Screenwriter Targets Black Stereotypes
An aspiring Bermuda filmmaker is appealing to the kindness of strangers to help him complete a short, stereotype-busting movie about two strangers who meet and form an unusual bond in New York’s Central Park.
Writer/producer Andrew Stoneham [pictured], a longtime fixture of the Bermuda International Film Festival [BIFF], is currently working on his short film “Last/First Kiss” with US director Andrea Ashton.
“Short filmmakers are the mavericks of the industry, forced to beg, borrow and steal — images, only, folks! — to get their films made,” said Mr. Stoneham and Ms Ashton.
“Shorts don’t make money.
“So they exist for two reasons alone: first and foremost, to tell a compelling story that has never been told, and second, to prove the talent chops of the crew and cast so that they may one day make a living doing what they love.
“This is your opportunity to not only help one special short film get out there for the world to enjoy but to jettison the careers of the many involved.”
“The Last/First Kiss” has already been awarded some financial support by the Bermuda Government.
“In October 2010 I was awarded a grant from the Cultural Legacy Fund project,” said Mr. Stoneham. “The funds received were enough to cover the film’s production budget however additional money is still needed in order to complete post-production.
“We honestly can’t finish the film without your support, however large or small it may be.”
The filmmakers are hoping to raise $4,500 to complete the film and to take it on the US and international festival circuit.
Promotional Trailer For “The Last/First Kiss”
The “Last/First Kiss” tells the lyrical story of a one day romance in New York’s Central Park.
Mr. Stoneham and director Ms Ashton describe the film as “a love letter to unexpected encounters and the randomicity that is New York City.”
“Our protagonist Stella, moments away from getting married and troubled by second thoughts, literally runs into Julian, a handsome stranger, and their budding connection forces her to examine the doubts in her mind and the possible options for her future,” they said.
The film is sweet, funny, and snappy while also breaking the stereotypes of how black characters are portrayed in the media today.
“Time and time again we accept the black ‘token’ friend in college comedies and sitcoms, the over-the-top sassy black grandma in Hollywood blockbusters, or the young black drug dealer in urban dramas, the same black generalities, mostly in a negative light,” said the filmmakers.
Mr. Stoneham said one of the goals of the film is to showcase African-Americans how they should be portrayed — as real people.
“Our film ‘The Last/First Kiss’ highlights layered and intelligent black characters that do not fit into prim, little, stereotypical check-boxes,” he said. It’s a film about two young people trying to find their way in the world and making a connection in the process. They just happen to be African-Americans.”
“The Last/First Kiss” features Tracey Heggins — an independent film stalwart now breaking into the mainstream thanks to her role as a vampire in the latest “Twilight” film — Carlton Byrd, front-runner to play Tupac Shakur in a forthcoming biopic.
Bermudian writer/producer Mr. Stoneham received his B.A. in Science with a concentration in Filmmaking from Full Sail University.
He has worked for BIFF as a storytelling camp instructor and film series coordinator.
Mr. Stoneham was awarded a Bermuda Arts Council Grant and the Bermuda Musical & Dramatic Society’s Kate Huntington Memorial Bursary for his work in the development process of another short film.
He has also had his own original short stage play “The Assassination of a High School Cheerleader” staged by both the Bermuda Musical & Dramatic Society and the Where Eagles Dare Short Play Lab in New York City.
The film’s director Andrea Ashton hails from the San Francisco Bay Area where she began her education at UC Santa Cruz as a Creative Writing major. She later transferred to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts to pursue filmmaking.
Her senior thesis short which she produced, wrote, and directed, garnered awards for Best Drama at the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival as well as Best Screenplay and Audience Award for Best Short at the Brooklyn International Film Festival.
After graduation, she landed roles as a set P.A. for Oscar-winning director Jonathan ["Silence of the Lambs"] Demme, as a coordinator for numerous independent feature film, and then on to production managing features and television series for hosts including Michael ["Fahrenheit 9/11"] Moore.
Currently she makes a living producing, writing, and directing internal, promotional and web videos for Fortune 500 companies like Pfizer, Canon, Dell, Samsung, and LG,.
But she continues to pursue what she calls “passion projects” including “The Last/First Kiss.”
To learn more about the project or to make contributions, visit the filmmakers’ appeal page.
Production Still From “The Last/First Kiss”
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