In this powerful and insightful Boomerocity conversation, Randy Patterson sits down with acclaimed director and producer Paris Barclay alongside producers Stephanie Allain and Jeanne Elfant Festa to discuss their compelling new documentary, That’s The Way God Planned It.

Together, they explore the inspiration behind the film, the cultural and spiritual themes woven throughout, and why this story resonates so deeply — especially with audiences who have lived through decades of cultural change.

Barclay reflects on his journey through television and film, Allain shares her perspective on producing meaningful cinema, and Festa offers behind-the-scenes insight into bringing this powerful project to life.

This isn’t just a conversation about a documentary — it’s about faith, perseverance, artistic responsibility, and legacy.

For Boomerocity’s audience, this discussion connects the past to the present in a way that feels both timely and timeless.

About Paris Barclay, Stephanie Allain, and Jeanne Elfant Festa:

Paris Barclay (from his website)
Paris Barclay is one of television’s most successful and honored directors, having directed nearly 200 episodes of television, including episodes of NYPD BLUE, ER, THE WEST WING, LOST, THE GOOD WIFE, CSI, SONS OF ANARCHY, HOUSE, GLEE, IN TREATMENT, SCANDAL, EMPIRE, PITCH and STATION 19. He won two Emmy Awards for his direction of NYPD BLUE and has received eight additional Emmy nominations for producing and directing, including three for directing episodes of GLEE, one for THE WEST WING, and one for MONSTER: THE JEFFREY DAHMER STORY. Paris is one of only a handful of directors in Emmy history to receive nominations in every directing category –drama, comedy, and limited series.

Paris has also garnered ten Directors Guild nominations (for shows as diverse as IN TREATMENT, WEEDS, HOUSE, as well as GLEE and THE WEST WING), winning once for NYPD BLUE. He also became the first Director in the history of the Guild to receive a comedy and drama nomination in the same year, two years in a row (2008 & 2009). He’s received three NAACP Image Awards, for producing, co-creating, and directing CITY OF ANGELS, and for directing COLD CASE and SMASH. In 2014, the NAACP inducted Paris into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame, joining such luminaries as Sidney Poitier, Oprah Winfrey, and Gordon Parks.
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He directed the feature film (and cult favorite) DON’T BE A MENACE TO SOUTH CENTRAL WHILE DRINKING YOUR JUICE IN THE HOOD, as well as telefilms THE CHEROKEE KID (a western for HBO starring Sinbad, James Coburn and Burt Reynolds) and THE BIG TIME (a drama for TNT with Christina Hendricks, Molly Ringwald, and Christopher Lloyd.)
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Paris has been recognized as a writer as well, receiving a WGA and Humanitas Prize nomination for his MTV telefilm (with Dustin Lance Black) PEDRO. He’s shared two other Humanitas Prizes, and four prestigious Peabody Awards. He co-created and wrote for the series CITY OF ANGELS (which ran for 2 years on CBS), as well as co-wrote and directed the pilot HATE for Showtime.
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Along with all this, Paris directed the pilot and served as executive producer for the first four seasons of STATION 19. Then in 2021, Paris directed two episodes of the Emmy Award–winning Netflix series MONSTER: THE JEFFREY DAHMMER STORY. He also reteamed with Ryan Murphy on the following shows: THE WATCHER, AMERICAN HORROR STORY, AMERICAN SPORTS STORY: AARON HERNANDEZ, MONSTERS: THE ERIK AND LYLE MENENDEZ STORY, and DOCTOR ODYSSEY – which he directed the pilot of and executive produced.
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In 2025, Paris shot two episodes of Season 3 of Shawn Ryan’s hit Netflix series, THE NIGHT AGENT, and followed that up by directing the twisty drama BRILLIANT MINDS for NBC.
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Paris also completed the feature documentary BILLY PRESTON: THAT'S THE WAY GOD PLANNED IT, which explores the life of the iconic keyboard and recording artist Billy Preston. The film premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival and DOC NYC, and will be released in theaters in February of 2026.
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Paris got his start in advertising, working as a copywriter and creative director, and then segued into directing music videos for some of music’s biggest stars, such as: Bob Dylan, Janet Jackson, and LL Cool J. He directed the iconic music video “Mama Said Knock You Out,” winning awards from MTV and Billboard – and a Grammy for LL Cool J.
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A DGA member since 1992, Barclay was the first African-American and the first openly gay President in the Guild’s history. In addition to his two terms as President of the Guild, he was named an Honorary Life Member of the DGA in 2021, one of the Guild’s highest honors, recognizing his career achievements and leadership in the industry.

