Tyler Perry Studios: “A Place Where Even Dreams Believe.”
For an hour, OWN takes us on a journey behind the scenes with Tyler Perry with an up close and personal conversation on his OWN journey into success in Visionaries: Inside the Creative Mind. In an amazing sixty minutes, you will feel empowered, inspired and excited about finding your passion and your joy. Through Tyler Perry’s warmth, charm, and smile, it’s easy to feel his energy and focus through the screen and the passion for his work and for his life.
To understand the man, you have to understand who he is. “I do a lot of writing on a plane,” he shares. “I will be writing a story and it’s coming to me so fast that I can’t keep up with it…it’s literally rolling right out.” Out of a childhood filled with darkness himself, Tyler understands that his audience is starving for joy and positivity. So when Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta opened in 2008, the world was about to get a little of both. Noted as one of the largest independent film and television studios in the world, Tyler opened it up in his now hometown of Atlanta and away from the world of Hollywood where ideas could be born and survive. Telling us that he wanted a place where people who love to work and want to do the work can come and not a place where it’s about who you know.
“Lesson on Ownership – Own the house so you can own the money and be in a better position.”
With a personal story, Tyler shares how his father would build houses and would be so happy to come home from work with his $1,000 a week…or whatever the amount. But, Tyler realized that the person who owned the house would then turn around and sell it for $60,000. So, early on he learned the value of ownership and this lesson spoke to him even louder when he opened Tyler Perry Studios.
While the journey was not always easy, Tyler’s story is one of persistence and passion. “The first 28 years of my life were pretty dismal. No amount of work could get me far enough away,” Tyler shares. As he tells of of his journey, Tyler talks about hearing the’soundtrack to his life – the music playing in the background as life happened around him. Hearing this made me begin to think about what my OWN soundtrack sounded like. Through the music and through life, he followed his path – and no matter what you might think – when you find what you love, it can change your life. From 1992 to 1998, Tyler struggled and talked of losing jobs and quitting jobs. He would go out do a live stand show and no one would show up or worse, they’d leave or not like his show. Ready to give up, he had to be talked into doing one last show at the House of Blues on March 12th, 1998. “I Know I’ve Been Changed.” How profound – because it did. It changed his life forever.
“As a child I would imagine a place where I could be freer and happier…and what’s amazing is that is the place where I live today.”
Your Gift Will Make Room For You – “No matter what it is that you want to do, hold onto to the gift. Hold, water it, plant it and it will grow into what it’s suppose to be. And anytime a tree grows, no matter what is around it, it will have it’s own room. Don’t stop….some steps are very tiny, very small, but it is a step. As long as it’s a step forward, you’re going to make it.” – Tyler Perry