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Your debut feature Up in Harlem
- in a few words, what's it about?
Up in Harlem
is about an ambitious teenager living in a violent, drug-plagued Harlem
family who is trying to secure a college scholarship to escape the ghetto.
This story follows her through various trials and tribulations. I won’t
give away the plot. What were your sources of inspiration when writing
Up in Harlem, and
was any of it based on personal experiences?
My inspiration came from personally watching and interacting with Matty
Rich from the movie Straight Out of Brooklyn, and getting
a manual script from Spike Lee’s movie school days. What also inspired me
were the conversations I had with Ice-T, who always encouraged me to press forward.
Do talk about your directorial approach to your story at hand!
A movie director is the chief creative leader who turns a written script
into a visual film. You are the CEO, but also a sculptor who helps things
take shape. The camera should reveal emotion rather than record action.
Natural light and contrast setups should reflect the inner state of the
characters, and the lens should match the emotional tension of a scene.
Actors need simple, action-oriented notes; not abstract ones. Giving
actors space to rehearse before shooting is essential to create authentic
reactions on screen. The lens plays a pivotal part in directing. A change
of lens can make a scene feel intimate, dramatic, distorted, or extremely
big. You should also have a DP who is good at what he does in choosing the
proper lenses for a scene. However, the final decision is always up to
you. Now Up in Harlem
was associate produced by hip hop legend Ice-T, who also appears in front
of the camera - now what was it like to work with him, and how did you get
him even? Ice-T is my mentor. I learned a lot from him, and his advice is
invaluable. Working with him was great. He is second to none; very
knowledgeable, professional, and knows what he is talking about. His
presence, both on and off camera, makes you feel comfortable. He created
his own scene to enhance and highlight this urban film.
I got Ice-T after being introduced to him in 1994 by his close friend Sean Butler, aka Sean
E Sean, during the filming of New York Undercover. We have been in touch
ever since. I asked him for help, and he was okay with it.
What can you tell us about the rest of
Up in Harlem's
cast, and why exactly these people?
Up in Harlem has a multi-talented cast, starting with the main character,
Fay Mulbury, played by Milira Jones. She is a very talented R&B/soul
singer who won Amateur Night at the historic Apollo Theater in the late
1980’s, who then earned a recording contract with Apollo Records/Motown
Records. Her debut album, Milira, was released in 1990 and spent forty-two
weeks on the Billboard R&B album charts. Mad Lion is a famous Jamaican
dancehall, reggae and hip-hop rapper. His songs Take It Easy and
Real Ting charted big on Billboard, and he won the Source Award for Reggae
Artist of the Year in 1994. The late Vaughn Harper was a legendary New York radio DJ and broadcast
announcer, best known for hosting the late-night Quiet Stor” show on
WBLS 107.5 from 1976 to 2008. He also
served as master of ceremonies for Amateur Night at the Apollo and was the
voice of the DJ in Grand Theft Auto IV.
Kira Madallo Sesay is a talented
actress credited with Sorority Sister Slaughter, Voodoo Curse: Go for
Broke, Cutthroat Alley, Better Dayz, and is the founder of
Kalliope Films. Crazy Sam is a comedian and entertainer who hosted Nervous Thursday on
Video Music Box, an influential early hip-hop television program. He
currently runs Ruckah Family, an LA-based community activism group
supporting education and homeless advocacy. Jhonnie Mae, who played the
mother, Ruth, is a talented actress credited with various television and
film roles, including The Wolf of Wall Street (2013),
The Purge: Election Year (2016), and Boardwalk Empire.
Up in Harlem
looks like it was shot at actual Harlem locations - so what was it like
shooting there?
Shooting in Harlem was good. I wanted to capture the everyday feel of city
life, so most of my shots were natural. No paid background actors; just
everyday people going about their lives. There is a nice scene on the
famous 125th Street near the Apollo Theater. In the trailer, you can see
the Twin Towers; that was the only shot from Brooklyn. Ironically, I am
now affected by those Twin Towers, having been a volunteer there as a
first responder.
A few words about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere?
The atmosphere shifted constantly, from hyped and focused to silent during
takes; like on any movie or TV set. The crew would instantly spring back
to life once the director yelled “cut.” If it was a second or third take,
that liveliness could be short-lived. Overall, nothing unusual happened on
my set. The $64-question, where can
Up in Harlem be
seen? At present, it is not available on streaming, however, I am working on
re-distribution now. In the meantime, you can check out the trailer on
IMDb:
https://www.imdb.com/video/vi3901735193/
Anything you can tell us about audience and critical reception of
Up in Harlem?
Up in Harlem had a very limited critical footprint, but the reception
audience was great. Everyone who sees it loves the film and the storyline.
It could be a tearjerker for some people.
Up in Harlem
appears to be your only film as a writer/director - why is that, and could
you ever be persuaded to return to the director's chair? And/or any other
future projects you'd like to share?
Up in Harlem was
my only film because I became upset with the Sundance Film Festival.
I decided to shelf it for years and not make another. At the time, it
seemed to me that without big studio backing, your film did not stand a
chance in Sundance. That upset me at the time, but I am over it
now. I am working on my second movie, The Lights on 9/11, which is about
my experience as a first responder at the World Trade Center. This film is
to honor the victims, our fallen heroes, and their families. I will
definitely enter into film festivals with The Lights on 9/11.
What got you into the filmworld in the first place, and did you
receive any formal education on the subject?
What got me into film was my desire to be involved in the industry. It
started with a signed manual script sent to me by Spike Lee. After that, I
set out to apply myself in doing something, anything, in the industry. I
answered an ad on Backstage to work with director Matty Rich on
the set of Straight out of Brooklyn. After that, I worked
behind the scenes as a theatrical teamster on notable film projects such
as Boomerang, One Fine Day,
Conspiracy Theory, Men in Black and
more. Regarding the TV side, I was employed on sets for New
York Undercover, Law & Order,
The Sopranos, Law & Order: SVU,
and more.
What can you tell us about your filmwork besides
Up in Harlem, in
whatever position?
I am self-taught, learning through hands-on experience. As the
saying goes, experience is your best teacher. My main forte is theatrical
teamster work, but I have done a great deal related to film. I wrote,
executive produced and directed
Up in Harlem.
While doing that, I learned about camera lenses and the different effects
they create. I learned about post-production, and, most of all, how to be
creative in making a low-budget movie. I could write a book on that
subject. How would you describe yourself as a director?
I am a director who knows what I want in a shot to express a character or
scene. I combine a clear creative vision with strong leadership. I stay
focused, am good with organization, and I have good communication skills
dealing with people. I am also able to turn a written script into a
compelling visual story. Filmmakers who inspire you?
Spike Lee and Ice-T. He may not be known as a filmmaker, but he is very
artistic and gives great advice on shaping a scene to reflect what you
want. His advice helped me a lot on Up in Harlem. I am also inspired by
director Warrington Hudlin, who is a director as well as a community
organizer. He founded the Black Filmmaker Foundation, which helps young
filmmakers advance their careers. Lastly, Robert De Niro.
Your favourite movies?
I do not watch a lot of movies, mainly so that I am not influenced by
other directors’ work. However, my favorite movie is
Up in Harlem.
Second is Scarface, third The Godfather
and A Bronx Tale.
Your/your movie's website, social media, whatever else?
https://www.pololoentertainment.com/
Thanks for the interview!
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