Tyrese Gibson is one busy man; the quadruple threat’s current schedule includes filming the next installment in the “Fast & Furious” franchise, writing and promoting motivational books, and recording an album with singers Tank and Ginuwine.
Sprite Films (a product of the Cocoa-Cola Company) has now enlisted Gibson for another gig: mentor. The beverage company holds an annual contest in which aspiring filmmakers compete to have their short films debut in theaters. Mr. Gibson’s ties with Cocoa-Cola stem back to 1994, where he began his career in a commercial as the young man singing his heart out on the bus. Also a powerful motivational speaker, it’s only right for the Watts-raised entertainer to mentor young filmmakers.
“Coca-Cola, Sprite that’s my original family, that’s the first thing that I ever did,” he informed the Huffington Post. “We just been trying to figure out a way to get some more synergy and energy going with my original family, because they changed my life in such a major way. So I was just honored to do anything that they wanted me to do. And this just so happened to fall up my alley.”
Eight finalists get the opportunity to soak in all the advice they can get from the actor regarding the ins and outs of the filmmaking process. “The gist of the stuff that I was telling them was, we are as dreamers, perception creators and the world is an empty canvas waiting on new thoughts to think. And however way you get them out, whether it’s through clothes, whether it’s through technology, music, filmmaking, the world is waiting for us to create those new perceptions and concepts,” he continued.
Gibson also has dreams of being behind the camera and sitting in the director’s seat. “I just want to be put through film school. I just want a four or five month course and I just want to get out of there, because I’m a fast learner,” he said. “I pretty much know what to do and how to do it; I just want to understand specific questions. So that whatever I’m doing it comes from a place of knowledge,” he added.
Head over to Sprite.com to watch the films and vote for your favorite short filmmaker. The contest ends on Aug 31st with the winner will be announced on Sept 5th. The winning short film will be shown in theaters in November.
