ADONIS ARMSTRONG
Adonis Armstrong is a 30x award winning filmmaker from Jackson, MS. He is a former football star who graduated from East Carolina University. Adonis spent some time in the summer with the Cleveland Browns in camp ’14. After being cut by the Browns he signed a deal with the Sioux Falls Storm in the Indoor Football League in ’15 which led him to winning his first Championship. After the Championship Adonis shifted his career and began to be a Football Coach, before his creative side blossomed him into the filmmaker he is today.
In 2015, he started coaching at his former high school Clinton High School. Where he coached current NFL star Cam Akers, and other top players in the ‘16 class such as Jacobi Heard and LaMarquez Thomas. After one season at Clinton Arrows, Adonis accepted a position as the Defensive Back coach at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. for two seasons.
Adonis has always had a passion for entertainment and being a creator. He jumped in the entertainment business in ‘18 where he did background roles to learn the business of the industry. Adonis has some commercial work with Gatorade, Coldwell Banker, Disney Plus, and more. Adonis stars in films and new media such as “The Interns”, “I Had To”, “Blue”, and “Other Friends”. He also helped produce films such as “Skandalouz”, “Deadly Thoughts”, and “Coke Boys” where he received awards for Best Drama, Best Short Film, Best Debut Filmmaker and Best Production.
Which films have significantly inspired or influenced your creative process?
The films that have significantly inspired me include Menace II Society, Set It Off, Boyz N The Hood, New Jack City, Clockers, and Juice. These movies have greatly influenced my creative process in filmmaking, drawing inspiration from directors who pioneered black excellence in the 90s. I see traces of John Singleton, Spike Lee, F. Gary Gray, and Mario Van Peebles within myself, motivating me to create black content that resonates with audiences globally, allowing them to understand and feel the narratives unfolding on the screen.
In what ways do you feel your work contributes to better representation of black stories in cinema?
I believe my work demonstrates to everyone in my community that anything can be achieved by dedicating your mind to working towards and living your dreams, rather than just hoping for them. As a Black artist portraying Black stories, I can dive deeper into the themes of the movies, making them relatable to people. At 247LC, we take pride in creating films that evoke emotions and allow viewers to connect with the characters' choices. Even if they don't agree with some of those choices, they will likely know someone who has made a similar decision, fostering a better understanding of the reasons behind it.
Are there specific themes or narratives within black cinema that you believe need more exploration?
I believe there's a need for a more positive light to shine through black cinema, moving away from the stereotypical narratives like thugs and crooked cops that often receive the most praise in our genre. As a culture, we often don’t get to fantasize ourselves as special characters such as black wizards, superheroes, cowboys, exploring outer space, or diving into the sea. While Black people are featured in those types of movies, they are usually not the focal point of the overall story. Also, I advocate for a true representation of the authentic history of our people in future historical films.
In what ways have you seen the landscape of black cinema evolve, and how has that evolution impacted your creative journey?
I mentioned the lack of black fantasy worlds above, but Black cinema has significantly evolved in the realm of film, albeit not always from a Black point of view. We now have Black Panther, The Little Mermaid with Halle Bailey, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse featuring Miles Morales on screen. We’re witnessing an increase in horror and sci-fi films, highlighting the growing importance of representation for us. This expansion has greatly enriched my creative process, opening up new worlds filled with black faces beyond the confines of clichéd portrayals in stereotypical urban neighborhoods.
Can you share a moment in your career that you consider a significant triumph, and what did it mean for you personally?
A significant triumph for me was starting everything from the ground up with no funding, using every cent I had to create with the resources available at 247LC. It's not always about having the most money; it's about showing people what you can do with your specific circumstances. Creating a film meant a lot to me, especially coming from Mississippi, where you don't often grow up considering the industry. It's typically a choice between a regular job or sports. Being able to create original content made me believe I could accomplish anything I set my mind to.
Omar Cook
Omar Cook is a 31x award winning filmmaker and actor born in Riverside, California. Omar graduated from Southern University in Mass Communication where he also played football. His collegiate career landed him an opportunity to play professional football where he played 4 seasons in the Indoor Football League. Omar began his journey into entertainment doing stunts as a motion capture actor with the Madden Video Game Series earning credits in Madden ’18, ’19, ’20, ’21, ’22, & ’23. This led to further opportunities doing sports stunts in Hollywood for shows such as Ballers for HBO and All American on The CW, and Colin in Black & White on Netflix. He is most known for his work on The CW series “All American” for his role as “Troy”, a South Crenshaw high school football player as well as doing football stunt work and doubling for the characters “Jabari Long” and “Cameron” appearing in 20+ episodes over 4 seasons.
Omar has built a successful career in entertainment working on multiple movies, short films, major network TV shows, and video games including supporting roles in feature films God of Dreams, Expunged: Test Case, The 4 Points, Fortunate Son, and Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story. He also directed and starred in the upcoming feature film, LA Undercover, as well as four multi award winning short films, which collectively racked up 31 awards including multiple debut filmmaker awards, Best Actor, Best short film awards and more.
