Philaye Films issa (you’ll get the joke when you keep reading) film company created by Detroit native Philip Johnson, who pursued his creative dreams by moving to New York City, and now Los Angeles.
While participating in sports like Track and Football, as well as being a business major at the University of Michigan, Johnson began his creative exploration soon after graduation in 2017. With the success of his increasingly viral web series, Black Sex & The City, Johnson is determined to continue creating and producing his quality work, while expanding his horizons.
(Black Creatives Matter Shirts)
What made you move from Detroit to New York?
I moved to New York because I never saw myself living in Detroit, especially in my 20s. I always saw myself leaving for California, New York City, the hubs on the coasts because I have always craved being where there are so many opportunities. I was going through a lot of different things at the time, but once the move was decided on, I took a leap of faith. I withdrew from my master’s program and I decided to move to New York with no job, no money, and just got a relocation loan.
How would you say that situation kind of propelled your creativity?
I had decided that working in TV/film was my long-term goal, and I understood that I would be able to be on the biggest stage possible if in New York City, or Los Angeles. When I actually moved to NYC, I had been reading a lot of inspirational books, writing in a journal and making a lot of plans. NYC definitely has a way of making you hustle for your dreams til the point that you realize you accomplish more in a shorter period of time than you expected. It definitely forced me to not only acknowledge my creative passion, but I also never really took a break. I hustled from the second I got there, which made this move to Los Angeles possible.
So preparing to go from New York to L.A., what did you think about the process? What were you preparing to do?
There is going to be a new show for Philaye Films. With Black Sex & The City, I strategically ended it with the ending of my time in New York City so that I could move there. A transition to a whole new show. In 2019, I really plan to take my creative passions to the next level, catch the attention of executives with reach and money, and thus monetize the creative passions. In 2018 I started out my film journey, I learned a lot, and accomplished a lot. My plan for 2019 in L.A. is to apply all knowledge to help scale production and impact.
Talk about Black Sex & The City, how did the concept begin? How did you figure out this is what you wanted to do?
Black Sex & The City was not a planned web-series. When I started the YouTube channel last year, it was more of a YouTube-y type thing. There would be a topic and some interesting/fun video about it. Black Sex & The City was going to be another one of my multiple talk show type of segments, and probably like my 8th video on the channel. For the second episode, I randomly came up with an idea for a script in the shower, and my friend and I filmed it later that week.
When I dropped it, everybody demanded more. At that moment, I started realizing that I actually had the talent and ability necessary to achieve these film dreams. So Black Sex & The City just became my biggest asset because it was my most popular thing I had produced thus far. Black Sex & The City took off, so it became my golden ticket for where I wanted to go. It was really spontaneous and just a blessing that people actually enjoyed the content. As an artist, you never really know which things people are going to like the most. You just kind of do things you like. Your audience, though, will tell you what they want you to do.
What would you say inspired you? Fun in general, or is it like this idea comes to you so let me write this and start playing/creating around this?
Fun does inspire me. The way the web-series started off was just a fun script concept that happened to be received well by the public. I figure if I’m having fun, it’s because I’m tapping into my best creativity. I combine countless different ideas that I find fun, into one script concept jam-packed with excitement.
What do you think you prefer more: Being in front of the camera, or creating behind the camera?
That is a very hard one because I really love the combination. I like the creation, and having the creative license is significant for me. I think that everybody who is an artist definitely deserves an outlet where they get to fully put all of their creative energy into it, and have the most license over it. I really appreciate that. I do love being in front of the camera also and always have. If I had to go with just one, though, I would have to go with being the creator because I value that creative license so much.
What has been your support like from the Black Community, and the LGBTQ Community?
The support has been really positive. People tell me it’s what they did not even know they wanted to see. That it’s what they did not even know they were missing. I think that as an artist, I have a unique way of doing things that for whatever reason, just really makes the art pop. People have been really nice about everything. I’m kind of always expecting some backlash (naturally, being an artist), but I think the backlash only comes from myself. So my main focus is to get more eyes on my art. At this point, I know myself so well and I know that I am doing something great.
How important was it for you to touch on your Vitiligo?
As an artist, it’s important to embrace all your unique sides, and bring your own individuality to the table. When I decided I wanted to wear the crop top from that designer in that first episode where I touched on the vitiligo, it all just aligned. I was like ‘this would be a fun way to mention the vitiligo, and I should make a line about it, but also not make it like some deep thing.’ It was fun to be able to do that, and I was happy with the reception since I like vitiligo now, unlike during my childhood
How much of the character would you say is you? Have you had any of these dating experiences personally, or is it all like just made up?
