Hollywood Jesus had the chance this week to participate in roundtable telephone interviews with Tyler Perry and the cast of his new film. Initial questions were submitted and approved in advance, due to very limited time with each person, with spontaneous followups allowed. With only a couple exceptions, the participating journalists had not yet seen the film.

Yet I have to say that, in spite of the controlled circumstances, this was the first press event I have ever participated in that actually left me inspired. We hope that you will find our series of interview transcripts inspiring, too!

The following was my exchange with Mr. Perry.

GW: Your films have become increasingly sophisticated and popular without the need of being supported by the usual press screenings and junkets. Can you describe for us the impact that word-of-mouth and reputation have had on building an audience for your movie projects?

TP: On the road I was on the road doing about 300 shows a year, and as I would do these shows, I was building an audience long before I ever went to Hollywood. So when I did my first film, which was Diary of a Mad Black Woman, I had a built-in audience of millions of people who were loyal and went and supported that film. They allowed me and afforded me the opportunity to do it the way that I feel it should be done. I'm sorry—I want to make sure I'm answering your question; what was the B part of it?

GW: If you could describe for us the impace that non-conventional word-of-mouth and building a reputation has had on building an audience. Because obviously now your audience is a lot bigger than it was when your first film came out.

TP: Yeah, it's a lot bigger; it's expanding, it's growing, and it's a lot of different cultures and races—which is fantastic, because what I wanted to do is just make sure that the message I'm telling stayed the same so that as people found it they'd know that it's safe for their children, kind of like seeing the name Walt Disney. It's a safe movie. When you see the name Tyler Perry I want people to associate it with good, faith, family, God kinds of things. And to speak to word-of-mouth and how it's growing, it's spreading like wildfire over the years. And people are saying, "What are you going to do to cross over?" And I've always thought that if I just stayed true and maintained the soul of the stories I was telling that the audience would grow and find it. And it all started from that base of a few million people who started the word-of-mouth within their own communities and neighborhoods, which has given it the voice that it has now.

GW: Given that you've demonstrated the ability to build an audience without the Hollywood machine—the usual press machine—do you think that's a trend that's going to reverse now?

TP: Reverse how? I don't understand.

GW: More studios, more independent filmmakers taking your approach rather than the conventional press approach.

TP: I would hope so, because I think that's why the voice of God—the voice of family, the voice of love, the voice of peace—is missing from Hollywood. It's because there are only a few studios that are making decisions. But as more people take the bull by the horns, become more independent, and just step out on faith, I think that there will be more people with more stories that are like mine—but better. And that's what I'm hoping. I'm hoping that I'm an example for many people, especially young, new filmmakers who are excited about their product and want to do it a certain way—that they won't compromise.

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