Interview with Chiderah Uzowulu, The WME Assistant Who Sold His Film at Cannes

Chiderah Uzowulu has one of my favorite stories right now in Hollywood.

He is a writer, producer, actor, and CEO who made his feature film debut with Hierarchy, acquired by Vertical Entertainment for theatrical and VOD release. Before stepping into the spotlight, Uzowulu worked in the mailroom and as an assistant at WME, one of Hollywood's top talent agencies, all while quietly developing and producing his own projects on the side. A Texas State University graduate he shot the first day of his feature on the same day he walked across the stage to collect his diploma.

Our conversation is below, and it hopefully it will give you some inspiration to let your creative side shine through, even when dealing with never-ending admin work and mindless tasks at your 9-5.

AvA: Walk us through your background and your journey from Houston to Hollywood.  

Uzowulu: Well for starters, I knew I didn't want to go to school in Houston. I made my way to San Marcos, TX where I attended Texas State University which was about a 30 minute drive outside Austin Texas. Austin is like the Hollywood of Texas in my opinion, a lot of work and filming goes on there and I knew I wanted to be in the vicinity. While attending Texas State University, I studied Industrial Engineering but meanwhile I knew I wanted to write and produce films, so I made sure I did so when I had off time. My Nigerian parents were adamant about me becoming a lawyer, doctor, or engineer - so for peace of mind I chose to be a STEM major, not for me but for them. In school, I was able to complete 4 short films but wanted to do one last one before heading to LA. Luckily I made it a feature with the advice from my good friend, Xavier Alvarado. It's funny because the first day of filming my feature, Hierarchy - was the same day I walked the stage to grab my diploma. After wrapping picture, I moved to LA because I wanted to make sure I had something in hand that would separate me from other actors who moved to LA to pursue an acting career. Once I arrived, I felt right at home - Not because of the weather, but because I street parked during street cleaning and got my car towed my first morning here. Looking back, that was the best "Welcome to Hollywood" greeting I could ask for. 

AvA: What was it like to transition from being an assistant to sitting across the table with WME Independent as the team repping and selling your project? 

Uzowulu: Well if I'm being honest, I was still an assistant while I was getting WME Independent to come on board for Hierarchy. My luck is that the film was not only finished but it was a good commercial product. It didn't feel real until I left the company. While I was there, I was still grabbing coffee and answering "trying" or "left word". So no, the idea of me being an assistant and transitioning to being in a meeting to get my film sold didn't exist lol. I was leaving my desk to walk upstairs to talk with the agent covering my projects and then coming right back downstairs to my desk.

AvA: Hierarchy was clearly a labor of love. How did you balance the grind of development, acting, and producing with everything else happening in your life? Did anyone know you were secretly working on it? 

Uzowulu: Man. That's a question that I don't even know myself. I cried so many times over this film so looking back - I don't know how I figured it out. I think for me it was just having a good routine, having a good team that helped out when I needed them, and most importantly having God in my life. I was definitely still auditioning while at WME. (I even did a few in some empty offices with my manager being my reader over the phone). No one knew at all. Maybe 2 coworkers because we were friends outside of the office, but that's it. I felt like a secret agent in there, so it's funny looking back and asking myself exactly what you're asking me, "man how did I manage all that?" Beats me. 

AvA: Were there lessons from your time in the mailroom or as an assistant that you carried directly into the filmmaking process? 

Uzowulu: So I actually made the movie before getting hired at WME. I haven't made anything since being an assistant or working in the mailroom, but I would say that I learned A LOT. Just about the film business in general. It's good to know the ins and outs of the making of a project. Now I know how to approach the business side of things, just the production side. How to talk with big executives, how to create a pitch for a talent, cold calling, etc. 

AvA: What was going through your head when you got the call that Vertical was acquiring the film? 

Uzowulu: Well I'll never forget. I got up from my desk and went to the restroom. I just needed to walk off the excitement. I couldn't believe it. I immediately sent a screenshot to my producing partners and called them on FaceTime where we all were jumping and yelling on the phone. I was still in the office so I couldn't get too lit like I really wanted to but it was a great feeling, nonetheless. 

AvA: Looking ahead, what kinds of stories do you want to tell next, and how do you see your career evolving as both a writer and an actor? 

Uzowulu: I want to tell grounded action stories with strong emotion and heart. Films that feel like the classics I grew up on, but also speak to today's audience. Action cinema is my lane but I want it to be layered with real storytelling and characters people can connect with. I see myself continuing to write and star in my own projects so I can shape the kinds of stories I want to put into the world and create opportunities for myself and my homies. Writing wasn't something I wanted to do because I loved it - it became the tool that allowed me to take control of my career and not wait for someone else to hand me an opportunity. Over time I want to build a body of work with a clear identity - kind of like how Will or Denzel carved out a lane for themself, but with my own Nigerian stamp, creating my own seat at the table instead of waiting for permission. At the same time, I want to work with prominent directors whose vision I can relate to from a storytelling aspect. That balance of creating my own opportunities while teaming up with tasteful filmmakers is how I see my career evolving. 

AvA: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to assistants or early-career creatives who want to move from working on other people’s projects to building their own? 

Uzowulu: Man. Hate to use this cliche phrase, but just do it. Use your saved up money, sacrifice going to Poppy on a Friday night to instead write a dope script with your friends, ask that dope cinematographer you know if they can come film something you have in mind, use your money on that thing you want to create instead that trip to Palms Springs - trust me! The truth of the matter is you never know! Take the risk while you can. What's the best that can happen, y'know? The thing about an industry assistant job is that it is very helpful in the sense of connections and learning the business, but at some point it has an expiration date. You can't let it drain you creatively because at some point, it can. There's nothing better than looking back and saying you brought to life what was in your mind. It's yours and no one can take it from you. 

His film ‘Hierarchy’ was released theatrically and on VOD last Friday (August 15), and it will be in selected theaters still until at least Friday. It’s also available on AppleTV +, PrimeVideo, Fandango, & GooglePlay.

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