This was a short film concept that had been brewing for several years.  The original concept involved a large budget, cast of fifteen, multiple locations. etc.

The concept is based on observations of many of my family members and their microaggressions whenever any family member experienced any type of individual success.  The range of acting out was usually influenced by alcohol. Several of my successful family members have had to deal with drinking issues. 

Unfortunately, the pandemic stopped all film production. 

As the pandemic slowed down the desire to create was difficult to suppress.   

We adapted the concept to the realities of filming during a pandemic.  A compressed concept, limit the location to one room, reduce the cast to three and the crew to six.  We limited the shooting days to four from the original twelve. Everyone was Covid tested every session.  The reality of close quarter shooting was developed and enforced.

CONCEPT:  

A bitter failed writer is tasked with completing her dead daughter's television treatment but first she has to overcome her demons related to the death of her daughter and husband, which she caused.

DESCRIPTION

A failed female writer has "that child", the child that is the sparkle of the world. The child that you know is destined for greatness.  The mother deals with her own failure with alcohol and undercutting her daughter's success. 

The daughter becomes a media star and much to her mother's chagrin. She lands the lead in a television show about kids her age. The show is called SCRUNCHIES. 

Unfortunately, the daughter never lives to see the show made because she dies in a DUI - her mother was the drunk driver. 

The film's focus is the pain, grief, and dealing with the memories as the grieving mother is offered the opportunity to complete the daughter's script.

This film could not have been made without the faith, patience and professionalism of the cast and crew. 

It played at a number of festivals including the Maryland Film Festival.   

Tori was my first exploration of my skills as a writer/director/ producer with a fully paid professional crew. I paid everyone out of my own funds. 

Concept:

Tori is an existentialist exercise in examining the juxtaposition of reality and fantasy as filtered by career expectations, exhaustion and inherent personal fears.

BACKGROUND

I wanted to examine the pressure that Black professional women feel internally.  I developed the concept after talking with numerous professional Black women and hearing the same refrain - that's it's a daily struggle in their professional life, but then they come home and sometimes the struggles are not easier at home. There is a loss of a safe space during the pursue of success.

I took that concern and converted it into the idea of a Black businesswoman, a world renown security expert, who realizes that her closest threat may be in her own bed. Leaning into a little David Lynch for tone and Rainer Werner Fassbender for concepts of personal isolation we developed the tone and aesthetic of the film.

This film played at over 20 festivals, winning acting and genre awards.  The film played at BronzeLens and the Maryland Film Festival. 

Sea Monster is a writing and directing collaboration between myself and Miceal O'Donnell, who I consider a mentor and friend. 

This was also my first attempt at anything related to the WTF genre. 

The film is a cautionary tale of be careful of what you ask for. 

CONCEPT:  

Two college students invite the big man on campus over based on his reputation. Afterward, they regret fining out why he is considered the BIG man on campus. This was my first experience with gross out humor and over the top visuals. 

Amazingly, this film got accepted into several festivals. 

SIDENOTE:  

I learned so much about efficient shooting from Miceal during this experience. From lighting set-ups to crew and cast management, the entire shoot was a short film 101 class. 

Lucid, written and directed by my good friend Travis Whitworth, was one of my best experiences working on someone else's set. 

I agreed to produce, assist with location and PA but Travis was the master teacher.  

Travis taught me lighting, shooting outdoors, and operation of the Blackmagic camera. 

CONCEPT: 

A paralyzed woman agrees to take a drug to induce a LUCID state where she can interact with her mother. 

This film won best Sci-Fi at the Baltimore International Black Film Festival.