North Texas Daily

For some people, the years spent in college can be some of the most challenging in life and can potentially act as a blueprint for the future.

Many students enter college wanting to go into a certain field, but by the time they leave, they find themselves in a field they never imagined. Integrative studies senior, TeVaun Scallion, is among the large number of students that find their path toward the end of their college careers.

Scallion, a former track athlete, entered college with hopes of one day receiving a job in video game design. As he neared the conclusion of his college track career, he was stuck at a crossroads. In August 2017, Scallion took his love for movies and television and turned it into a lifestyle.

“I’ve always loved movies and watching them, but it took me until [this past] August to get involved with them,” said Scallion.

In fall 2017, Scallion teamed up with integrative studies junior Malik Edwards to create “The Nice Guy,” a YouTube web series.

“We came up with the concept during homecoming week when we saw a video about ‘clout’ and how nice guys don’t get the credit for being nice,” said Scallion.

The show (without giving too much away) features roles played by current and former UNT students and centers around Roderick, a self-proclaimed “nice guy” in college who wants to break out of his “nice guy” shell to get the girl he wants. Edwards and Scallion used social media and word-of-mouth to get the word out about the show and casting.

“We made a schedule to shoot in late December over Christmas break right before school started, but [conflicting] schedules got in the way so we ended up shooting it right before school started,” Scallion said. “We forced everything in two weeks.”

UNT alumnus Corey Allen plays Jamal, Roderick’s total opposite best friend who wants him to finally step out of his comfort zone to get his dream girlfriend. Allen also spoke on the quick process of filming.

“We were very productive together at a fast pace, and TeVaun made sure we got everything done,” said Allen.

The Nice Guy’s first two episodes premiered at UNT’s Poetic Justice on Feb. 27, while the third was uploaded to YouTube March 13. The fourth episode is set to premiere later this month on YouTube, where the whole series will be posted. After less than a month of hitting the web, “The Nice Guy’s” first three episodes have a combined total of 893 views, which for a first-time series creator is “pretty impressive.”

The show dives deep into the different characters one might see on a college campus Hollywood doesn’t always portray on the big screen and television.

“We made sure the dialogue was easy to understand but at the same time was deep enough,” Scallion said.

“The Nice Guy” is a product of Scallion’s very own production company and clothing line, Walkin Skeleton. The name stems from a high school nickname.

Scallion’s goals for Walkin Skeleton is to one day produce its own movies and shows as an independent production company.

Edwards serves as the show’s screenwriter, associate producer and dabbles a bit into acting as well.

“We made some huge sacrifices,” Edwards said. “[It’s stuff like] shooting from 10 a.m. until midnight, redirecting scenes when people couldn’t make it and sometimes having to fill in with other people at times when people couldn’t make those scenes.”

The two used their own money and resources to film the show, but both agree they wouldn’t change anything and think of the show as a stepping stone for their future endeavors.

“I’m grateful for the cast and crew — they were amazing,” Edwards said. “They did it all for free. We fed them twice — they gave us their all. We appreciate every single person that was a part of it.”

Only three episodes into the series, Edwards and Scallion are prepping themselves for what’s next to come.

“I want to start a new project this summer — a short film,” Scallion said.

As a soon-to-be graduate, Scallion is beginning to prepare for a season of celebration, but he already has his eyes on the prize and knows exactly where he wants to be in the next few years.

“I plan to go and get my masters in film at either Texas Southern University or here at UNT,” Scallion said.

While Edwards has another year left at UNT, his post-graduation plan is to attend the University of Southern California’s film program for graduate school.

The film and television industry in the past few years has gone through a shift in terms of diversity. More and more directors, actors, producers and writers of color are creating stories that are relatable to members of their communities. Ryan Coolger, Ava DuVernay and Donald Glover are some of the big names Scallion looks up to for creating these stories.

“Seeing all of these African-American directors creating projects makes you think you can do it, too,” Scallion said. “All of the topics discussed in their projects are relatable and something you can connect with. That’s something I want to do.”

For many aspiring filmmakers and screenwriters, the hardest part is starting your project. The support may or may not be there, individuals could be lacking supplies or a formal crew, but Scallion and Edwards both prove that once you put yourself out there and make the necessary moves, the sky is the limit.

Featured Image: North Texas senior business marketing major, Tevaun Scallion, filming short series “The Nice Guy” at a nearby college apartment. Trevon McWilliams