Aside from acting, Omar has established himself as an entrepreneur. In 2018, he created the media platform 247LiveCulture.com, a platform dedicated towards pushing Black culture in the right direction. He also co-founded Highest Level Academy, a non-profit organization helping to get student athletes college ready athletically and academically.
Which films have significantly inspired or influenced your creative process?
If I had to pick a genre, my favorite would be drama. I love to see real life situations played out on the screen. Some of my favorite films that I've studied are 'Love Jones', 'Menace II Society', 'Mo Betta Blues', 'In Too Deep', 'Malcolm X', 'Boyz In The Hood', 'Belly', and 'Waiting To Exhale'. Each of these filmmakers, specifically John Singleton, Spike Lee, and the Hughes Brothers, brought their own elements to how they shot their movies that have definitely inspired me and my team in the way we shoot our movies. I try to pay homage to these filmmakers in our films by recreating certain iconic shots. I'm an active learner and I truly respect the people that have come before me. As a creative, it's imperative that we study the people who paved the way and my films will always reflect the greatness of the filmmakers that laid a pathway to success for me and my team.
In what ways do you feel your work contributes to better representation of black stories in cinema?
My goal with our films is to show real situations that people go through. Life isn't always peaches and cream and there are real people dealing with real life issues. I want our films to reflect the everyday person trying to make their way through life while also telling entertaining stories. Black culture extends to so many different territories on earth with a wide range of perspectives. I want to tell a variety of stories from the eyes of different people, rather than just boxing our stories into one specific genre or storyline. When people watch our films, we want them to see themselves in the characters and the situations they go through. We want people to be inspired that they can overcome any set of circumstances and that they are not alone in their experience.
Are there specific themes or narratives within black cinema that you believe need more exploration?
A specific narrative that I believe needs to be explored more within Black cinema is Black luxury. I definitely think that there needs to be more Black stories where the characters are seen as wealthy and affluent with great family structures. We need to see more Black people in positions of success to show people that this is also a part of our reality. There are plenty of Black millionaires and happily married couples, rather than the single parent narratives with loads on in home drama. The younger generation needs to see Black people represented in a way that shows they can be extremely successful so they too can be inspired to build their own legacies.
In what ways have you seen the landscape of black cinema evolve, and how has that evolution impacted your creative journey?
Black cinema has come a long way but there are still some barriers to break down. There are so many talented Black actors that have been overlooked for major accolades, awards, and also rightful pay for their services. You can look at actors such as Denzel Washington and Angela Bassett, and ask...why haven't they won more Oscars? Black artists gaining the respect and recognition is something that is still evolving and this inspires me because I want to create opportunities for other actors and filmmakers to be recognized for their success.
Can you share a moment in your career that you consider a significant triumph, and what did it mean for you personally?
One of my biggest career highlights was completing and releasing my first indie feature film, LA Undercover. To simply finish a project is a win in itself and I encourage any filmmaker to just stick to the process and see it through. Making a film takes a significant amount of time and energy, so for me, just seeing the final product on TV and knowing that we did it with no outside investors was a huge win. It confirmed to me that anything is possible, if you decide that it's possible.
CHOICE SKINNER
Choice Skinner was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Upon graduating from Samuel J. Tilden high school, he migrated to Augusta, GA. After twelve years there he moved to Los Angeles to pursue music. During his twenty‐three years of time in LA, Choice became a valuable collaborator and asset to many in the music and film industry.
With the birth of his film company Darkan Entertainment, Choice’s influence as a film director can be seen in the award winning dramatic short film “Brotherly Love”, and webisode “The One Percent”. He also won Oscar award winning actress Octavia Spencer’s Facebook Short Film Competition with the short “A Second Thought” His production partnership with Vincenzo Productions owned and operated by writer producer Tony Germinario birthed the opportunity for him to direct his first full length feature film “Wingman, Inc.”
As an actor Choice most recently starred in an episode of the CW’s television show “All American”, released his feature film, a romantic dramedy “A New Life” through Buffalo 8 on all major streaming platforms, is in pre‐production with Vincenzo productions for the Southern Gothic horror film “The Legend Of Ciscero” and is in development for an action short entitled “Henry’s Courage” based on WWI Medal Of Honor recipient Henry Johnson. His short film 2 Killers In A Car is making its rounds in the festival circuit.
Which films have significantly inspired or influenced your creative process?
The Lord Of The Rings trilogy exposed me to see correctly how a story goes from beginning to end. Training day showed me the Power of cinema. Silence Of The Lambs and Basic Instinct taught me how to capture and mind mess with the audience, and Aliens taught me how to make the audience feel.
In what ways do you feel your work contributes to better representation of black stories in cinema?
I strive to tell the redemptive stories. I love making films which are thought provoking but, in the end, helps people and the Black community to heal.
Are there specific themes or narratives within black cinema that you believe need more exploration?
There are so many stories that can be explored and are needed to be told. Stories that end on a positive note and aren't in the vein of nihilism would be greatly welcome these days.
In what ways have you seen the landscape of black cinema evolve, and how has that evolution impacted your creative journey?
