It has been 6 years since the death of superstar Whitney Houston and yet director Kevin MacDonald somehow brings that stunning voice back to life in his documentary, “Whitney”.
On June 27th, the New York premiere of MacDonald’s Whitney took place at the Whitby Hotel. Producers and cousins Simon and Jonathan Chinn walked down the red carpet, cameras flashing, offering quick smiles to photographers. While Simon towers over nearly everyone in the room, Jonathan (though at least a foot shorter) carries himself with a confidence that diminishes the difference in heights between the cousins.
“I think what Kevin MacDonald’s process was, was to gather as much information, and he sort of saw this film as sort of like a mystery, and so he got as many clues as he could get and then zeroed in on the story he wanted to tell,” said Producer Jonathan Chinn of the film which took about two years to make.
Fans might remember that there was already a 2017 documentary released Houston’s life – Can I Be Me?, directed by Nick Broomfield.
“Whitney is very different: first of all it was a film that was authorized by the Whitney Houston estate, which allowed us to include a lot more of the music,” continued Jonathan Chinn. “It’s also a film that was told much more from the perspective of the people who were really close to her, and most importantly her family who we had access to. And so because of that it’s a more intimate film.”
Producer Simon Chinn agreed. “It’s a very different sort of film. We had access to things that they did not have access to. We had access to the family and through them we tell a quite different story. There were a number of sort of brand new things in the film. The fact that she was abused as a child by her aunt, is one among many revelations,” he said.
For Director Kevin MacDonald, nearly everything about Houston was a breakthrough. “I didn’t really know anything about Whitney before I started,” said MacDonald, a soft-spoken man with a hint of a Scottish accent.
MacDonald continued. “I got into it because I thought there was a mystery here. Who is this woman who had so much talent and yet who threw her beauty and talent and fame all away? And I thought, that’s a fascinating story, but it’s really a fascinating mystery. And I wanted to answer that mystery, so I did it by just talking to people I didn’t think the answer was going to be in other books or other things – there was so much rubbish written about Whitney, so much speculation. So the answer comes from those who knew her best.”
The film features interviews from those who knew Whitney best, her loved ones and friends. “We interviewed the closest family members first, Gary and Michael (her brothers), Pat (Houston), Aunt Bae (her close confidante and nanny to Bobbi Kristina). When those interviews came back, we knew we were on to something because they had a really intimate quality. We also interviewed Clive Davis,” said Simon Chinn.
Though incredibly active in the film through home footage, Whitney’s closest friend and confidante from childhood, Robyn Crawford was notably absent.
“We would have loved to interview Robyn Crawford. We were in discussion with her for a bit, but then she retreated. She is quite present in the film despite the fact that she didn’t sit for an interview. I think that fact that she didn’t sit for an interview took us in a different directions with the story,” said Simon Chinn.
Honesty and authenticity were important to MacDonald while collecting the interviews of those who did participate. “Through all my research – this is a very heavily researched film – all my research was interviewing people. So a lot of people ended up on the cutting room floor because they weren’t really willing, to tell the truth. I think even though we had the blessing of the family and making this film, it didn’t mean that it was necessarily easy getting people to really open up an be honest,” said MacDonald.
“I talked to 75 people who knew Whitney the best, her family, her friends, and I didn’t come across one person who had been a part of Can I Be Me. I think that indicates to you the kind of caliber of people they had talked to. And I think this is a film that tries to be honest and truthful.”
