Artist Spotlight: Author/Writer Jason Whatley!
Written by: Philip Johnson
Jason Whatley is a 20 year-old talented and passionate writer, author and actor. From pilot scripts to his book series, he is already creating intriguing work. With hopes of being the creator and writer of hit TV shows, Jason has big dreams and the determination that can make them happen as he continues to create his art. Check out my interview with Jason, and make sure to click through the links to purchase his book series: “Super Sorcerer”!
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Southeast San Diego, California. That’s our “hood” area. Everybody knows everyone. My city is so beautiful that I decided to make it the setting of my book series “Super Sorcerer”.
Tell us about when/where your creative passions first started.
When I was 4 or 5, I would watch shows that came on Disney Channel. One of them being That’s So Raven. I loved the costumes, the crazy situations she’d get herself into, the physical comedy and comedic timing, and how funny it really was. I always said I was going to have my own sitcom just like it. Interestingly enough, I almost completely wrote a book in the style of a sitcom similar to That’s So Raven called “Psychic”. That show, along with a list of films and television shows I watched growing up, started me on my journey of acting.
I didn’t branch out into writing until I was in the 8th grade. I would write short stories about my friends. Around the time of my freshman year of high school, I wrote my first unfinished script called “The Hard Life”. It was inspired by the book and film “Precious”, but it was current and it was a gay story, but it was gritty and filled with drama.
At this same time, I was taking a video storytelling course which got me into screenwriting and directing. As a director, I noticed I had big visions like every director, but learning to use the resources I had to complete it was tricky at times.
What type of projects do you write?
The type of projects I write are either books or scripts. I dabble into poetry at times as well as writing my own rap lyrics, but that’s another story.
What have been your biggest obstacles as a young creative working to break into television?
Some of my biggest obstacles have been lack of support from people and money. This industry and most of the time in the gay community it’s hard to find people down for the cause or willing to help the next. That saying ‘Scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours’ really doesn’t mean much to a lot of people because everyone is trying to make it at the same time. You need resources and connections, and to be open to them. Money is always going to be an issue until it isn’t.
When and how did you come out as a gay, black man?
I came out as gay in October 2011. It was because I had fallen in love with a guy who ended up being my best friend for a while. I’ve had crushes on guys, but this was love at first sight. I didn’t officially say the words “I’m gay” until I told my family which they responded that they already knew. At this time, I was very free with my sexuality. I never let others get the best of me and I stood proud in who I was. That made some people uncomfortable and I was fine with it.
Tell us about your dope project, “Super Sorcerer”, and how it came to be!
“Super Sorcerer” came to be after witnessing “Black Panther” and the debut of “Black Lightning”. In January 2019, I began creating the treatment for it as well as writing a pilot script. I put the project on hold once I finished that due to an interest from a production studio who wanted to produce a pilot episode of my sitcom “Jason & Matthew”. The money they were requesting me to have was more than what I had, so I backed out of it and focused on “Super Sorcerer”.
Thinking back on my past two projects failing to raise any money, I decided that wasn’t going to work this time. I turned my pilot script into the first three chapters of “Super Sorcerer” the book series. This book was written in 2 weeks because once I get writing, I can’t stop.
At the core, this book is about a black gay superhero living in San Diego, California saving the lives of people in our world and others as the greatest and most powerful super-being the world has ever seen.
I self-published “Super Sorcerer” on Amazon in October 2019. I followed up with “Super Sorcerer & The Scorpion” in January 2020. Right now, I’m in the middle of writing the third book which is going to be the longest of the three which ties in the first book I ever began to write during my senior year, “The Hamata Kingdom”, which I plan to rewrite after I finish the fourth and final installment of the “Super Sorcerer” series. Also, I’m currently looking to turn the book into a comic book which will lead into either an animated series or television series. So, to anyone reading, if you or someone you know is interested in this project and would like to work with me on it, DM me on Instagram.
Where do you hope to take your creative talents and passions in the future?
I always hope to take my creative talents to new heights. I’m always looking to push myself and do better than what I’ve done. I’m always looking to learn and have my hand in every area surrounding what I do. I do hope I get to create my own streaming service for all my future film and television to have a home as well as open the door for anyone else to have a home for theirs.
Who are your biggest creative inspirations?
My biggest creative inspirations are Raven Symoné, Tyler Perry, Martin Lawrence, Gabrielle Union, KeKe Palmer, Eddie Murphy, Samuel L. Jackson, Issa Rae, Beyoncé because she’s Beyoncé, and J. August Richards. All of these people and more have inspired me as an actor, writer, a director, a creative thinker. They each possess qualities of determination and dedication and the love for what they do. I just want the same.
if you can share, What writing projects are you currently working on?
Aside from the third installment of the Super Sorcerer book series, I’m currently outlining a book idea for an music entertainer unlike any other. It’s an idea I’ve had in my head for years. I think that would be great as a mini-series as well.
What typeS of stories do you want to tell to the world with your writing?
I want to tell everyday stories from the lens of a black gay man. Whether that’s from the everyday life as a celebrity, a superhero, a struggling actor, working class, high class, homeless —— I want to tell it all. I want more black people in the LGBTQ community in the forefront of the camera or behind. I want to build that table so that we all have a seat to provide opportunities for ourselves in our own Hollywood and can tell our stories the right way.
You hear black people say all the time that other races take from black culture, but you know what they never mention? How everyone including blacks take from black LGBTQ culture. We gotta popularize something before black women run with it and then white women as well as other races run with it to mainstream media and it ends up in an episode of Insecure or Grown-ish. We’ve begun a lot of phrases and colloquials for people to run off with. We need to take that back.
