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TV writer encourages students to pursue dreams
by Courtney Bullard, co-associate editor
A prominent Hollywood writer and producer recently shared
the ins and outs of the television and film industry with
South Plains College students and inspired them to follow
their dreams.
Phillip Levens came to the Levelland
Campus on Feb. 23 to discuss his career in film and
television. He wrote more than 10 episodes for the popular
TV series “Smallville,” which is based on everyone’s
favorite superhero, Superman.
He has also written for other shows
such as CBS’s “Wolf Lake”, UPN’s “All Souls” and Fox’s
“Night Visions.” Levens was also the executive producer,
along with Jennifer Lopez, for UPN’s drama “South Beach,”
which starred Vanessa Williams.
Much like SPC’s slogan, “Dreams Precede
Realities,” writing is taking ideas and dreams and turning
them into realities, explained Levens. He said that writing
for television is a lot different from writing for film. In
TV, the writer has much more control over the show’s
content, unlike film, which is controlled by the director.
The writers for television, also known as the “show
runners,” not only worry about the script, but must also
deal with the wardrobe, set design, and all the many other
things that go into making a show.
“If you are a writer, TV is the place
to be, because the writer controls the process,” said Levens.
Levens also explained that although it
takes the same skills to write for TV as it does for film,
writers make more money with TV.
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Davis shares journey through 'Klan-Destine Relationships'
by Laura Cain, editorial assistant
Daryl Davis is the last person one would expect to see at a
Ku Klux Klan rally.
The Grammy award-winning pianist looks
like your typical middle-aged man who is well traveled and
has an average build and deep voice. He is also black.
Davis, who has broken race boundaries
most believed inconceivable, lectures all over the country
about his journey into the very core of the Ku Klux Klan.
To understand how Davis came to be
doing these extraordinary things, some background on his
life is needed. As a child, Davis was raised as an American
Embassy brat, spending most of his early childhood in Europe
and Africa. He never had a concept of racism until he was 10
years old, when he was pelted with rocks and debris while
carrying the American flag for his mostly-white Cub Scout
troop in a parade. Then, in 1974, Matt Cole, a Nazi leader,
came to his high school and spoke about the pure race. He
then pointed at Davis and said, “We are going to ship you
back to Africa.”
From that moment on, he studied racism
and white supremacy. He collected all sorts of information
dealing with race superiority, and researched one of the
most dominant hate groups in America, the KKK.
“It became an obsession to me,” said
Davis.
He simply wanted to understand how
people who did not know him, who did not even know his name,
could have such a hatred for him because of the color of his
skin
Over time, Davis created a library
about racism and owns every book on the Klan.
“Believe it or not, I know more about
the Ku Klux Klan that most members do,” Davis told those in
attendance during a lecture he delivered at Texas Tech
University on February 15.
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