A Film by Rochée Jeffrey
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MR. TALENTED a film by Rochée Jeffrey ABOUT THE FILM Inspired by a true story, Mr. Talented is a one-take short that follows a space-obsessed photographer whose life and sanity unravel as he tries to make a name for himself in the art world. THE SPECS Duration: 14 Min Country of Origin: USA Genre: Drama Shooting Format: Arri Alexa Classic 2K Ratio: 2:39:1 THE STORY “SPACE IS THE ONLY PLACE A BLACK MAN CAN BE FREE” - Mr. Talented Mr. Talented follows a space-obsessed, struggling 27 year-old black photographer who is determined to reach the apex of the art world. He’s worked tirelessly and unsuccessfully to have his photography exhibited at the prestigious Baldner gallery. Mr. Talented believes that one man stands in the way of making his ambitious dream come true: Tom Sorenson, head curator of the Baldner. Mr. Talented hosts a self-exhibit at a local gallery to get Tom's attention and stamp of approval. When Tom rejects Mr. Talented's work, there are dire consequences. THE REAL TYRELLE SHAW Our Inspiration Tyrelle Shaw was a 25 year-old, mentally ill, social media-obsessesed artist who called himself "Mr. Talented." Tyrelle was responsible for a series of violent attacks against Asian women in New York City in 2015. Shaw lived two very different lives: the one where he saw himself as an up-and-coming artist with many friends and romantic prospects, and the sadder backstory; he was abandoned by his mother as a child, and he’d lived in a boarding home as a teenager, and experienced frequent bouts of homelessness as an adult. He told a friend he had bipolar disorder but couldn’t afford the medications to treat it. He ended his life by hanging himself in an elevator shaft in a silver spacesuit. ROCHÉE JEFFREY Writer/Director Rochée Jeffrey is a writer/director/performer who hails originally from Jamaica. While attending Howard University, she won the Paul Robeson Award for Best Original Screenplay and Best Music Video Direction. Her one-hour pilot, Welcome to America, was a semifinalist for the ScreenCraft Fellowship in 2014, and a finalist for Issa Rae's ColorCreative.tv’s drama cycle. Rochée’s one-hour pilot, Unique State of Mind, was featured on WeForShe’s 2016 list of the Best Pilots Written by Women. She is a 2017 Film Independent Project Involve Screenwriting Fellow, FOX's 2017 HBCU Fellow and a 2018 Humanitas Prize Semi-Finalist. Her short film Suitable has screened at festivals throughout the country, including Urbanworld Film Festival and Austin Film Festival. Rochée has written on the Elite Daily Show sketch series, VH1’s dramedy series Daytime Divas, the Step Up television series on YouTube Red and Showtime's Golden Globe-nominated series SMILF. In 2017, she sold a feature pitch to Lionsgate. You can find her on stage throughout Los Angeles performing improv with her team, 850 FICO. She is repped by Perter Dodd at UTA and Lucy Stutz at Rain Management Group. J. MALLORY McCREE Mr. Talented J. Mallory McCree, a native of Detroit, MI, has been paving his way towards stardom. After attending Rutgers University, earning a BFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts (Calista Flockhart, Sebastian Stan, Mike Coulter), J. Mallory moved to New York City. Right out of school he booked roles in New York's premiere off-broadway houses such as Signature Theatre and Playwright's Horizons. Soon after, McCree would make his Broadway debut in the all black revival of, A Streetcar Named Desire. Acquiring a strong background in theatre, J. has broken through to film and television. Some of McCree’s most notable roles include: Sekou Bah on Season 6 of Homeland; Charlie on Season 1 of Quantico; and Cole in Marvel’s The Defenders on Netflix. Other prominent projects include Show Me A Hero, From Nowhere (SXSW 2016 Audience Award Winner), Who Are We Now (TIFF) (SXSW 2018), and Cloned (Cannes). www.jmallorymccree.com TONYA PINKINS Valerie Brown Born In Chicago, IL, Tonya Pinkins is a prolific stage, television and film actress. She has starred on shows ranging from American classics like The Cosby Show, Days of Our Lives, and Law & Order to modern hits like Scandal, Gotham, Madam Secretary, and Hulu’s 11.22.63. She is a three-time Tony nominee and won the Tony for her performance in Jelly’s Last Jam. She’s