For those of you who are regular readers of this blog, most of this entry will be repetitive to you.  As I make the transition from making a short film to making a feature film, I’ve already found that I’m frequently asked the two vital questions: Who are you and Why do you want to make this film?  The following is a ‘mission statement’ if you will, at this very early stage of that process:

To come from the position I’m coming from, as both an African-American and a Muslim-American, I’ve experienced the stigmas and stereotypes that come from being associated with each community.  I’ve watched many of my peers become jaded and bitter, but I’ve chosen to live my life in a different manner.  As the Marvin Gaye song goes, “War is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate.”  Being a minority filmmaker, I’m acutely aware of the power of my chosen medium.  The images that appear on screen can shape a culture; the storytellers who bring us these images can inspire the next generation to tell their own stories.

                I can’t point toward any single event that inspired me to write Lady in My Life.  Knock on wood, but there have been no major births or deaths since I wrote this story.  Even though this film is not my literal autobiography, it is certainly a spiritual one.  The main character, Jamal Ali, and his turbulent relationships with the black women in his life; this concept cuts to the core of who I am, even if the specifics have been fictionalized.  I recently shot a prologue to this film, where I played the main character.  Jumping all the way into the backstory of the character I created, I realized that how personal the film truly was to me.  It’s the type of film I grew up wanting to make, a film like Boyz N Da Hood or Do the Right Thing. I’m excited at the prospect of bringing the feature version to life.

                I aim to put the feature film together using many of the elements I used in my recently completed short.  I returned to my hometown, Kansas City, which also serves as one of the main locales of the narrative.  Working with cinematographer Jeremy Osbern and Through A Glass Productions was one of the most productive experiences I’ve had to this point in my career.  I was impressed by the ease of working with the RED ONE camera, but would love for Lady in My Life to be shot on film.

The structure of the story I’ve written will make this an ensemble film; my dream would be to mix the cast with ‘known’ and unknown actors for some of the major roles.  Ideally, I’d want my cast to be a mix of the minority actors working in both Hollywood and on Broadway.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and for having interest in my project.  I learned a long time ago that while films like mine come from a singular vision, the process is extremely collaborative.  With your help, I’m positive I can turn this particular ‘dream’ into a reality.