The Inspiration, Context, and Vision

In 2017, a conversation sparked the premise of Little Men. Two young boys make a startling discovery on their way to school. I spent eleven months writing the script and applied for an Artist Initiative Grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. In January 2018, I was awarded a $10,000 grant for the short film. My goal was to create a polished film that would attract funding for future projects, which was successful as I received multiple grants for Beautiful Boi. After the news of the grant, I ran a highly successful GoFundMe campaign that generated over $8,000. The total cost of the film was $24,000. 

​

Little Men, my second film in eighteen years, shared my childhood experience of growing up quickly in an abusive parental environment, common among Generation X latchkey kids. As an only child, starting at age 7, I had much responsibility, including keeping the house clean, having dinner ready by 5:30, and doing schoolwork. Some dialogue to Marcus by his mom includes direct quotes from my father when I was sixteen, on the morning of my first real job. I wanted to present a typical story that twists to keep viewers engaged. My favorite compliment is when someone asks if there’ll be a sequel based on the cliffhanger ending. I left it open-ended, allowing viewers to interpret and solve the mystery. Their interpretations reveal their perceptions of good versus bad children and how they view young Black boys. Men from all backgrounds and cultures have been deeply moved by the story, seeing elements of their own lives unfold.

​

Production and Exhibition History

My hiring priority was to hire diverse crew members, including BIPOC and LGBTQIA2S individuals. My first hires were Senay Matewos, my co-producer, and Kellen Witschen, my director of photography. Both had the experience and commitment I sought. Senay brought most of the crew, while Kellen brought a camera assistant and grip/electric. I had a PA work as a child wrangler for the extras and assist my young lead actors. I collaborated with a local talent agency, Creative-Moore Talent, for the actors. We had four days of rehearsal for a six-day shoot. I hired a script supervisor, storyboard artist, stunt coordinator, costume department, and art department. The sets were furnished by residents of the apartments, the record store owner, and the gymnasium in Minneapolis. My art director found additional props, set dressing, and furniture. Due to funding constraints, I used a credit card to update my laptop with Final Cut Pro and equipment. I taught myself editing by watching YouTube videos and trial and error. Working with inexperienced young actors and a theater actor unfamiliar with continuity posed challenges but were enjoyable. Some scene transitions are choppy, prompting me to increase lead-in/out time and improve communication with my actors. This knowledge was applied to editing Ordinary. I also learned sound design by familiarizing myself with Final Cut Pro’s sound editing controls. I received additional help with equalizers for certain scenes, such as when my sound recordist lost audio for a scene involving the boys walking down the railroad tracks. We had to do ADR for the dialogue. Designing the film’s sound was challenging, especially the railroad scene. I found or created audio clips for sounds like snow, wind, and nature. For a scene where Marcus walks his baby brother to a neighbor, I used an online audio clip of a couple arguing to convey tension in the low-income building. I also enlisted local musicians for the chase scene and secured the rights to use “Drone 2” by The Carps, featured in “AfroPunk.” Due to time constraints, I filmed 24 out of 41 pages, cutting some nuances to make space for essential scenes.

 

Little Men, a multiple award-winning film, has been screened at worldwide film festivals. At the Black Continental Independent Movie Awards, it received six nominations, including Best Director, Best Short Film, Best Cinematography, and Best Lead Actor, and one of two Honorable Mentions. The screenplay won a Platinum REMI award at Worldfest Houston International Film Festival, followed by a Silver REMI two years later. In 2020, the film was featured online at the Walker Art Center’s MN Artists Presents Allison Berglom-Johnson and showcased in a longer trailer at the Walker’s Women with Vision Reunion: Then and Now. The film’s creation was a community endeavor, and I’m grateful for the support of my crew, actors, grant organizations, mentors, and donors.

​

Unique and Notable Aspects

The film’s animation was done by then 12-year-old Chaz Hughes, an African-American animator intern. After completing the animation, he had professional jobs lined up. I used animation because I couldn’t afford a live-action version. I met Chaz’s dad at an MSAB panel and learned about his son’s passion for animation. Chaz was using the same software as the animated sitcom Family Guy. During an interview, he showed me a thirty-second clip for his audition. It seemed perfect to have a child create the animation, as it’s a pivotal moment in the film. The dialogue was recorded separately, with both actors not present. They took direction from me in my tiny apartment. When collaborating with an artist, my instructions are simple: if you’re terrified, you’re on the right track.

​

The comments have been turned off. Art is subjective. I'd love to hear from you so please, get in touch with  me directly for comments, suggestions, or questions. Thank you for watching!