16 and Pregnant Creator Morgan J. Freeman On His Journey From Laguna Beach to Teenage Crisis
Of all the fathers in the first season, there was only one really, Tyler, who was able to be fully supportive of his girlfriend throughout her pregnancy. When you cast, how much are you casting the significant others compared to the girls?
It really stems from the girl and the truth of her situation. We don't decide, "Oh, her boyfriend or her family or friends don't work for the show." But if nobody wanted to be a part of it, then it's going to be hard to tell her story. We need that access, that willingness and we want that willingness to go across to the people that are emotionally involved. In the current season, the first few episodes have very similar dads who are not as present as the the girls wanted them to be. But we don't have any way of knowing how somebody is going to change, how somebody is going to wake up or not wake up. This first season opens with a lot of dads that really struggle and don't show up but it shifts around the middle of the season and you start to see some more dads like Tyler, who actually don't just talk about stepping up but actually do step up.
How much time do the camera crews actually spend with the mothers each week?
It really depends on how that story is unfolding. We don't embed for the entire time. We'll go out for two to four days every two to four weeks. It depends on what is happening to the girl in real life. We spend more time as labor is coming closer. We make sure that we are there because that's kind of the big transformational period into the birth and we make sure we are there for the first trip home and those first nights of sleeplessness. After that, we go back into two to four days every three to four weeks to track the first months of motherhood.
You were also a producer on Laguna Beach. After that show ended, did you make a concerted effort to find a grittier subject or was this just a project that came along?
I have worn a lot of different hats, from producing on Laguna Beach to writing and directing my own feature films. My first film won Sundance in '97. It's called Hurricane Streets, and it was a very strong social commentary about a teenager coming of age in New York City. So I have always had my eye on pro-social projects with messages and projects with a greater purpose. So when this came to me from MTV -- it was developed internally -- it was like a little bit of a dream come true. It gave me the opportunity to work in a teen realm for TV but first and foremost, it was the idea of getting the truth and getting a raw, unvarnished look at what's really going on with teen pregnancy. It was kind of a dream job.
You said you have directed, written and produced a lot of scripted projects too. Do you prefer working with actresses or real people?
I love both. It's a completely different process. Obviously working in scripted it's sort of the reverse. One is a documentary, where the story emerges in post and you get to see this journey that built itself. A lot of times, reality television exposes far more compelling characters and situations than anything I could have tried to write. You learn a lot about character, emotion and story development when you look at eight months of someone's life -- particularly when they are going through something transformational.
When will viewers get to see Maci, Farrah, Amber and Catelynn again?
I can tell you that are we currently shooting a second season of Teen Mom with the original four girls: Maci, Catelynn, Farrah and Amber.
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Man, Jennifer has slapped her husband so bad he is charging her on courts!
Awesome, Lady Gaga was awarded eight VMA awards last night. I'm extremely happy for her wins and I love that Born This Way tune she sang too!
i think that u have done a great job with the show.i watch the show 2 remind myself 2 not get pregnant at an early age i am only 13 years old i am not going 2 give my life up for somthing so serious as geting pregnant at 16 years old.u can email me at jgrady6585@gmail.com thank u.
i am 16 and pregnant.i would love to tell my story but i don't know how.
for morgan j freeman...u ever think that maybe ur shows may have the exact oppiste effect and that u may be untentionally be sending a msg for teens to go and get pregnannt so that they may hopefully be picked for ur show??
i have also heard that these girls get paid quiet a nice chunk of change...is this true??
and why dont u have ur msg about how teen pregnancy is 100% preventable be4 and after each commerical break, instead of just once throughout the hour??
you remember me joeys mom yolanda your show messed my familia up and now with all ths shit going what you nall did to me exposed alot of me for your fukn wallet can get fat hell no man i just relapsed i was clean for 9 months and then all these ppl doww talking me well iam a pill popper i said it proudly so fuk everybody who doubts me you came in my house wanting to let the world know wat i was battling and i did and now i fukn cant stand you i was raised in the barrio not like these others yall filmed and i lived a fuked up life yall dont know half the shit i been thru but im strong and now im on the crazy train again thanks alot morgan i hope you read this .
"It really starts with people who want to take a very challenging situation and turn it into a tool for communication, a tool to teach." Like the couple that got arrested for raising their child in human feces and maggots? Money and ratings...first and worry about the consequences later. Read the comment above mine. CREATE. Stop wasting your talents on this reality show garbage. Next time MTV calls...tell them to go scratch. Young girls probably idolize these 16 year old moms and will copy their every move. Unintended consequences? Who cares? Where is my check? Trash TV has one agenda...ratings=big money. Casting? Are you kidding me? MTV is GARBAGE.
Ok, I am really quite angry with the show because it is teaching kids the wrong doings and hard work of being a teen mom! But the problem is 12 YEAR OLD GIRLS ARE GETTING PREGNANT AT MY MIDDLE SCHOOL! I go to school in Florida and my middle school and high school are connected! There are at least 10 to 13 twelve year old girls who made a pregnancy pact and at least more than half of them are pregnant! They are only 12 to 13 years old! Because of these shows: 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom, they think it's cool to get pregnant because they want to he just like these other girls you put on tv! It is dreadful to think that girls are being out on tv to show how their stupidity in not having protected sex can get them somewhere and now since your show aired, the pregnancy level in my school has gone up! Don't believe me? I don't care, five girls in the high school got pregnant within the last two school years, and now 12 year old middle schoolers made a pregnancy pact and are pregnant! How does it make you feel to know that you are showing kids what you think will keep them from wanting to get pregnant, but is actually making them think it is a smart idea!?? In my opinion, it's stupid and I think that you should stop with the show! Thanks for helping kids believe its smart!
Seems to me that these shows are ruining the values that America once wore proudly. Reality TV is Not Reality Ladies! These Girls are being capitalized on they are rating whores. Its a sad time in our history when exploiting teen pregnancy is acceptable. Exploiting Children is what this show has done, the teen mom's and their babies. How is Jenells son Ever going to able to be a productive successful person? Why would he Ever want to partake in a society that has exploited him since day one, and that really goes for all the kids. You Fuel this girls drug addiction by paying, a Reward for being Stupid, A reward for getting knocked up at 16. What kinda society is this where people only live good if they sell themselves out.
My name is Ashley I am from Ohio. I was just wondering if u have thought or what u think about making a show for the woman who have been done wrong by their mothers. What I mean is my mother tried taking my babies from the time my oldest was born, I was 19. I was buying a home and my mother never stopped trying to take my babies and destroy me. She finally succeeded 12-18-2010 and I have completely lost it. I got pretty bad on drugs and lives in a tent, my car, at random peoples homes. The courts make it impossible for a mother to do anything. The courts said I was allowed to see my kids but the people who have my babies won't let me even tell them I love them. Taking away the only reason I had to succeed and try does not seen human. We'll maybe it's just too human, people enjoy hurting other people so how much more human could my life get. I have an apartment and I am trying but I can't get past this pain. Why can't good things happen for good people?
Mr Morgan,Ms Dolgen I am 66 years old,I can bring a hit to the big screen...16 and pregnant, THE MOVIE !!! Please contact me If interested...cecesopinion@gmail.com I live on Long Island N.Y. All the teenagers will go see it a message can reach so many Teenagers .
I really think it would be a hit !! It has happened to me... My story, a real girl in crisis ,1963... Help me also for closure,ME AGAIN CeCe !!!
I have a story of a real story in the 60's I'm 66 now. I've written you three times.. CeCe