That's a deep question.
I know, it's a hard transition too.
[THOUGHTFUL MUSIC]
Hello, everyone.
I'm Kelci Parker, Senior Manager of Comedy
Originals over at Hulu.
And hello, everyone.
I am Phillip Domfeh, Senior Manager of the Launchpad
Program here at Disney.
Phillip, I'm so excited that we get to connect
here on Disney Voices.
I know you're running the Launchpad program,
which is in its second season.
And just kind of curious, how did the program get started?
And what exactly is your role in it?
Well, the program started back in 2019.
And I think it's incredibly important for me
to credit Mahin Ibrahim and Julie Anne Cromett
for getting this initiative off the ground.
And really the vision was to empower
underrepresented filmmakers, to showcase their voices,
their perspectives.
And develop, really, an artist-centered program.
And so I've had the real pleasure of coming in kind
of halfway through season one.
And then really developing and casting,
and then now getting into the execution of the vision
for season two of the program.
You know, I have the opportunity to help
kind of create the industry that I want to be a part of.
The advocacy maybe that happens online
or in the streets around kind of the issues
that we're trying to address in this business.
But having the opportunity to really put my hand to the plow.
I don't know why I have all of these farming metaphors
that are, like, cropping up out of nowhere.
I don't know where that kind of came from.
You're like, working on the land.
Yeah.
You know, I've harvested, now I reap-- no.
I'm really able to take those feelings or frustrations
that I've had as a Black creator in this business
and do something about it.
Totally.
So yeah, I mean, it's pretty cool.
It's challenging, undoubtedly, but it's very cool.
But I know you in your own journey
as a creative executive have kind of had to navigate
these waters as well.
So I'm fascinated in your story, in your journey of kind of what
drove you to get to this point, to want
to be a creative executive.
I know that you started off wanting
to be a writer, which is incredibly fascinating to me.
Yeah, so I went to school for screenwriting.
I went to the University of Michigan.
Go Blue, hardcore Wolverine.
And always thought I was going to write.
And I moved to LA, you know, and started
working on a show called "Loiter Squad," which was on Adult
Swim with Tyler, the Creator.
And that was a really awesome opportunity to sit in the room
and work with these amazing up and coming comedians.
And just see how their brains kind of operate
and how a room works.
And I was like, I know there are just so
many other talented people that are
from underrepresented and marginalized communities that
just aren't getting the shot.
Because we're operating under what I always called
snowcapped mountains.
And there just isn't someone, you know, with a seat
at the table that has that voice.
And that's to no fault of anyone,
but just understanding how these things work.
And how can we come in and tell stories that maybe they aren't
familiar with that subvert expectations
in an interesting way, but still tell an extremely relatable
story that people can tap into.
So I would like to believe and hope that that responsibility
is not just one that's resting on the shoulders of the likes
of you and I. And is now becoming something
that everyone is thinking about, white,
Black, alien, what have you.
Do you feel like sometimes an unfair--
I want to be really careful how I
word this-- but like, you can't just be chill and Black,
you know?
You can't just, like--
always the responsibility of the weight for the projects
that you're working on.
Like, how do you balance that?
Because some days I wake up and I'm like,
you know, waving the flag, feeling the vibe.
We're Black power fists all day.
But some days I wake up and I just want to be-- exactly.
And some days I just want to be silly.
Yes.
And that's not the thing I'm thinking about.
Yeah, yeah, I always tell people I'm, like, we've
seen so many stories of either Black excellence
or Black trauma.
I just want the mediocre Black person in the middle.
Can we just hang out in the mediocrity for a second?
Hey, man. Yeah.
And acknowledge that that is a real thing and it is OK.
Shout out to Black mediocrity.
I'm here for it.
But also we're still pushing for Black excellence
always, obviously.
But you know, sometimes I just want to take a nap.
And we gotta be OK with that.
If we're looking at kind of current events
or the events of the day, there is
a taxation to Black excellence.
Absolutely.
Right?
That's a heavy, heavy weight to feel
like every single time what you're doing
has the weight of a whole community on it.
I think the biggest thing, when this responsibility comes
into play for me, is kind of the social responsibility
of media in general.
Because if someone doesn't have the privilege
to be able to travel the world, and to experience
other cultures, and to get outside of whatever
their bubble is.
I'm from a small town, 12,000 people.
Shout out to Albion, Michigan.
It's very small.
You know, and if you don't have opportunity
to leave a place like that or see other places, what you're
consuming in the media often dictates what your stereotypes
or perceptions of others are.
Especially if they're different from you
in any way, shape, or form.
So I do think the onus is really on us to make sure,
when we're putting that out there,
the representation feels right.
And we're telling these stories and showing
that no one ethnicity or background is a monolith.
