A Conceptual Film Idea based on the album 'DONUTS' by J. Dilla. By Adam Wickens

1. DONUTS
A CONCEPTUAL FILM IDEA BY ADAM WICKENS

2. CONCEPT
To create a film based around
J.Dilla's Final Album 'DONUTS'.
Incorporating the way Dilla
represents life and death into
cinematic short stories that reflect
the emotive atmospheres he creates
within each individual track.
Mainly focused on editing
techniques, camera work and
storytelling techniques. The aim is to
incapsulate and represent important
aspects of LIFE. An insight on the
way we live and oneness.

3. INSIGHT
J. Dilla (James Dewitt Yancey) is
considered to be one of the greatest
Hip-Hop Producers of all time. With his
extensive knowledge of music, his
incredible beat making abilities, his
rapping capabilities and his talent as a
DJ it was a sad day for music when he
passed away.
J Dilla died on February 10, 2006, three
days after his 32nd birthday and the
release of his final album Donuts. J Dilla
had been diagnosed with an incurable
blood disease TTP in 2002 and he had
also been diagnosed with lupus
previously.

4. INSIGHT
According to close friend and fellow
producer Karriem Riggins the
impetus for Donuts came during an
extended hospital stay in the
summer of 2005. Dilla's friends from
the L.A.-based indie label Stones
Throw came to visit and brought him
a Boss SP-303 sampler and a small
45 record player so he could make
music while in the hospital. Dilla
completed 29 of the 31 songs on
donuts while still in the hospital.
The donut is perhaps a
representation of J.Dilla's down to
earth attitude towards life and death
or the circle of life.

5. INSPIRATION
Dilla was considered a genius my many of his
peers and collaborators. These included big
names in hip-hop including as Common, Pete
Rock, Pharoahe Monche, Q-Tip, Busta
Rhymes, The Pharcyde and many more.
Donuts is seen by many a J.Dillas finest work.
A concept album that captured and sampled
his thoughts and feelings while he was on his
deathbed.
People believe that by putting 31 tracks on this
album and releasing it on his 32nd birthday
was no coincidence. Meaning, maybe he didn't
believe he was going to live to see 32, so he
ended the album on 31, the age he thought
he'd be concluding his life on.

6. INSPIRATION
“I feel that certain samples and song titles used and just Jay's whole overall approach
with Donuts proves that he knew he wasn't long for this world and that this was the
album he wanted to release as his last goodbye. Titles like "Don't Cry", "Last Donut Of
The Night", "Bye", "Time: The Donut Of The Heart", and so on. It seems almost every
lyric sample used on this album he used as a voice to his final thoughts on his life and
death. A few examples -
"Save me" - Workinonit
"You're gonna need me one day, you're gonna want me back in your arms" - Stop
"There comes a time" - Time: The Donut Of The Heart
"People the time has come" - People
"It's alright, oh I'll get over it baby" - Dilla Says Go
"Don't ever say" - Bye (the lyric and the song title put together turns into "Don't ever say
bye")
"I give to you" - Last Donut Of The Night (again, combine the lyric with the song title and
you get "Last donut I give to you" which leads into the final song of the album)”

7. OUTLINE
With a fragmented structure, each track on
the album will have it's own personal short
story that will reflect the tone and emotion
within the song itself. Focusing on rather
imagery and action rather than dialogue,
this gives the opportunity for more people
to apply their own creative input based on
what they can hear within each song. By
having a number of writers each working on
different tracks if gives a great chance for
collaboration, whilst also allowing room for
each writer to express themselves
individually.
With a strong camera crew and a
passionate team working on pre-production
I believe this film has the potential to
showcase a range of talents and provide
strong links for the future.

8. IDEAS
The underlying theme for the project will
be life and death. Using personal
experience to tell the story of mortality.
PRELIMINARY THEME IDEAS: age,
love, luck, hope, death, beauty, deep
emotion, representation, challenges,
mortality.
If a group of people create a collage of
images and inspiration for each
individual track, the writers will have a
visual guide that they can base the
stories around.

9. EXAMPLE
J DILLA – DON'T CRY

10. EXAMPLE
J DILLA - PEOPLE

11. EXAMPLE
J DILLA – TWO CAN WIN

12. NEXT STEPS
Once a preliminary team has been
finalised, the next step will be creating
visual storyboards and to begin writing
each short film.
Everything that you have seen in this
presentation has NOT been finalised. I
am open to any suggestions and ideas.
With a dedicated team, I believe that this
could be a very promising project that
has a lot to offer its participants
I highly recommend listening to the
album.

13. THANK YOU