5 Questions with Tania Taiwo
Part proof-of-concept, part exploratory film poem about the war on drugs and the rigged American dream, “Pharmacopeia” follows a pharmacist trying to pay off her student loans by dealing weed. We asked director/star Tania Taiwo how the project started, what the biggest challenge, and what comes next for her…
1) Can you talk briefly about your background, and how you first got interested in filmmaking?
Filmmaking itself was quite an accident while storytelling has always been a passion of mine. I wanted to tell stories of how women and girls triumphed their ugly duckling years, so I created a blog. I wanted to have more dialogue surrounding those stories, so I expanded the blog into a podcast. When I eventually wrote a script I was extremely passionate about, I didn’t know how to get eyes on it. So I did what was natural. I self-produced, self-directed a film. I’m scrappy like that.
2) What’s the backstory here - what was the initial idea and how did it evolve from there?
I’m a recovering Pharmacist. My film, Pharmacopeia is my therapy. I was living in LA when marijuana was legalized for recreational use. And there was this heightened interest surrounding it — people, like myself, who weren’t smokers were now contemplating it. But as a pharmacist, I’m an ingredient-minded person. I’m interested to know how things intimately affect the body. And since they say write what you know, I thought I’d take folks along on the ride with me.
With an evolving exploration of the story, I realized the legalization of marijuana can’t be journeyed without recognizing the story of mass incarceration. And mass incarceration has its own deep roots. From corporate interest to corner boys, there’s a story — and it’s never black or white.
3) What was the biggest challenge in making this film? And generally what part of the creative process do you enjoy the most, and the least?
The learning curve was steep. I took on so many roles for my first project. It was hard to remember, “take off your producer’s cap, or your director’s cap, because you need to be fully present for your character!”. It was maniacal at times. But, I had an amazing team that made the impossible, possible.
Honestly, I enjoyed every aspect of this process — from art direction and lighting (especially), to editing (especially) and color grading — it was so beautiful watching it all come together. As for the least, location scouting — as I was on a budget, there were constant compromises.
4) What’s a film you’ve seen recently, new or old, that you really loved and why?
Queen & Slim was a well executed film. I’m a cinematography girl and that film was captivating!
5) What’s next for you?
This year, I plan to tackle writing a full length feature, and produce another short. As for Pharmacopeia, the response has been amazing! Whether its future be episodic or full feature — I’m in!
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