ABFF Day #3

Our minds were on several matters on Day 3. Back at home in Columbia, SC, King Films was shooting their film, Safe House, and we were missing the Principal Day of Photography. As Associate Producers we are responsible for the organization of the shooting day.  The day started with early morning calls to the crew to make sure everything was set. We were also going into our last day of a very wonderful film festival. Thoughts were going through our heads as to how we can take what we've learned and be here next year.

We attended Director Spike Lee's Master of Directing class in the morning, and he took it very seriously. In addition to laying the foundation of his path into filmmaking, he gave us several homework assignments that included watching movies and studying his scripts which he gave us in various forms- storyboards and script excerpts.

We continued to meet tremendous people, and will be responding to them individually as reminders as to who we are. The last person we gave our press packet to was Sophia Cranshaw with MTVU, the university and college news platform. We are hoping to submit some PSA, news, and/or television series content that will highlight specific issues and stories of first-generation college bound students.

We then went into a symposium with CNN who highlighted two upcoming documentary premieres with host Soledad O'Brien- Black in America Churched and a follow-up documentary on Hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans five years later.

We then saw a great movie, The Inheritance, with Golden Brooks, Darren Henson, and Keith David. It was an exciting thriller, and is anticipated to be in theaters in October. As an audience we didn't know whether to laugh or cry out in fear, and did a little of both. It was great to meet the cast and crew afterwards.

The evening closed with the ABFF Honors where everyone came out to see who won in various categories.  Robert Townsend was the host and Director Lee Daniels (Monster's Ball, Precious, etc)  was recognized for his achievements.  The Best Short was Stag & Doe; Best Actor was Golden Brooks; and Best Movie was Legacy.  Emayatzy Corinealdi and Stephen Hill won for ABFF Rising Star Actors and presented a scene on stage from the movie Love & Basketball as it marks 10 years since the movie came out. Another honor was presented to Crissette Michelle for Rising Star Musician.

It was a wonderful film festival, and we will definitely be back next year.   A few more pics taken that highlighted our last day in Miami.  Fellow church member and Columbia, SC native Actor Kenneth "Kenny the Poet" Cross; the stage at the ABFF honors; and Rhonda and Sharee at the ABFF Honors.