all abroad!: the "yo i'm making films" train

who:  ava duvernay. writer/director/producer. credits: i will follow, middle of nowhere, the door
what:  keynote filmmaker speech
when:  2013 film independent forum (october 27, 2013)
where:  los angeles, ca
why:  film independent organizes a networking weekend for filmmakers to meet other filmmakers at various stages in their journey. the keynote speeches are usually a big highlight.

all of that energy, all of that focus on trying to extract from other people, is preventing you from doing.
- ava duvernay

i wanna be on this train. 2014 inspiration.
if filmmaking isn't your thing, this speech is still worthwhile. it applies to anything worth pursuing (career, relationship, etc). the message is all the same.

merry christmas 2013

i worked on a special project called "the tale of the emergency landing at christmastime." it's a radio play written by playwright tyler grimes who's currently working, creating and collaborating with the distilled theatre company here in new york city. i derived a warm amount of joy working on this. (1) it's my first radio play. i appreciated the challenge of bringing a story to life without having the usual tools at my disposal to employ. there's only voice, imagination, emotions and listening. (2) this play contains all the magic you hope the holiday will bring but it also touches on the feelings of frustration, cynicism, sadness, and complexity of family that can be present during this time of year.

i hope for you to have your own miracle this season and going into the new year.
the download is free, a gift to you.

http://dtc-radio.podomatic.com

a picture is worth a thousand words

actress lupita nyongo

quote unquote

well-behaved women seldom make history.

- laurel thatcher ulrich

dutch kills

last friday night, i had the pleasure of attending a screening for a film i worked on. "dutch kills" is about a guy who's released from prison only to be pulled back into one last gig. the special things about working on this film are (1) it is a completed project and will be submitted to film festivals, meaning people will see it and hopefully connect with it in some way. and (2) the process by which this film was made is nothing short of inspiring. written and produced by a group of friends, it started out as an idea. pen was put to paper, friends were reached out to for support, these friends and friends of friends were cast, money was raised through a crowd-funding campaign, the project was shot, and the post-production process was endured. and now there's a living, breathing movie. there are so many stages to completing a film that allow for slim to none short cuts. i'm always amazed by those who commit to the process, taking it day-by-day and overcoming the inevitable challenges that present themselves. beyond inspiring.

congrats to tama filianga, r.l. mann, joseph mazzella, and liam leguillou for your talent, hard work and dedication. thank you to rotimi paul for bringing me to the project and lodric collins for your unwavering support.

here's the official trailer for the project:

beysus lives!

beyoncé: the visual album

what a model of inspiration we have in beyoncé. for any type of artist and we're all artists. even if your art is nothing more than the way in which you choose to live your life. we are all creators, and we create all the time. even when we are inactive, or scared, or negative, or down-trodden, we are creating that experience. one of the greatest gifts is to co-create with the universe through our choices and actions. 

this year alone, beyoncé performed at the 2nd inauguration for barack obama, gave an electric performance at the superbowl, released an intimate self-directed documentary on her life, embarked on a sensational international tour with her baby girl in tow, and just today released a visual album containing 14 songs and 17 videos. when does this woman sleep, or eat, or just "be?!" i/we are not working hard enough! :)

#artistry #grace #humility #dedication

sunset baby

this post won't do this play justice. "sunset baby" is a play written by dominique morisseau about a young woman who manages to pick up the pieces of her life after her mother passes away and her father comes looking for her collection of letters written to him. the young woman is caught in the middle of her parents' dreams, choices and work as revolutionists.

the subject matter, the language, the history, the emotional pain, the family, the lack thereof, the scars...was palpable. and that's putting it mildly.

i'm still digesting most of this play, so i'm not quite sure what i want to say about it. but time is of the essence and the last show is this sunday. go see this play. http://labtheater.org/sunset-baby/