Tyler Perry: The Secret to His Success

While last week's box office take of less than $20 million dollars for '30 Days of Night' was enough to beat Tyler Perry's 'Why Did I Get Married?' for the number one spot at the box office, media pundits are wondering how Tyler Perry managed to grab the number one spot in the first place, earning more than $20 million dollars during the opening weekend of his film. In addition, 'Why Did I Get Married?' has had less than a 50% drop off in revenue during its second week out, no small task in a business of fickle audiences. How has an African-American actor, writer, and producer who is not really a household name managed to pull such numbers?

Some have referred to Tyler Perry as 'Hollywood's best kept secret,' which strikes me as a funny tag for a person who's had a fan base for years through his plays. He was able to exploit that fan base for not only his first film, 'Diary of a Mad Black Woman,' but also for his second, 'Madea's Family Reunion.' Both of those films captured over $20 million at the box office, at a time when other films were expected to do better than them. Perry's films have grossed $145 million total so far.

Lionsgate Films, which backs Perry, knows a cash cow when it sees it, and they continue to produce Perry's films to much success with little marketing. When his most recent previous film, 'Daddy's Little Girls' failed to achieved the same numbers his other films have, the media was there to attack Perry and say that he's lost his touch. With 'Why Did I Get Married?' grabbing attention, this time from a wide audience, the press is in love with him again. But they just can't figure out how he does it.

What's the secret to his success? There really isn't one. One of the reasons Perry has been able to capture the attention of many, first in his plays and now in his movies, is that he creates what hasn't been pitched to the masses in slick, big-budget Hollywood films. Perry's movies instill family values, sometimes using words with religious sentiments. Perry is also a business man who knows how to capture markets that have gone under-served. Women tend to go to movies in droves if you give them what appeals to them. They want to see stories that they can relate to and men they can love. It also helps when you have actors who are also musicians like Janet Jackson and Jill Scott, that women identify with or even revere as icons. At a time when Hollywood seems to make mostly films for kids and young males, a Tyler Perry film is a rare movie that appeals to mature, modern women.

Starting as an actor and playwright, Perry is now a media force to reckon with. Not only is his TV show 'House of Payne' a hit on cable, but everything he produces seems to be working now for the big screen as well. A broader audience is starting to realize that.

'Why Did I Get Married?' is a universal film that appeals to all seeking the sensitive expression of human values regardless of what color the actors are on the screen.

Tyler Perry and Janet Jackson answer fans' questions on 'Unscripted':

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