Reach - Then Teach

Reach - Then Teach


Dear Hannah: LEarning - Crossing Paths (The Story of Tim Reid, New Millennium Studios, and The Spook Who Sat By The Door) (VIDEO)

March 31, 2024

[3-3-2017] A long time ago (1997) in Petersburg, VA (where my wife Keisha was born and raised), Tim and Daphne Maxwell Reid launched New Millennium Studios - a 15,000-square-foot full-service movie production studio on 60 acres of land ... land with a rich Civil War history. It was the only full-service movie production studio in the state of Virginia. Tim Reid (a native of Norfolk, VA) may be best known as "Ray" - Tia and Tamera's dad on the 1990's sitcom "Sister, Sister". He was also the star of the underrated, award-winning 1980's CBS sitcom "Frank's Place". Daphne Maxwell Reid was "Aunt Viv" (the second one) on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air". She was also on "Frank's Place". After me and Keisha married in March 2011, that Christmas holiday I took her to New Millennium Studios for their guided tour. We arrived and thought we were the only guests who signed up for our time slot. It turned out that we were the only 2 people in the studio besides Tim and Daphne. Daphne was our tour guide. This lady epitomizes style and elegant grace. She explained that the Steven Spielberg movie "Lincoln" had just wrapped up filming at New Millennium. That was part of the reason why it was so quiet during our visit. She took the time to tell us the history of the studio, the land it sat on, and the reality of the tough times they were enduring. Their vision was for New Millennium to become the centerpiece of a Virginia film community. The growth of their business in Virginia was hindered, though, by a lack of state-supported film production financial incentives. As she led us through their offices, I spotted Tim Reid at his desk and we made eye contact ...