The Memphis Music Initiative (MMI) is one of the most successful arts nonprofits in Memphis. They promote music education and provide young people with opportunities to work in the music business. Last January, they released a music video that humorously addressed the frustrations of the nonprofit life. As they put it, “We’re here to serve the underserved market of fundraising jams.”
Director and producer Princeton James put together the extensive list of talent for “I Hope Like Hell We Get This Grant.” Patterned after an old cable TV ad for compilation albums by companies like K-Tel, the video brings you hits such as “Giving Tuesday” and “When I Hit The Check.” After racking up tens of thousands of views (presumably among burnt-out nonprofit staffers worldwide), the video was just nominated for a Regional Emmy Award. “We are honored to receive this nomination on behalf of the entire team, which reflects the extraordinary talent of our Memphis creatives, community partners, and staff,” says Amber Hamilton, President of the Memphis Music Initiative. “At MMI, we believe in pushing boundaries to lift the voices of grassroots organizations doing transformative work. This video is our rallying cry — cut the check and trust the experts on the ground.”
If you would like to see your music video featured on Music Video Monday, email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com.
Madison (April Hale) has had a hard life. When she was young, her father (Henry E. Reaves III) was a political activist. “I can’t believe we still have to deal with racism in America! It’s the 1990s!” her mother Gina (Rekeitha Morris) exclaims at the dinner table when her younger daughter Brooke (played as a child by twins Candice and Taylor Bradburn) tells the family one of the boys at school called her the n-word. Their father is more direct. If anyone hurls slurs at his kids, he instructs them to respond immediately, with force.
But before the two sisters can grow up, their father dies under mysterious circumstances. Gina quickly remarries, but her new husband doesn’t live up to the high standards her former husband set. He’s abusive and violent, and before long, the two girls are on their own.
April Hale
Madison, now an adult, struggles to keep the family home that is the girls’ only legacy from their parents. She’s gainfully employed as a beloved, but no-nonsense elementary school teacher. But with Brooke (played as a college-age student by Jessie Reeder) in school, it’s hard to make ends meet. “I just wish they would pay teachers what we’re worth!” she says to her new friend Greg (Xamon Glasper).
Don’t we all, Madison.
Greg has a potential solution to Madison’s money problems. Turns out he’s a writer with big connections. His boss Mr. Laurent (Phil Darius Wallace) runs a publishing house which specializes in true crime novels. Madison had revealed to Ben that, when she was a student at Bluff City College, she was a witness to the infamous College Town Slayings. In fact, her former beaux Ben (Dash Kennedy Williams) had been the prime suspect in the killings that took the lives of five of her classmates.
Madison has never opened up to anyone but the police about her awful college experiences. She’s had more than enough trauma for one lifetime, and she’s not too keen on dredging up bad memories for fun and profit. But then Mr. Laurent reveals exactly how much profit is on the table — it’s more than enough to save the house and ensure Brooke can finish her studies. Soon, Madison finds herself in Greg’s home office, where a sign on the wall says, “Do something today that your future self with thank you for.” Whether her future self will thank her for the tour of bad relationships, enduring mysteries, and PTSD that live in her damaged psyche is very much up in the air.
Queen Rising is an independent production made in Memphis by mostly homegrown talent. Director Princeton James is well-known on the film scene here for acting roles in Bluff City Law and short films by Mark Jones and Noah Glenn. His feature directing debut is blessed with a sizable budget (by indie world standards, anyway) and a crackerjack crew. Cinematographer Jordan Danelz makes his presence felt with impeccable lighting choices and some truly lovely frames. From the rich hues of Madison and Brooke’s Midtown bungalow to the beautiful exteriors shot at Rhodes College, this is a gorgeous film.
It certainly helps that the cast is incredibly good-looking. But Hale is more than a pretty face. She’s a prolific actor who got her start in the Indie Memphis scene with the late director Rod Pitts’ cult classic rom com What Goes Around… Hale holds down the demanding lead role with confidence, and subtly. You can always sense that her Madison knows a lot more than she’s telling, and that she’s learned to keep her mouth shut through hard experience. (I will also put in a good word for Miguela Gary, a young actor of great poise who plays Madison as a child.) Reaves, who co-wrote the screenplay with producer Allison Chaney, nails his big speech as Madison and Brooke’s father. The great Memphis actor Phil Darius Wallace slays as the mysterious publishing magnate who will either help Madison’s dreams come true or make her life a living nightmare — possibly both! James knows that all you need to do is point a camera at Wallace and he’ll take care of the rest.
Queen Rising’s ambitious script rushes some beats, and details vital to the twisty plot breeze by very fast. But there’s no question that this entertaining work shows James’ and the rest of the team’s great potential. This is a Memphis film that punches way above its weight.
The seventh annual Indie Memphis Youth Fest returns this weekend.
From its inception 25 years ago as a forum for Memphis filmmakers to show their work, Indie Memphis has had artist development as a big part of its mission. The ultimate expression of that mandate is the Youth Film Fest. Now in its seventh year, the Youth Film Fest returns in-person this Saturday, August 27th, after two years of meeting virtually.
The one-day fest will be held Downtown at the Orpheum Theatre’s Halloran Centre. This year’s keynote speaker will be Craig Brewer, director of Hustle & Flow and Coming 2 America. Brewer is a Memphis filmmaking pioneer who wrote, directed, and produced his first movie The Poor & Hungry here in 2000. He will be speaking on the subject of storytelling and the importance of understanding not only what techniques will move the audience, but also why and how each story is being told.
During the spring and summer, the Indie Memphis CrewUp program brings together groups of students between grades 7 and 12 to create a short film under the tutelage of a professional to screen at the Youth Film Fest. This year’s batch of nine films, all produced with budgets of $500, will screen at 12:15 p.m. A second batch of 11 short films created by Mid-South students will screen at 5 p.m. The audience will vote for their favorite film, which will win a $300 prize. The winner of the jury prize will receive $500.
A new production grant program modeled on the highly successful IndieGrants awards $5,000 to one youth filmmaker for a short-film proposal. The first Youth Grant winner in 2019 was Janay Kelley. Her film “The River” will make its world premiere at 2 p.m., accompanied by an informational session about the requirements of the grant program.
Workshops will be held throughout the afternoon, including makeup with Mandie J, production design and title graphics with Mica Jordan, stunt choreography with Jyo “Six” Carolino, directing actors with Princeton James, cinematography with Jason Thibodeaux, and the delightfully titled “Producing & Other Weird Jobs” with Sharrika Evans.
The day will end with a group dinner and trivia contest at 6:45 p.m., and the awards show at 7:30 p.m.
Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 27th. Passes, which can be either in-person or, for those unable to attend, virtual, are available at the Indie Memphis website.
