FIVE YEARS OF APRIL
A TRIBUTE TO OUR DEBUT FILM
Looking back on the five year anniversary of our feature film “April Again”, my favorite part is remembering that we were really outside at night on Jamaica Avenue with the glock as a prop. Granted the gun was fake, but the sheer audacity (And youthful stupidity) to shoot those scenes is why I love the film. We were young, inexperienced and hungry with no gatekeepers allowing us to tell our stories. We went out and did it with no permission — and no formal training from the writer/director/editor.
These days, we’ve grown our skillset and our network, but before we were a premiere NYC Video production company, we were kids, just trying to figure it out.
These days, I like to call April Again “My film school”. It was through this project that I learned how to be resourceful and scrappy. I learned a lot about pacing, and having to make tough decisions in the editing room to push the story forward. I also learned that there is a way around everything and that those “Workarounds” can end up being the best parts of the film.
With no budget for location rentals for example, we shot outside, at family members' houses, at community landmarks, and we even stumbled upon a beautifully scenic rooftop. Since we couldn't afford extras, we made the community our extras, and so many random street vendors and pedestrians made an indelible mark in this project.
Since we knew that we were working with no resources, we doubled down on the gritty look, opting to go handheld for a shaky documentary-type feel. Despite being our first film efforts, people really connected with the vision. On the festival circuit, we won Best Feature Film and Best of the Fest at The People's Film Festival in Harlem. We also won the audience award at the Baltimore International Black Film Festival. Our new film The Sound of Southside simply does not exist without April Again, and we owe our upcoming works to this project as well.
A special shoutout to all of the wonderful performances that we got from the actors. It’s been amazing to see all of the great things that the cast has done since this film. We casted some gems. The best part is that we’ve remained a family, and I’ve been lucky enough to work with several actors again.
As a filmmaker, I learned a lot from working on the film. Sometimes -- no matter how much you knock -- the gatekeepers will not open the gate for you. Sometimes you need to show up with a finished film -- and a glock -- in hand.