Filmmaking grants

A few times per year, No Film School releases a list of grants for movies. Here is your summer guide to grants. It's a nifty but not comprehensive list of grants available for filmmakers. Some grants are for documentary films and others for narratives. Look closely at the list of requirements for submission and the deadlines! 

http://nofilmschool.com/2016/05/massive-list-summer-2016-grants-all-filmmakers-should-know-about

Vicky Jeudy is back in "Orange is the New Black"

The trailer for season 4 of "Orange is the New Black" just dropped and we spot Haitian-American actress Vicky Jeudy reprising the role of Janae Watson, one of the inmates at Litchfield Penitentiary. We previously profiles Vicky a couple of years ago here . I loved OITNB seasons 1 and 2 but lost interest at season 3. Everything was over the top and a tad unrealistic for me. I'm hopeful that season 4 goes back to the basics of what made the OITNB successful! Catch the trailer here 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6O9rfoz0f8&ebc=ANyPxKqym9uWQ0kN7qqd9GyMDx08QcOE8Dmx3ncY9PfI8I_SuYMnvrAOmEr655Ps7W94XbEADgAA3g1au8CBBXVjdJ_GOhi97w&app=desktop

Going to ABFF?

Going to the American Black Film Festival in Miami? Be sure to catch actor Jimmy Jean-Louis in the film "Everything But a Man". Directed by Nnegest Likké, "Everything But a Man" also stars Monica Calhoub (The Best Man) and Camille Winbush (The Bernie Mac Show). 

'Everything But a Man' tells the tale of 

"A successful career woman [who] has a life-changing romance with a mysterious man from another culture, whose radical lifestyle differences challenge her perspective on love, relationships and what it means to be a “strong” woman." (Via IMDB). Jimmy is listed as a producer on the film as well. 

Check out ABFF.com for info on time slots and screening locations! 

Joberde Metellus is back on tv tonight!

Haitian-American actor Joberde Metellus will grace the small screen again tonight on an episode of 'Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders'. In tonight's episode the agents search for a woman whose child vanished in Haiti. The episode is titled 'Paper Orphans' ( a reference to victims of child trafficking) and is set in Haiti. Joberde plays a Haitian character named Osse. The episode was shot right here in Los Angeles and I helped with some of the translation as well! TV Guide describes the 'Paper Orphans' episode as follows:

"The IRT heads to Haiti on the Season 1 finale after Abby Wagner, the young daughter of an American family visiting the country, gets kidnapped."

CRIMINAL MINDS: BEYOND BORDERS airs Wednesday, May 25 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS.

Be sure to catch the episode and sound off!

OITNB: Vicky Jeudy is back!

The trailer for season 4 of "Orange is the New Black" just dropped and we spot Haitian-American actress Vicky Jeudy reprising the role of Janae Watson, one of the inmates at Litchfield Penitentiary.

We profiled Vicky almost 2 years ago in an entry titled INTRODUCING VICKY JEUDY. Check it out in the archives HERE.
 
 I loved OITNB seasons 1 and 2 but lost interest at season 3. Everything was over the top and a tad unrealistic for me. I'm hopeful that season 4 goes back to the basics of what made OITNB successful! Watch the season 4 trailer below!

Amazon's free writing tool

Here's a FREE tool to help you properly format your script. Formatting is of the utmost importance. I was sent a script once that was formatted like a novel. The writer was French and was not aware of the American screenwriting format. The script was difficult for me to read because I'd become accustomed to the US standard. I read it anyway as a courtesy but the vast majority of producers won't bother. Y'ap pansé ou pa konn sa ou ap fè, épi yo tou ba'w vag. I've used CELTX in the past which is a free tool as well. Final draft is the most used platform but it does cost some "greenback". So another free platform is always welcome! Check it out.

http://writerscircle.com/amazon-storywriter/

A film about the Haitian-American experience in Miami needs your support!

Haitian-American Filmmaker RACHEL BENJAMIN is set to shoot her first feature this summer! Titled "According to Diana", the film is about a first generation Haitian-American woman navigating the Miami scene as she struggles to fit in. Per Benjamin's GoFundMe campaign description:

 

"'According To Diana' is about a 1st generation Haitian American woman, named Diana, who reluctantly moves to sunny Miami, Florida when she loses her apartment in New York and has to stay with her ultra conservative Haitian family.  In the midst of her new environment, Diana struggles to blend in and starts a relationship with a doctor doing his residency from Montreal Canada.  Things get murky and confusing, until an asthma attack brings everything back into a much clearer view. It's about Diana trying to navigate through life and various relationships with not so great results."

Check out the GOFUNDME campaign HERE----> https://www.gofundme.com/232nhd8c 

The film is in pre-production and is set to shoot this summer in Florida. I had the pleasure of participating in a table read for the film in Florida about a year ago and I absolutely enjoyed the script! Donate to the campaign to help this film come to life and be sure to LIKE the ACCORDING TO DIANA FACEBOOK PAGE

According To Diana teaser from Rachel Benjamin on Vimeo.