It’s very made up, but in some ways I sprinkle in… Season one is completely fictional. I play a lot of different characters in season one, some of them are straight, bi, there’s even a murderer. In season 2, my character Julian is fictional too but goes through similar stages in love life as me at points. When I, for example, did the serial sexting episode; this is after Julian just went through a break up. And it’s kind of just him alone, trying to recharge himself. I was actually in that stage of my love life, it was crazy how it lined up. So I definitely did in some ways resonate with that. But personality traits in Julian are definitely over-dramatized, and all the characters. I really liked the fictional element in some ways, just kind of testing the bounds.
What do you think it is about Black Sex & The City that has resonated with some many different people?
I think that I kind of discuss topics that are not; I don’t have too much fear with the topics that I discuss. There is an episode on STDs, addressing the fear and stuff that people do have with being sexually active, and that’s just one example. It’s a very authentic and a real black experience in the show, I think. I definitely work fiction and humor in some cool ways, but there is a dryness in the humor that makes it feel like real life in ways. I just think it’s a combination of things and I am really happy people have liked it. I never saw myself as being a comedian or a comedy writer, so I was shocked when I dropped the first episode and people liked it. I was genuinely shocked because I had never done it before; that was my first time.
What would you say has been your favorite episode?
I would have to go with the series finale, I had the most fun with that one. I loved doing Julian’s remake of Partition by Beyoncé. I just made sure to have the most fun creatively with that episode, so it’s my favorite by far. I felt really good about the work, as I felt it was my highest.
How did your film company, Philaye Films, come about?
I actually started Black Sex & The City before the company technically existed, and that started back in March of last year. I turned 23 on June 29th, 2018, and around that time, I watched Beyoné’s Year of 4 documentary. It was documenting her experience with new entrepreneurship, and it really made me realize that I really value the creative freedom.
That is very important to me because my art is like my baby; it’s always nice to have your own. I realized I wanted to do it, and just launched the company. Another thing I focused on was being able to have legitimacy so that I could get actors, crew members, and more to come to me. Prior to that, I was always reaching out to people, but after I made it a company, actors and everything would come to me, which made things easier. It was important to treat it as seriously as I wanted it to be, since the long-term goal is to be able to create on a global scale.
How has it been to see your growth for the beginning til now?
It has been really satisfying. I will say that it felt like a very steep learning curve throughout the 9 months of Black Sex & The City. I’m definitely very hard on myself, and I’m a perfectionist, so, I was seeing where things “weren’t”, and kept seeing all things I wanted to work on and work towards while everybody else was just appreciating what was there. Of course, I was being patient with myself… that’s why I think I was so happy about the finale. I’m really proud of all the progress that I’ve made in every area that I wanted to. I’m proud of having fun with my creativity, because that’s one of the things that I started embracing towards the end. I realized that just making sure to be as creative as possible, is how to not stress out. You just have to have as much fun as possible.
How was it for you to meet Issa Rae? Was it a sign of confirmation for you?
It really did feel like a sign of confirmation. It’s funny because I didn’t do a 2019 vision board like I wanted to, but I did a vision list. One of the things I put on there, because I felt very compelled by it, was to meet Beyoncé in 2019. So on the 8th day of 2019, I met the person who I always call the Beyonce of film, which felt like it meant even more as I just moved to L.A. Of course we all have big dreams, and we all look for signs and things to lift us up along our journeys, but it definitely was one of those moments where I felt that I was exactly where I should be right now, and doing exactly what I should be doing.
(Get the earlier joke now?)
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
I definitely see myself as the creator of multiple shows and movies, still acting, writing, producing, directing, etc. Also involved in other’s creative visions, becoming larger and larger. I definitely don’t see myself stopping. I see quite clearly my unique artistic flair. It’s not that I think that what I make is better than anyone else’s work; it’s just that I thoroughly enjoy what I do create. Because I’m focused on myself, and just having a good time, people are enjoying that. I don’t see me stopping.
What do you want people to know about you?
When I think of the legacy I want for myself as an artist, it sounds kind of simple but I want it to be like ‘Oh his mind!’ I want it to be like ‘wow, he really dreamed up these unique ass visions and executed them.’ I want my hard work, passion, intelligence, humility and kindness to be known.
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