THE MOGUL MINUTE: ZOOM INTO THE WORLD OF SHELDON CANDIS (INTERVIEW WITH THE MOGUL GIRL)

Sheldon Candis on set of "LUV" with star of the film Common

Filmmakers are designed to bring movies and videos to life. Their job is to tell a story whether fiction or facts. Baltimore raised filmmaker Sheldon Candis (now L.A based) has used his child hood love for movies to bring forth a reality through film and music videos. With skill, hard work, and passion Sheldon has reached new heights and plans to keep climbing higher. Now it's time to adjust our focus to his world. Are you ready to zoom in ?


1.) The Mogul Girl: What do you want viewers of your productions to gain from your work?

Sheldon Candis : I believe that I not only have an duty to 'entertain' but also to 'educate'. Every time I make a film I want to have your attention. I want for audiences to have an emotional experience and feel some geninue within the human condition. To state it simply. I'm always digging into the 'heart of the matter'. I'm a very emotional guy. I fortunately and unfortuantely experienced a lot of emotionally mature things in childhood growing up in Baltimore.


2.) The Mogul Girl : Is there anything special that inspired you to become a director/producer/actor?

Sheldon Candis: I'm always trying to find myself back to 'Sundays in Baltimore' when my dad would faithfully take us to watch movies in the inner harbor. I fell in love with cinema at a very young age, but also had my heart broken when my parents relationship ended.
Watching my mom and dad be these two passionately in love people and for it all to end to before my tenth birthdate had a profound affect on my heart.
Also, there was nothing like the feeling Spike Lee movies gave me growing up along with seeing Boyz N The Hood for the first time. I'm a big film nerd, so Steven Spielberg is my hero. David Cronenberg's The Fly changed my life. I had no business seeing that at 9 years old, but thank God I did!

3.) The Mogul Girl: If you could've directed any movie from the past what would it be and why?

Sheldon Candis: Not sure I would want to direct any movies that have already been made. Here's two great ideas. Let me direct the Michael Jackson bio-pic and the Tupac bio-pic. Tupac was from Baltimore people! Please believe me!



4.) The Mogul Girl : You directed J.Cole's video "Crooked Smile" video which is dedicated to 7 year old Aiyana Stanley Jones whom was murdered by the SWAT Team of Detroit. What is your stance on the constant murders of minorities by police?

Sheldon Candis : Black Lives Matter. All Lives Matter. It continues to be a sad time in America. But the light will always outreach the dark. Change is coming. May be slow. But the tide will shift. The People are awake. The young generation is no longer passive in their spirit. They are speaking out. I believe the good spirit of mankind will win.

I can't bring Aiyana Stanley Jones back. But I can make a film that makes her light shine forever. Her spirit guided Crooked Smile. Her mother's prayers sent an energy. The energy of the universe - God was present on that film set. Love to the freedom fighting J.Cole.

5.) The Mogul Girl: As a man in the entertainment business, what is your advice to young men whom want to pursue acting,directing, producing?

Sheldon Candis : Don't stop studying. Be patient. Rome wasn't built overnight. Michael Jordan wasn't great immediately. Be a constant student of your craft. Your moment will come. I came to Hollywood in 1999. LUV premiered at Sundance in 2012. Read Malcolm Gladwell's the '10,000 Hours'.

6.) The Mogul Girl : Do you have an all time favorite song
or album?


Sheldon Candis : OFF THE WALL. Album & Song. Hands down.

7.) The Mogul Girl : Do you have any new projects on the way?
Sheldon Candis : ESPN 30 for 30 on the greatest high school basketball team ever the struggles of a beautiful American city - Baltimore in the early 1980's and the Dunbar Poets. A 5'3" phenom named Muggsy Bogues doing the impossible.
Writing Throw Like Mo - Mo'ne Davis bio-pic for Disney and ESPNW. We've never witnessed anything like her. Groundbreaker.

8.)The Mogul Girl : Is there anything special you want The Mogul Minute readers and the world to know about you?

Sheldon Candis : I'm left handed. I used to literally think I was Michael Jackson as a kid. I used think he could be two places at once. He was somewhere and I was at the other. Ask my mom. I really believed I was MJ!


9.) The Mogul Girl : What advice have you recieved throughout the years that has kept you motivated and strong?

Sheldon Candis : No matter how hard the horse bucks you, don't let go... it can be dragging you through the mud... DON'T LET GO!'
Desire for anything good in the heart is God's confirmation to you that it's yours beforehand.' -Denzel Washington


10.) The Mogul Girl :The moment your film LUV was complete and you watched it in its entirety, what we're you thinking ?

Sheldon Candis : Very emotional experience. So many many years just believe that it wasn't 'if' but only 'when'. Life in LA has not been easy. It's the beautiful struggle. Once I finished the film, my soul was on fire - It can never been taken from me. It exist. My dream is alive. USC Film School can be proud. Baltimore be proud. My family can celebrate. I was never supposed to survive Baltimore. I remember a CNN report once that said, 'The Baltimore inner city young black male life expectancy was age 16 during my childhood.'
This dark proclamation galvinzed my being. I vowed to myself and prayed in the sky, staring at the sun. God please make the exception to what has been spoken.

Appreciate you Shayna. Thank you for your spirit.

Godspeed to those who believe in the impossible.

Sheldon and Michael Rainey Jr. star of "LUV"

Instagram : http://instagram.com/sheldoncandis
Twitter : www.Twitter.com/SheldonCandis
www.Twitter.Com/SheldonCandis



I wish Sheldon Candis continued success and many blessings . Thank you for using your gift to entertain and educate. You are appreciated.