And we can tell these stories from
different unique perspectives.
But they can still be relatable and level set
and bring us back home.
There's a set of stories that we're familiar with.
And I think as you were just mentioning
beforehand, Black trauma, Black excellence,
these kind of narratives.
It's like, if you've seen it, and it's been done,
what is your take on it?
What is your perspective?
Exactly.
Billy Corgan once said, one of my favorite songwriters--
The Smashing Pumpkins?
OK.
Oh, yeah, deep in it.
Deep in it.
He's not the first one to say this, but like,
there's nothing new under the sun.
Which I think there's some truth to.
But the only thing that's new under the sun is you.
-
Exactly.
Your way of seeing the sun set, your way of experiencing love,
your way of experiencing pain.
But I think finding a way to hone your voice
and really understand what your point of view is,
and to your point, how you see the sun set.
And understanding that your opinion, and your story,
your unique story is your currency in Hollywood, I think
is important.
Yeah.
And that's how people hopefully evolve and realize
that's how they can break out.
You know, what role do you see yourself
playing in casting the vision for a better tomorrow
through your work?
I don't know.
I don't know fighting for what I believe
is actually good, and just, and hopeful, and helpful.
I have two amazing little nephews.
And with the next generation, I want
to make sure the world is set up as a better place for them.
And doing that, the way I use my voice beyond, like,
your performative social media, is trying to get creators
I really believe in, who I believe
have stories that need to be told,
especially through the comedic lens, the ability
to tell those stories.
Development's a very hard job.
It's hard to get stuff greenlit.
No's are a major part of the process.
But I fight every day for the people
I believe in to make sure they're
getting the opportunity.
Because then, as people are consuming this content,
again, that is setting the tone for what
the cultural zeitgeist is.
I always say, the things I would give to have
had a show like "Insecure."
Maybe a little too R-rated for, like, a 15-year-old.
But I always say, like, 15-year-old Kelci would have
felt so seen, if I would have had a show like that
growing up, understanding I wasn't alone
in being a nerdy black girl.
On the playground it was definitely,
why do you talk like that?
Why do you wear braids?
Yeah, yeah.
I swam and played soccer.
Why are you a swimmer?
Black people can't swim.
Like, all of those things.
So any ways in which I can help negate, I guess,
those types of stereotypes,
and shift them and show that there are so
many different types of people.
And so many different types of, like, beautiful you's,
for lack of a better term, that's the role
I hope I continue.
I think you said some things are really beautiful,
especially around seeing your job as advocacy
and very artist-forward.
And a sense that your responsibility
is putting forth the voices.
And I think it does matter to have people in the room who can
kind of just identify with otherness,
I think is really a big thing.
Yeah.
And I think it's hard sometimes
as a person who experiences traumatic things,
you know, in this country to look and say,
it doesn't just begin and end of my pain.
There are other people.
Of course.
And I think that's something that's really cool that I get
to do through my job and through Launchpad
is to lift up a plethora of voices,
and bring a number of different people to the table.
Yeah, I think that's something we talk about so much
is, do we have to qualify what underrepresented means?
And what does the qualifications look like?
Yeah.
And I personally don't think we do.
I think if you feel like you haven't seen yourself
represented in any sort of way, you
are therefore underrepresented
and should have the opportunity or space to tell your story
and feel like you're being heard.
Everyone needs the opportunity to bring their story to bear.
And I think the problem that we've just had in this business
is that for so long, only certain people
had the opportunity.
Opportunity to tell their story.
So we're in such a fascinating space when it comes to that.
And I have to think about that too.
Like, with Launchpad, we only have six
films at the end of the day.
You know, we received over 1,000 applications.
When you're looking at that slate for those six spots,
you get to decide, how do you take
on being the arbiter of what's going to make it this year?
I think the big thing is just realizing that it's not
something that you do alone.
You know?
It's a heavy burden that needs to be
shared with a lot of people that care
and have the same goals as you.
And I think, hopefully, that can be a positive message,
you know?
It takes a village, truly.
And so, you know, that's how I do it, trying to be humble
and working with others.
That gave me, like, the chills a little bit.
Aw.
It's true, it does take a village.
And I totally agree.
And I know we've gone through all of these things
before together.
So I love that we've both found our paths and journeys,
have ended up here.
And we've been able to rise together and understand
what it takes to hopefully give people
the right platform and voice.
Phillip, it's been really great connecting with you today.
Thank you so much for joining me in this amazing conversation.
Honestly, I don't know who I could have
had a better conversation with.
I admire you.
I'm grateful for your friendship.
And yeah, this has been really nice.
Thanks for joining us on Disney+ Voices.
See all your favorites and more, now streaming on Disney+.