On his way to an Oscars watch party, Donnie F. Wilson ('90) got the text. The Queen of Basketball, a film for which he served as one of the executive producers, had won the 2022 Academy Award in the documentary short category. But Wilson didn't want to tell anyone else since the category hadn't yet aired live.
"I was sitting in my car, and I was like, 'Oh my god,'" he says.
Now everyone knows. His inbox has blown up with messages of congratulations from friends and colleagues. For the radio, TV and film alum, the award is the culmination of a longtime pursuit of a dream for a career in filmmaking that began with determination and some bold risks.
Wilson grew up in Dallas and always has been a storyteller -- and a playwright at heart -- and so the radio, TV and film program at UNT seemed like a good fit.
After college, Wilson interned at WFAA and then took a job as a minority recruitment specialist with the National Marrow Donor Program, where he headed recruiting efforts of all minority groups to the national register for several years. But he was determined to go to Hollywood to become a filmmaker. Wilson's plan was to save $2,000 before he made the move. But one event after another kept getting in his way. He would get halfway toward his goal, but a ticket or a flat tire would set him back. Eventually, he realized he was starting to get comfortable with that.