TOP brass and international award-winning film Director Will Harper is in town with his Negrense wife, Jane, and daughter Shakira Althea, who settled in Bacolod City for a while due to the pandemic.
Harper is a known International filmmaker that has produced and directed shows of Oprah Winfrey, actor Clint Eastwood, Lenny Kravitz, Jamie Foxx and for studios such as Warner Bros, Disney, Paramount, Universal, ABC, CBS, ESPN, Leo Burnett, and others.
He earned a unique and diverse repertoire of skills from his experience working in major studios to independent projects worldwide.
Harper also directed and wrote Sensitive and in Love (2020), Warrior (2002), and Sensitive Lovers: a deeper look into their relationships (2020); the Sensitive Untold Story, which is a top 30 documentary in Amazon Prime Video, Apple TVIMDb TV, Gaia, and Tubi.
He has been lucky to go around the world and worked with former African president Nelson Mandella, Prince Charles, American Minister Martin Luther King, Jr.
Harper's extensive experience includes every aspect of production from inception to completion, and his ability to combine compelling storytelling with visually stimulating images, have established him as one of the most comprehensive producers and directors in show business.
He received an Emmy Award for creating original children's programming for Westinghouse.
This writer met the Harper couple in Bacolod City and shared inspiring stories.
Will said he is highly receptive to the noise and energy that surrounds him, but he also loves to listen to music, being a degree holder in music.
He likes surfing on the beach as a native of Monterey, California, near Santa Cruz, the surf capital of the United States.
Will was recognized then as among the first African-American surfers in Northern California.
He was schooled as a music major at San Francisco State University in San Francisco, California. He plays flute, saxophone, and woodwinds.
When he came to the Philippines with his wife, he met several prominent personalities like director Kitchie Benedicto, Gina Lopez, actor Eddie Garcia, and Senator Manny Pacquiao.
“I cannot forget these fantastic personalities who have indelible marks of magnanimity in society,” he said.
He joins the cause of the late Gina Lopez, who condemns illegal activities that destroy the environment.
At the same time, he also empathized with those vulnerable people who were used to harming the environment while they gain because they didn't do it to satisfy a mere addiction; they did it for their families to survive.
Gina Lopez gave those people an alternative livelihood when she was DENR Secretary. And those people were so happy.
They felt better about themselves, and they were already earning through legal means. And their face looks great. Gina Lopez recreated the lives of Filipino farmers, fishers, and others innocently used by other people who have the selfish interest of harming the environment.
Gina was a Mother Teresa of the Philippines. A priest once said that Gina burned fast because she lived so high in helping others. You can either burn through life fast, or you can slow. But she inspired so many people like me, my wife, and others in her genuine cause for the environment.
Gina Lopez has a book entitled the "G Diaries" that chronicled her works, hopes, and how she gave back to the people. She is a real gladiator of the Philippines, with her words as her weapon.
Being a citizen of the world, he likes genuine people who deeply care for the environment. Humans are part of the environment. Therefore we must take care of the environment.
She will be part of the Heroes Award for people who do good to others around the world. Gina did great things that indeed helped the voiceless.
Meanwhile, Will is simply living with his family. His prolific life in filmmaking, creative writing, music, and other digital and content productions still holds a bigger space in his heart.