won an Obie, a Drama Desk Award and two Lortel Awards, among others. She has been nominated for the Olivier, Helen Hayes, NAACP Image, Soap Opera Digest and Ovation awards. She currently lives in New York City where she is an active member of the #MeToo movement. CAST Mr. Talented J. Mallory McCree Valerie Tonya Pinkins Tom Vayu O’Donnell Rachel Jessika Van Jay Ayinde Howell French Woman Lisa Thornburg French Man Phillipe Simon Dante Amen Ignibosun Matt Ricky Woznichak Server Cullen Arbaugh PRODUCERS EBONY HARDIN KADY KAMAKATE Ebony Hardin is a Producer and Ivoranian American producer Casting Director from Charlotte, NC. Kady Kamakate began her work in After graduating from the Carnegie production as a PA on music videos, Mellon University School of Drama in short films, and commercials. Her 2013, Ebony moved to LA. In 2014 she short film, They Charge For The Sun was 1 of 3 chosen to participate in directed by Terence Nance through NBC’s Casting Apprenticeship Film Independent’s Project Involve Program. From there she continued her program, has been lauded at festivals casting career while working on the around the world. Kady produces theatrical releases of Baby Driver, digital campaigns for the award- Nocturnal Animals, Loving, and Jason winning content studio, Portal A, for Bourne, as well as the Neflix series brands including Google and Sense8, along with several other YouTube. Kady is a 2017 Project features and series. As a storyteller, Involve fellow where she was named Ebony has worked with a range of the inaugural Turner Fellow, awarded content creators in producing original to an outstanding filmmaker in the scripted series as well as award program. Kady's more recent project winning branded content for Amazon, Leimert Park, a series she produced Netflix, and Saatchi & Saatchi. and co-created, was recently viewed at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. FILMMAKERS LAURA JANSEN Director of Photography Originally from Chicago, IL, Laura attended Loyola Marymount University and received her bachelor’s in Film and Television Production. There she lensed over a dozen films and was awarded the Ian Conner Cinematography Award upon graduating. In the same year, Laura was offered her first feature film, which was distributed in the US and UK. She has collaborated with actors Conrad Ricamora (How To Get Away With Murder) and Sally Pressman (Army Wives) in shooting their personal projects and has been fortunate enough to work with and mentor under Emmy-award winner, Tim Suhrstedt, ASC, and Mark Weingartner, ASC. Laura is particularly drawn to narrative dramas that explore the complexity of the human psyche. She currently lives in Los Angeles, CA JONGNIC BONTEMPS MELANIE ANNAN Composer Editor Jongnic Bontemps, aka “JB”, is a classically Melanie has more than ten years experience as a trained composer with roots in the church and film and television editor. Her short films, jazz world as a pianist. Hailing from Brooklyn, Something Fishy, Australian Summer, and New York, he studied music at Yale, Berklee and Danya, have screened internationally and won the University of Southern California. He was numerous awards. Her project, Spine, won Best selected as a Sundance Lab Composer Fellow in Australian Short at the Melbourne International 2013 and received a Time Warner Artist Film Festival. The feature documentary Despite Fellowship in 2014. JB has composed music for The Gods premiered at the Hot Docs more than 50 projects spanning film, television International Film Festival in Toronto and was and video games. His work has been heard in selected for the Sydney International Film various award-winning independent films at Festival and the Raindance Film Festival. Her Cannes; on networks like HBO, BET, and Disney; television work includes At Home With and in cinemas worldwide. JB’s latest film, The Julia which was nominated for an AACTA award Land, premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film for Best Television Comedy Series. Melanie was Festival and features a song collaboration with also editor of CGI-heavy films Crooked Mick of Erykah Badu and Nas. The Speewah and Cockroach . CONTACT mrtalentedfilm.com Director: Rochee Jeffrey - [email protected] Producer: J. Mallory McCree - [email protected] Producer: Ebony Hardin - [email protected] @mrtalentedfilm.