We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ronnel Parham a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Ronnel, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?
I’m thankful every day of my life to be an artist. Through the ups and downs, wins and losses, tears and joy, there is truly nothing else I could imagine doing with my life. My story is a bit different than some other actors and/or filmmakers. I didn’t grow up doing this stuff, in fact, I never once seriously considered it. Never really even gave it more than a thought or two–until I was 20 years old. I did play music growing up. I was a drummer. So maybe that was my initiation into the arts? Probably so. I’m grateful for the years I learned and played the drums because it taught me discipline. It also made me a competitive person because for many years, my main focus was being better than everyone else at the drums. Fast forward to now being an actor and filmmaker, I’m not concerned about being a better actor or filmmaker than others, but I’m competitive with myself to keep getting better at telling stories. Sure, when things are slow in the business and you’re not progressing at the pace you’d like, I sometimes think about what it would be like to use some of my other skills at a regular job and make a lot of money and have that financial stability. But it would never work. (And trust me, I’ve tried). I was born to create. The medium that allows me to create is film and television. Let’s just say, I’m very content with that.
Ronnel, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Ronnel Ricardo Parham and I’m the founder of a multi award winning production company, 5R Productions. The name of my company comes after myself and my 4 siblings. All of our names begin with the letter “R”, so I figured, with such a unique similarity between us, it’d only be right to name the company after that. My production company focuses primarily on telling stories that represent the underrepresented. I’ve been a filmmaker since 2017 and began my acting career in 2010. I’m from West Philadelphia, yes like the Fresh Prince, and pretty much born and raised there as well. My production company produces original content and is also open to accepting scripts and stories from other filmmakers to collaborate and create. Since 2017, we’ve won over 50 awards and been nominated in different categories another 60 times. My mission is to provide opportunities for other creatives in my projects. To give them the opportunities to showcase their talents when the industry isn’t paying them attention. My mission is also to highlight stories of underserved and underrepresented populations through film and television.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Society should begin to pay more attention to indie film. As we’re seeing right now with the strikes with SAG-AFTRA, WGA and the studios, our talent has been taken advantage of and not appreciated enough. People need to watch projects on the up and coming platforms, and not just on the big networks and streamers. I think people also need to appreciate how hard it is to do anything in the entertainment business. Just because someone produces something and the sound isn’t perfect, or the picture/lighting is off in some scenes, or because it’s not a huge budgeted project, doesn’t mean that there isn’t true talent and ability in those creators. There’s need to be more of a push to support indie film. So for all of my readers out there, there are lots of streaming companies that have amazing content out there that you’ve never even heard of. Google some, watch the films, and support monthly if you can. We’re seeing that the current model of streaming and creating television isn’t working. So, what I’m proposing is a good start push more indie filmmaking!
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I wish I would have been encouraged to create my own content earlier in my career. Acting schools, theatre programs, and even film schools, often times don’t encourage you to create and own your work. You’re taught to find jobs the business, from other creators. But why can’t we become those creators? I’ve taken acting classes for years, been to tons of workshops and seminars, and only a handful have ever even mentioned creating your own stuff and the amazing things that can happen from it. Granted, when I began acting, Netflix didn’t even exist yet so there weren’t as many avenues to create your own content as there are now but I do wish I would have known about the benefits of creating my own content earlier on in my journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ronnelrparham.com , www.5R-productions.com
- Instagram: @ronnels_gram5, @5RProductions, @oddmanoutw_s
- Facebook: @ronnelricardoparham
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ronnelricardoparham7
- Twitter: @ronnel_parham5R, @5RProductions, @oddmanoutw_s