Black cinema has evolved, there is more work for actors but a continuous content and films of similar stories. Case in point, there's about 20 to 25 new Black Christmas films each year and steadily growing. There needs to be more options. It inspires me to work harder to get other stories that I have in mind told.
Can you share a moment in your career that you consider a significant triumph, and what did it mean for you personally?
Receiving the 2021 Pioneer Award. I was the Vanguard Honoree of the year. That award signified the large number of things I've accomplished as well as demonstrated the amount of love, work and energy I put into my career. It let me know that people are paying attention to you and what you are doing. It was a true sign of the fact that I'm great at what I do and that I'm on the right path. It was a sign for me to Keep Going!
BENÉT EMBRY
Benét Embry was born September 12, 1971 in Tyler, Texas, to Janet Jones, an educator, and Jerry Embry., a warehouse manager. Benét Embry is a man of many talents. He is an award winning director, writer, actor and radio personality. He’s the host of The Benét Embry Show. Performing in stage plays, short films and feature films. Benét is also a Spoken Word performer and the author of ‘Emotional Response,’ a book of poetry which verbally expresses love and loss from an African American male perspective.
Which films have significantly inspired or influenced your creative process?
Love & Basketball, Panther, Pulp Fiction, Judas and the Black Messiah, Hotel Rwanda, Rosewood, Meet Joe Black, Love Craft Country, Cooley High, Older Man Younger Woman, 12 Years A Slave, The Color Purple, Life, Moonlight, Malcolm X, Sugar Hill, Queen Sugar, Insecure, Car Wash, Straight Outta Compton, Claudine, Set It Off
Are there specific themes or narratives within black cinema that you believe need more exploration?
The celebration of Black Excellence in every aspect of life versus the stereotypical hood, oversexualization exploitation that happens with indie films.
Can you share a moment in your career that you consider a significant triumph, and what did it mean for you personally?
There are a few that I consider a significant triumph; getting my first acting gig, completing my first script, completing Older Man Younger Woman. But I suppose the best one is signing paperwork to start Clearwater Productions LLC with my business partner, Hudrell Jones. What it meant personally for me is I could help change the narrative about black culture and create opportunities for others as well as myself.
In what ways have you seen the landscape of black cinema evolve, and how has that evolution impacted your creative journey?
I see a lot of Black Indie Filmmakers really step their game up as far as really good content and production quality. I think Black Cinema (especially in the indie world) has evolved from the same basic 'hood' movie with sensationalization of gutter, ghetto, hyper sexualization, drug, gangsta story that's been told over and over again. I am not saying that doesn't have a place in the culture as those things take place in all cultures but we as a people are more than that. I am happy that more black filmmakers are starting to showcase the excellence we are and showcase it to the masses and society as a whole. After all we are descendants of Kings and Queens. That is what Clearwater Productions is all about "Imagery with a clear vision".
How do you approach collaboration with other filmmakers, and how has it influenced your perspective on storytelling?
I think the collaboration process is looking more at the individual and their process. Putting the pieces together per say. Everybody can tell a story differently but I look at the aspect they may or may not be telling the said story and what the overall storyline is plus what it means to me in my story telling.
HUDRELL JONES
Founder and CFO/President of Clearwater Productions, Hudrell Jones is an Executive Producer in Film and Music, A Social Media Influencer, Digital Creator, as well as an Actor in his own right. Hudrell has worked in the music Entertainment Industry for several years. Contributing to hosting many local shows with named artists such as The Isley Brothers, Boosie Bad Ass, Plies, Glorilla, Big Boogie, and Finesse Two Tymes just to name a few. As a successful world-renowned businessman, the natural progression was to gravitate towards the film component of the entertainment industry. Hudrell gives back to the community investing in Small Businesses, along with helping up and coming local entertainers with the opportunity to express their art form by using the Clearwater Production platform.
Which films have significantly inspired or influenced your creative process?
I've always loved Star Wars, Starsky and Hutch, Enter the Dragon, Harlem Knights, Shaft, and Purple Rain. The idea to do on your own, that fantasy element, made me imagine what was possible out of one's own garage. But truly my favorite is Older Man Younger Woman.
Are there specific themes or narratives within black cinema that you believe need more exploration?
Though we have much ground to cover I feel that the creativity is endless. I would like to see more SciFi films with substance.
Can you share a moment in your career that you consider a significant triumph, and what did it mean for you personally?
The formation of Clearwater Productions as a company, in conjunction with the making of the film Older Man Younger Woman. No one believed in the vision of this film. But I believed in it and the script/writing by Benet Embry who I also made my business partner.
In what ways have you seen the landscape of black cinema evolve, and how has that evolution impacted your creative journey?
From a child until now I've seen the depth for roles of black actors change as progressive writers have been given better opportunities to express themselves in such diversity. Though I'm not a writer per say, I do give input and suggestions for scenes in a script.
How do you approach collaboration with other filmmakers, and how has it influenced your perspective on storytelling?
I look forward to working with any visionary. When I see a passion that can be expressed, it pulls me into the full spectrum of my own imagination.
