Chris Smith may not look the Hollywood type while walking around
campus, but appearances can be deceiving.
There’s more that distinguishes this 42-year-old
first-year doctoral candidate in UCLA’s Education Leadership
Program than his age. His influence can be seen in movie theaters
across the country, as long as “Antwone Fisher” is
still playing.
Following the L.A. riots in 1992, Smith started teaching a free
screenwriting class at the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal
Church in South Central Los Angeles. After graduating from
USC’s drama department, aspiring screenwriter Smith just
wanted to help out.
“I got so much out of the teaching of (the class),”
Smith said. “I’ve always wanted to help
society.”
Originally, Smith taught a group of three: a 16-year-old
student, a single mother, and an unemployed man in his
mid-40s. Apparently the class went well, because the next year
Smith’s class size had doubled to six students, including a
security guard at Sony and an ex-Navy man named Antwone Fisher.
“It was the immediacy of (Fisher’s) story,”
Smith said. “He’s a very poetic guy. The first drafts
were unusually good. All he needed was the structure.”
Smith worked closely with Fisher, helping him dramatize his
memories of self-discovery through finding out his family’s
identity. And after a phone call to producer Todd Black,
Smith’s roommate at USC, Smith encouraged Fisher to continue
working on his story, resulting in what has become an
almost-legendary writing process.
“There are certain myths that have come from this, but
we’ll say (it took) 41 drafts,” Smith said.
Fisher sold his script to Fox in 1994, but it wasn’t until
Denzel Washington signed on to the project years later that it
really took off.
“It’s an unusual project because it’s about
someone who wasn’t famous,” Smith said.
Another of his students, Negest Likke, recently sold her script,
meaning that two out of six, or one-third of the students in Smiths
second class have sold screenplays. It’s a percentage which
even screenwriting guru Robert McKee might be jealous of.
Through it all, Smith has kept his eyes on a bigger picture,
stressing commitment to the people he has been involved with more
than any success. Working now as a high school English teacher,
Smith wants to continue to help people.
“I still hope to have some sort of opportunity to help
schools that are bad,” Smith said. “Without hope,
people die.”
Fisher and Smith are still close after the decade-long process
of getting “Antwone Fisher” into theaters. Fisher is
scheduled to speak to doctorate students on February 19; Smith
helped get him to come. And it all started in a free screenwriting
class of six.
“For (Fisher) to get this movie made is an honor,”
Smith said. “He’s a beautiful guy.”