Paris has said: “What’s the point of any success if you don’t give back?”Paris has also garnered ten Directors Guild nominations (for shows as diverse as IN TREATMENT, WEEDS, HOUSE, as well as GLEE and THE WEST WING), winning once for NYPD BLUE. He also became the first Director in the history of the Guild to receive a comedy and drama nomination in the same year, two years in a row (2008 & 2009). He’s received three NAACP Image Awards, for producing, co-creating, and directing CITY OF ANGELS, and for directing COLD CASE and SMASH. In 2014, the NAACP inducted Paris into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame, joining such luminaries as Sidney Poitier, Oprah Winfrey, and Gordon Parks.
​
He directed the feature film (and cult favorite) DON’T BE A MENACE TO SOUTH CENTRAL WHILE DRINKING YOUR JUICE IN THE HOOD, as well as telefilms THE CHEROKEE KID (a western for HBO starring Sinbad, James Coburn and Burt Reynolds) and THE BIG TIME (a drama for TNT with Christina Hendricks, Molly Ringwald, and Christopher Lloyd.)
​
Paris has been recognized as a writer as well, receiving a WGA and Humanitas Prize nomination for his MTV telefilm (with Dustin Lance Black) PEDRO. He’s shared two other Humanitas Prizes, and four prestigious Peabody Awards. He co-created and wrote for the series CITY OF ANGELS (which ran for 2 years on CBS), as well as co-wrote and directed the pilot HATE for Showtime.
​
Along with all this, Paris directed the pilot and served as executive producer for the first four seasons of STATION 19. Then in 2021, Paris directed two episodes of the Emmy Award–winning Netflix series MONSTER: THE JEFFREY DAHMMER STORY. He also reteamed with Ryan Murphy on the following shows: THE WATCHER, AMERICAN HORROR STORY, AMERICAN SPORTS STORY: AARON HERNANDEZ, MONSTERS: THE ERIK AND LYLE MENENDEZ STORY, and DOCTOR ODYSSEY – which he directed the pilot of and executive produced.
​
In 2025, Paris shot two episodes of Season 3 of Shawn Ryan’s hit Netflix series, THE NIGHT AGENT, and followed that up by directing the twisty drama BRILLIANT MINDS for NBC.
​
Paris also completed the feature documentary BILLY PRESTON: THAT'S THE WAY GOD PLANNED IT, which explores the life of the iconic keyboard and recording artist Billy Preston. The film premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival and DOC NYC, and will be released in theaters in February of 2026.
​
Paris got his start in advertising, working as a copywriter and creative director, and then segued into directing music videos for some of music’s biggest stars, such as: Bob Dylan, Janet Jackson, and LL Cool J. He directed the iconic music video “Mama Said Knock You Out,” winning awards from MTV and Billboard – and a Grammy for LL Cool J.
​
A DGA member since 1992, Barclay was the first African-American and the first openly gay President in the Guild’s history. In addition to his two terms as President of the Guild, he was named an Honorary Life Member of the DGA in 2021, one of the Guild’s highest honors, recognizing his career achievements and leadership in the industry.

Paris has said: “What’s the point of any success if you don’t give back?”

Stephanie Allain (from her studio's website)
Stephanie Allain’s Homegrown Pictures is a film and television production company dedicated to creating content by and about women and people of color with authentic stories, depictions and representation. Allain, who made history in 2020 when she became the first Black woman to produce the Academy Awards (for which she was Emmy-nominated), has produced Hustle & Flow, Something New, Peeples, Beyond The Lights, Dear White People, French Dirty, Burning Sands, Juanita and Really Love. Her films have been nominated for numerous awards with wins from Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, Film Independent Spirit Awards, NAACP and others. In television she executive produced four seasons of Justin Simien’s Netflix series, Dear White People, and is currently in production on her first documentary Untitled Billy Preston. Her first book, I’M IN CHARGE! was acquired in an auction by Candlewick Press. The picture book, slated to be published in Spring 2024, models for children how they can take charge of their bodies, voices and choices.

Jeanne Elfant Festa (from her company's website)
Jeanne Elfant Festa is the Co-President and Partner at White Horse Pictures, responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company’s creative content, production, and development.

She has produced Emmy-winning films three years in a row: THE APOLLO, directed by Roger Ross Williams, THE BEE GEES: HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART, directed by Frank Marshall and LUCY AND DESI, directed by Amy Poehler.

Before joining the White Horse Pictures creative producing team, she operated her own production company, Piper Cub Productions. With Piper Cub Productions, she had a first look deal with Exclusive Media and joined forces there with Nigel Sinclair, executive producing the Grammy-winning documentary FOO FIGHTERS: BACK AND FORTH, directed by James Moll.

Since joining White Horse Pictures, she has served on the producing team for the Grammy & Emmy-winning, and BAFTA-nominated THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK - THE TOURING YEARS, directed by Ron Howard and his Imagine Entertainment. She also produced the critically acclaimed PAVAROTTI, also directed by Ron Howard. Jeanne produced the Emmy-winning, IDA & NAACP-nominated and Oscar-shortlisted THE APOLLO, directed by Oscar-winning director Roger Ross Williams. She also produced six-time Emmy-nominated, & multi-Emmy-winning, THE BEE GEES: HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART,

directed by Frank Marshall of Kennedy/Marshall. Jeanne produced, with Amy Poehler’s Paper Kite, the six-time Emmy-nominated & multi-Emmy-winning, Hollywood Critics Association Television-winning, as well as Critics Choice, PGA, WGA, and Peabody-nominated, LUCY AND DESI. Jeanne is one of the producers of the Emmy-nominated, THE BEACH BOYS directed by Frank Marshall of Kennedy/Marshall. Jeanne is a co-producer of the multi-Emmy- nominated STAX: SOULSVILLE, U.S.A. directed by Jamila Wignot. Jeanne is also an executive producer on an upcoming documentary about LILITH FAIR, directed by Ally Pankiw and produced by Dan Levy. She also produced, alongside PGA President Stephanie Allain and her company Homegrown Pictures, BILLY PRESTON: THAT’S THE WAY GOD PLANNED IT directed by Emmy-winning director Paris Barclay. Jeanne is a producer on a feature film about KEITH MOON, the eccentric drummer of The Who, and she is also producing a number of other not yet announced high-end documentaries and projects now on White Horse Pictures’ slate.

She serves on the board of Step Up a nation-wide non-profit organization that propels girls living or going to school in under-resourced communities to fulfill their potential by empowering them to become confident, college-bound, career-focused, and ready to join the next generation of professional women.

Paris Barclay, Stephanie Allain & Jeanne Elfant Festa: The Boomerocity Interview

The Trailer For "That's The Way God Planned It"