BTS from set of short film Professional Fluff – December 3, 2020
Amid COVID-19, this is a challenging time for filmmakers. I am grateful the shoot for short film Professional Fluff, written and directed by myself, Briana M. Andrews, was able to take place without a hitch. The shoot took place in Alexandria, VA over the course of two days. The entire cast and crew were willing participants with coronavirus testing and associated safety measures. The production also included an on-set COVID manager and ample PPE.
I’d like to extend a special thanks to all of the following individuals:
AD: Elon Riley
DP: Brandon Wilkerson
AC: Megan Sims
Mixer: Richard Schertzer
Gaffer: Allen Mays
COVID Officer: Josh Lowrey
Lead Actress: Kathleenah Accilien
I cannot wait to share the finished product! As always, I appreciate your continued support. In the meantime, below are some behind the scenes photos with the film crew.
Here are a few stills from Let Live, the dramedy short, written and directed by Briana M. Andrews. A preliminary edit was screened virtually for the Howard University 1st Year Film MFA cohort. The final cut will include additional sound editing and color correction. We cannot wait to share it! Thank you for your continued support.
Let Live, featuring Cashaey Serenity, Enoch Jones, Ayana Andrews and Chris Sakyi. Directed by Briana M. Andrews.
Visit the previous post from the last day on set for BTS, shoot dates, locations, and crew member details.
June 2019 was an action-packed month! One of the most memorable events I had the pleasure of being involved with this month was the screening of Heroic Episodes and The Shades. These short films were both directed by Lisa Regina, the founder of A Write to Heal, a 501(c)(3) organization. The cast consisted of military veterans, and the screening took place the weekend after Memorial Day.
Below are some photos I took at the event:
In the month leading up to the event I assisted with grassroots marketing efforts and used both Canva and desktop publishing software to design a 16-page program / theater booklet with cast bios, sponsors, advertisers and more. I also handled BTS / event photography and edited a photo-story and video collage for socials. The premiere took place on June 4, 2019 at the historic Broadway Theater in Pitman, NJ.
I received a referral for this opportunity from Professor Rachael Shapiro, a Writing Arts, Research and Technology professor at Rowan University who taught my New Media Practicum / senior seminar course. Lisa Regina is a professional actress and coach by-trade. Her partnership with Bridging the Gap helps soldiers with communication skills and confidence building for reintegration into society after deployment. To learn more about Lisa Regina, these film projects, or her acting classes visit her website.
CREW – To Each, Her Throne – (L-R) Danielle Privat, Morgan Jones, Briana M. Andrews, Alicia Allen
Here are some behind-the-scenes shots from To Each, Her Throne. I am incredibly excited and thankful for the opportunity to Produce this series. I am pleased with how everything turned out thus far; our guests were amazing and I cannot wait to share this project with the world. Check out these BTS pics from the shoot by Photographer, Victoria Lewis @veedotk.
CREW – To Each, Her Throne – (L-R) Morgan Jones, Giovanni Jackson
HATTIE – To Each, Her Throne – Season One Cast Member
MARLEY NICOLE – To Each, Her Throne – Season One Cast Member
ASHLEY KELLEY – To Each, Her Throne – Season One Cast Member
MOJO DISCO – To Each, Her Throne – Season One Cast Member
YEWA – To Each, Her Throne – Season One Cast Member with Director Danielle Privat
Read more about the TEHT project, cast and crew => #ToEachHerThrone
I am pleased to introduce you to Thug Motivation. This is a drama short-film written and directed by (me) Briana M. Andrews, Rowan University senior and owner of BibbyFame Digital, LLC. The shoot took place over the weekend, and it was a awesome demonstration of teamwork and resourcefulness.
BTS Social Video Clip – Thug Motivation shoot
This story is an actor’s plea for “less thug, more motivation.” The protagonist, Kevin, played by Howie Jones, senior Computer Science major at Rowan University expresses frustration because he is a classically trained actor, however, he’s routinely cast and sent on auditions for demeaning roles which he reluctantly accepts. During this contentious meeting with the casting director, he lashes out about degrading role offers and visualizes inspirational, thought-provoking roles that contribute to humanity.
Gang-members and thug roles are disproportionately played by black actors. However, this isn’t reflective of the actual demographics of American gangs. While Thug Motivation shares the story of one actor, it serves as a launchpad for discussion on casting directors engaged in type-casting, limited role opportunities, inadequate African-American representation in film and potential societal implications from such imagery.
Production Title: Thug Motivation
Union/Non-Union: Non-Union
Production Type: Independent / Student
Project Length: Short (5 minutes)
I submitted this screenplay for consideration earlier this semester and in recent weeks, I presented the look-book and defended the film concept. There was no budget for this film, however, campus resources were at our disposal for equipment. For the film setting, we converted an 8-max group study room at Campbell Library into a convincing office location. I am extremely proud of the entire team. I also appreciate their open-mindedness and willingness to wear several hats to pull this off successfully.
Crew Group Photo – Thug Motivation Short – Rowan University Film Production II RTF
Daughters of Solanas, Film Graphic – designed by Rachel Fischman of Planet Papaya
Creating the dramedy, Daughters of Solonas was an incredible experience and I’m excited about our screening next week at the Museum of Moving Image in Astoria, NY. One of the items on my filmmaker bucket list was to work on a film with an all-female cast and crew. This month, I will have the opportunity to complete that, twice over. The Women’s Weekend Film Challenge bought together women from all walks of life … different races, different socio-economic statuses, different religions, different education levels … complete strangers, all coming together with the common objective of creating a short, in a really short period of time. The footage looks amazing, the film was submitted, the screening is next week and at a later date, the festival submission activities will commence.
Personally, I would like to thank Tracy Sayre and
Katrina Medoff for their work organizing the Women’s Weekend Film Challenge,
and for all of their efforts for women in film.
They emphasize how much representation and diversity matter. These are causes that are obviously very close
to my heart. Some of the challenge
sponsors include RED cameras, Gotham Sound, IDX, Zeiss Lenses, AbelCine Brooklyn
Lighting and Grip, Lightbulb Grip and Electric and Below the Line.
I handled BTS photo / video on this project. I also created and manage the socials. Check out and follow @DaughtersofSolanas on Instagram and Facebook. A photo-story BTS montage can be found below. I’ll be sharing some video of the crew (Team Banks) in action in the near future, stay tuned.
60-second social-video containing behind-the-scenes stills photography montage for Daughters of Solanas by Briana M. Andrews
I am absolutely thrilled to share that I have been selected to work on the upcoming Women’s Weekend Film Challenge taking place April 4-7, 2019 in New York. They fielded hundreds of applications, and I am happy for the opportunity to be a team player for the challenge. This women in film initiative places professional female filmmakers on crews to write, shoot and edit a short film over the course of a weekend. This will be highly collaborative and intense experience where we pool resources and talents to conceptualize and create a polished competition-worthy short-film in an incredibly tight time-frame.
Screening of the completed film will take place at The Museum of Moving Image on April 18, 2019. Visit Women’s Weekend Film Challenge to learn more.
BibbyFame Digital, LLC: Photo, Film & Interactive Media 