Let’s face it, prostitution is a touchy subject, no matter the time of the year.  And because of that, I get asked a LOT of questions, mainly, “DeAara, what made you write a story about prostitution?” 

So I’ve put together the most frequent questions I have been asked at screenings and from people I meet on the street.  If you want to know anything else, please don’t hesitate to send me an email.

1. Question: What made you write a movie about prostitutes?
   
   Answer:  Well, I first became interested in the subject when I went to a karaoke bar and heard the song “Fancy” by Reba McEntire.  That was the first time I ever heard the subject of prostitution told in such a bold, unapologetic, multi-layered way and from a woman’s perspective, it really fascinated me.
   
   
   I revisited the idea when one morning when I was working at WREG (a CBS affiliate) and I saw a story about an undercover prostitution sting.  As they were arresting the women, they kept referring to them as “prostitutes” which I found annoying.  However, I became curious as to why a woman would choose this way of life and instantly I thought it would be a great idea to write about.
   


2. Question: Are any of the characters based on real women?
   
   Answer:  The characters were a combination of women that I have known and experiences that they have gone through.  I did talk to women that currently work as prostitutes or worked as prostitutes in their past and I was able to write from a more knowledgeable point of view.  Also, I used a lot of other personal experiences as well that didn’t relate directly to prostitution.
   


3. Question: As you stated above, this movie takes a very non-judgmental, bold and unapologetic look at the lives of prostitutes, why? Do you support prostitution?
   
   Answer:  When I spoke to women who were trying to survive and feed their families by prostitution, their attitude was bold and unapologetic.  No one could tell them anything they hadn’t already heard before and a lot of these women are just as ruthless as the “predator” men they are warned about it.  I have talked to very few women who thought of themselves as victims, weak or helpless and I really wanted to represent that in the film.
   
   
   So with mentioning that, I do not support prostitution.  I do, however,  support personal freedom of choice. And since I have not lived that person’s life I have no right to tell them how to live their life.
    
   
4. Question: Is any of this based on your personal life? Were you once a prostitute?
   
   Answer: No, I have never been a prostitute and in spite of this recession, still will not go that route. I do however know what it feels like to be rejected, to be torn between two people I love, to have a secret and want to reveal it to someone I love, but just don’t know how – all of these themes were addressed in “Tricks” and none of them have anything to do with prostitution.
   
   
5. Question: Why are you taking a self-distribution route to “Tricks”? Isn’t it easier to go with a distributor?
   
   Answer: Honestly, I was inspired by Peter Broderick.  After speaking with him, reading his posts and talking with other filmmakers about how dissatisfied they are with their distribution deals, I decided to initially self-distribute. I have had more doors “politely” closed in my face because of the subject matter, the fact that this film was made out of Hollywood, and there are stars in it.
   
   I’ve even had to deal with a publicist take my money, pull out of the deal six days before the premiere and not refund me all of my money; and until this day, they are still avoiding my phone calls and emails (Email me if you would like their names).  So my team and I reached the point where we decided to do this ourselves because no one believed in this like we do and no one was going to promote this like we would.
   
   I am still very open and actively working on seeking a distribution deal, but it has to be on terms that work for me as well as them. It has to be a true win-win situation.
   
   
6. Question: Why did you name your company Drama Queen Entertainment?
   
   Answer: Drama Queen is actually my way of taking a stand against dream vampires.  So many times in my life, I was called a Drama Queen or Showoff because I was outgoing, outspoken, marched to a different drummer and loved to perform. For a while, it dimmed my light and aliveness, I became so concerned with what people thought that I basically numbed myself.
   
   I played it cool when I felt like being goofy. I softly smiled when I felt like loudly laughing. I had on my game face when I felt like saying exactly how I felt – and I was completely miserable. So when I produced, “The Forgotten Ones”, I decided to name my company Drama Queen as a way of stating that my aliveness and light was back in full effect and wasn’t going anywhere ever again.
   


7. Question: What’s next for DeAara Lewis and Drama Queen Entertainment?
   
   Answer: I am working on a lot of projects now.  After the “Tricks” campaign, I will be promoting my nephew, Royal T.’s, debut album.  He is a very talented lyricist and music producer.  You can hear a large amount of his work as a music scorer in “Tricks” and as music producer on the soundtrack. So be sure to check it out.
   
   After that, I am producing a horror/suspense film based off of a ghost story my late aunt use to tell us when we were children.  My sister, Deneka Lashea, will be producing the music for that as well as debuting her album in the next year as well.
   
   Lastly, there is a screenplay in the works tentatively titled “Who the Hell is Niki Love?”  It’s a semi-autobiographical comedy, drama about the extreme behaviors and feelings women go through to be accepted by men.