Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani see the possibilities in smaller-budget films
LOS ANGELES — At a time when studios are zeroing in on existing intellectual property and tried-and-true storylines to fill up their film and TV slates, Hillman Grad is looking in the opposite direction.
The production company, led by writer-producer-actor Lena Waithe and Chief Executive Rishi Rajani, has put its weight behind projects from emerging and first-time filmmakers including Jingyi Shao ("Chang Can Dunk"), A.V. Rockwell ("A Thousand and One") and D. Smith ("Kokomo City") — all of whom released their directorial debuts with Hillman Grad last year to much acclaim.
With belts tightening across Hollywood, Waithe and Rajani share why they see an opportunity for more upcoming filmmakers to get their shot and why a streaming culture that prioritizes a one-size-fits-all, mass appeal approach hurts creatives and viewers.
Q: How has the vision for Hillman Grad changed since you started the company?
Lena Waithe: The business has changed, society has changed, the way we take in content has changed. But for me, what I want to do is really get back to the creative. Sometimes, because of everything that's going on, we can lose sight of the creative, and it can be about commerce, which I understand. This is a business, things have to make money. There has to be an audience, there has to be supply and demand. But I think there are ways that we can
