr. has created many films that tell important stories, often focusing on family and real-life struggles.

Early Life and Filmmaking Dreams

George Tillman Jr. was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His dad worked in a car plant, and his mom was a secretary. From a young age, George loved movies. He would borrow his father's 8mm camera to film things around Milwaukee.

First Steps in Storytelling

When he was just eight years old, George got his hands on a TV show script. It was for a soap opera called All My Children. This inspired him to write his own five-minute show. He even thought about how he could improve the characters' stories! This was the very beginning of his writing journey.

Finding Inspiration in Film

In 1975, George saw a movie called Cooley High. This film really spoke to him. It showed African American life with both laughter and tears. He realized he wanted to make movies that connected with people in the same way. Other films like Five on the Black Hand Side (1973) and Claudine (1974) also made him want to become a filmmaker. He felt these movies truly represented his community.

Learning the Craft

George went to John Marshall High School in Milwaukee. There, he took classes about mass communications. As a teenager, he made amateur videos. He even created a local TV show called Splice of Life. After high school, he studied Film and Video at Columbia College Chicago. He chose Chicago because he felt it was a very creative city.

While in film school, he made a 30-minute short film called Paula. It was about a 17-year-old single mom working in a diner. Paula won several awards, including the Black Filmmaker's Hall of Fame Award. It also won a Midwest Regional award from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences' Student Academy Award competition in 1992.

Starting His Own Path

After graduating in 1991, George teamed up with his college friend, Robert Teitel. They formed a production company called Menagerie Films. George worked as a production assistant on commercials to support himself. He learned a lot, but he really wanted to direct his own films. He realized the best way to do this was to write his own scripts.

George wrote a script for a movie called Scenes for the Soul. It was hard to get money for the film at first. He and Robert raised $150,000 over two years. They even held a special screening of his short film Paula. Investors came and donated money, helping them raise another $130,000 to start shooting.

Filmmaking Career Highlights

Scenes for the Soul (1995)

In 1994, George Tillman Jr. directed and wrote his first full-length movie, Scenes for the Soul. He filmed it in Chicago in just 30 days. The movie told three different stories about a group of African American characters. After finishing the film, George went to Hollywood. He sold his movie to Savoy Pictures for $1,000,000. However, the company went out of business before the film could be shown in theaters.

Soul Food (1997)

Even though Scenes for the Soul wasn't released, George didn't give up. He went back to Chicago and wrote the script for Soul Food. He wanted to make a movie about a black family in middle America that everyone could relate to. He focused on strong female characters and the importance of family.

Musician Kenneth Edmonds (also known as Babyface) and his wife, Tracey Edmonds, loved the script. They decided to make Soul Food their company's first big movie. They worked with 20th Century Fox, which agreed to fund the film for $6.5 million. Filming began in October 1996 in Chicago. George worked closely with the Edmonds, who supported his vision.

Soul Food is about three sisters in Chicago: Maxine, Teri, and Bird. When their mother gets sick, their traditional Sunday dinners stop. The sisters then struggle to keep their family close. The movie showed how important family traditions and bonds are. When Soul Food was released in September 1997, it was a huge success! It earned $11 million in its first weekend and a total of $43 million. This showed that African American audiences could make a film a big commercial hit.

Because of Soul Food's success, George and Robert Teitel signed a deal with 20th Century Fox. They changed their company name to State Street Pictures, honoring their early filmmaking days in Chicago.

Men of Honor (2000)

George's next big film was Men of Honor. It starred famous actors Robert De Niro and Cuba Gooding Jr.. George was inspired to make this film because he wanted to show that African American directors could work with big Hollywood stars. The movie was about the heroic story of Carl M. Brashear, the U.S. Navy's first African American master deep-sea diver.

Directing Men of Honor was a new challenge for George. It was his first time working in a "white film world" with many visual effects. He also had to prove himself to the crew and manage a tight filming schedule. The movie cost $32 million to make. Despite the challenges, George was proud of the final film. Men of Honor was released on November 10, 2000, and earned $85 million worldwide.

Barbershop (2002)

While editing Men of Honor, George's partner Robert Teitel showed him the script for Barbershop. They both knew it would be a funny and touching movie. The film starred Ice Cube, Anthony Anderson, and Cedric the Entertainer. It was about the daily life and social connections in a barbershop on the South Side of Chicago.

After being turned down by a few studios, MGM decided to make the film. Filming for Barbershop began in Chicago in 2001. George wanted to show African Americans in a positive light. MGM spent a lot of money on marketing the film. George believed that if a studio supported an African American film with universal themes, it could make a lot of money. Barbershop was released on September 13, 2002, and earned over $77 million.

The Longest Ride (2015)

George Tillman Jr. also directed the romantic drama The Longest Ride in 2015. This movie was based on a popular novel by Nicholas Sparks.

Recently, George's production company, State Street Pictures, made a deal with Sony Pictures Television. This means they will be developing new TV projects.

Personal Life

George Tillman Jr. is married to actress Marcia Wright. They have one child together.

Filmography

Films

Producer only

• Barbershop (2002)
• Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004)
• Beauty Shop (2005)
• Roll Bounce (2005)
• Nothing Like the Holidays (2008)
• Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016)

Television

Executive producer

Director

See also

In Spanish: George Tillman Jr. para niños

• Directors with two films rated "A+" by CinemaScore