Preston A. Whitmore II
| Preston Whitmore | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Preston A. Whitmore, II June 26, 1962 Detroit, Michigan, United States |
| Occupation | Writer, producer, director |
| Notable work |
This Christmas (2007) Doing Hard Time (2004) Fled (1996) |
Preston Alexander Whitmore II (born June 26, 1962) is an American film director, film producer, and screenwriter. Preston Whitmore is best known for his 2007 comedy-drama This Christmas. The film garnered Preston an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Directing in 2008. Whitmore has a number of television and feature film projects in development at his Los Angeles based production company, The Preston Picture Company.
Whitmore was born in 1962 in Detroit, the third and youngest child of Shirley and Preston Alexander Whitmore, Sr. After dropping out of high school, he enlisted in the Marine Corps where he acquired his GED and began taking college courses focusing on law enforcement and criminal procedure. Upon being meritoriously promoted to Corporal and after being honorably discharged from the Marines, he settled in California, went to Los Angeles City College, where he received his associate degree in Arts. He subsequently transferred to California State University, Northridge where he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in political science. After graduating from CSUN, Whitmore attended the University of Laverne School of Law, where he began developing his skill as a writer, winning the esteemed American Jurisprudence Award.
Whitmore entered the entertainment industry first as a rapper and lyricist for Brian and Eddie Holland of Motown fame. He turned his attention to screenwriting when Motown lyricist and recording artist, Angelo Bond, told him his stories were too big for a three-minute song. Following Bond's advice, Whitmore made two short films, This End of The Couch, starring Lewis Dix, Charles Holman and comic genius Reynaldo Rey and No Reply starring Giancarlo Esposito and Darryl Sivad. Whitmore later established himself as one of the entertainment industry's most prolific writers, having sold a number of high-profile spec scripts and was named by Fade-In Magazine one of Hollywood's Hottest Young Writers.
Whitmore made his filmmaking debut by writing and directing The Walking Dead (1995), chronicling the lives and mission of four African American soldiers in Vietnam. He was inspired to make this film after having served in the Marine Corp. It starred Allen Payne, Eddie Griffin, Joe Morton, Vonte Sweet, and Bernie Mac. Thereafter he wrote and executive produced Fled (1996), an action picture starring Laurence Fishburne and Stephen Baldwin as two prisoners on the lam to find a hidden cache of cash and incriminating computer evidence that would bring down the Cuban Mafia.
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