BETTER MUS’ COME
PUBLICITY CONTACTS
Tilane Jones [email protected] 818.995.0050
Rating: NR TRT: 104 minutes CREDITS
Written & Directed by Storm
Producer Paul Bucknor
Executive Produced by Joshua Bratter Samantha Bratter Paul Bucknor
Director of Photography Storm
Editors Storm Paul Bucknor
Cast Sheldon Shepherd - Ricky Nicole Grey - Kemala Ricardo Orgill - Flames Everaldo Creary - Short Man Roger Guenveur Smith - Prime Minister
SYNOPSIS
Better Mus’ Come is a coming of age drama set in Jamaica’s turbulent 1970s, against the backdrop of the Cold War, a national water crisis, an energy crisis, corruption, and numerous murder scandals that gave birth to the polarized violence gripping the streets of Kingston both then and now.
After months of incarceration as a suspected political agitator, Ricky is released. Haunted by the tragic death of his devoted young wife and paralyzed by conflicting feelings of guilt and loyalty to his political tribe, he tries to navigate his way through the minefields created by the constant social upheaval that seems to be ubiquitous in his community, while providing a better life for his 5- year old son.
At his home coming party Ricky meets Kemala, a book smart country girl, who lives in the opposing neighborhood, enemy territory. In many ways they are opposites, but what starts as antagonism quickly turns into burning passion.
Kemala encourages Ricky to convince his old friends in the community to adopt a more passive approach. To defy the status quo of confrontation, this leads to the inevitable cycle of violence. The big question is, can Ricky and his crew beat the odds and ensure that Better Mus’ Come?
Director’s Statement
I’ve always been a bit of a cold war junkie, and there was a point in my life where I would watch, read, and research everything I could on geopolitics and espionage in the 20th century. I particularly remember the well-documented case of the US backed military coup that brought down Chile’s democratically elected government and killed its president. To my surprise something similar, but much less known, had also happened in Jamaica.
I grew up with stories from my parents and elder Rastafarians about CIA infiltration of Jamaica, but it was only during this research that I practically stumbled upon Jamaica’s chapter in the cold war. I learnt about the destabilization of my country and the undeclared civil war that took place from the 1970’s into the early 80’s between street gangs who were recruited and armed by the political parties to fight for control of communities and the resulting votes of their inhabitants. The legacy of this time has so influenced our culture and shaped our society that it is safe to say Jamaica would have been an entirely different nation, and much better off, if not for this tragic time. Here was the most significant moment in our post-colonial history and we were taught nothing about it in school.
The script was developed with the goal of putting Jamaica’s culture of violence in context. To show that our reputation for celebrating gangsterism is the result of an entrenched political culture that continues to keep the masses separated and oppressed. A culture that developed as a direct result of outside influence from the World’s superpowers, with their desire to control the destiny of other nations. I wanted to humanize the gangster, to show that he is the product of his environment for which both he and society at large must pay the price. This is a universal story, as political violence is definitely not unique to Jamaica, but a defining factor of many if not most developing nations
Ricky is a gang leader who has lost his will to fight for political principles he no longer believes in. He is the protector of his community, and a single father raising a young son who has started to emulate his violent ways. How does he break the cycle of violence when he is only valued for his willingness to be violent? Ricky is not a faceless mad dog criminal like society would consider him, but a real person with wants, needs, motivations, and hobbies. He writes poetry, but keeps it to himself. Who wants to hear a gangster recite poetry anyways? Kemala is a book smart young lady who does not see her world in terms of neighborhood boundaries, and therefore has no fear of crossing them. The simplicity of her outlook encourages Ricky to think outside of the boundaries he has put himself in.
The experience I’m most trying to communicate with Better Mus’ Come is that of discovery. Through discovering the facts of our post colonial history one can better understand the power and relevance of our cultural output. When reggae music conquered the world with Bob Marley and other icons singing about “tribal warfare” and rising above oppression, he was speaking about what he saw right in front of him on the streets of Kingston, and this music resonated across the globe.
As a cinematographer I placed major emphasis on telling the story visually. The political war was a color war; Orange versus Green, PNP (People’s National Party) versus JLP (Jamaica Labor Party). I was never dead-set on the dialogue I wrote or my preconceptions about a character, but preferred to create an atmosphere of exploration with the actors so that nuanced moments could arise, bringing something unpredictable and magical to the film. What was most important to me was creating an atmosphere that was at once beautiful, and thick with tension. I took major inspiration from the cinematography of Christopher Doyle, the rich colors of Marcel Camus’ “Black Orpheus”, and the legendary gun-slinging sound of Ennio Morricone.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
“FIX AND DESTROY” - GREEN BAY MASSACRE
In the 1970’s members of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the Peoples National Party (PNP) were embroiled in a bloody battle for power. Trapped in that ideological war were communities of Jamaicans longing for solutions to basic problems. Both parties fought that battle in the streets and alleys of Kingston with gangs who used violence and intimidation to silence opposition. This toxic mix of tribalism, politics, poverty, power, and violence that permeated in Jamaica set the stage for the Green Bay Massacre.
January 5, 1978, 14 members of the JLP targeted and deemed as a threat to the stability of the PNP government are lured to the Green Bay Shooting Range under the assumption that they were to transport and guard shipments of illegal guns. The men were caught in an ambush, led by members of the Military Intelligence Unit, which left 5 dead.
Better Mus’ Come written and produced three decades later questions the actions of the people who chose to engage politics and violence and how that decision transformed the community.
STATE OF EMERGENCY
For first time feature filmmaker Storm Saulter, making a film set in his native Jamaica was necessary for two key reasons, to offer thoughtful reflection on a tumultuous time in Jamaican history and to help breathe new life into the Jamaican cinematic landscape.
In an interview with The Fader, Saulter shared where the idea for Better Mus’ Come came from: “I was always interested in the Cold War and the whole geopolitics of that time. The effect that had on Jamaica and our relations with Cuba and the US was also interesting, then add to that the Green Bay Massacre. When you put all those together with the heightening party politics of the time, it makes for a great story.”
Paired with a strong fascination for researching history, espionage, and political thriller films, Saulter had to tell the story of the Green Bay Massacre. Most Jamaican youth born after the massacre are not aware that it occurred. “I always had a romantic idea about what the ‘70s and maybe the ‘60s were like, and I felt like maybe I should have been born around that time because it just seemed like a fair amount of freedom and movement and less just gentrified world.” Saulter acknowledges. When he began studying the Cold War and the subsequent proxy wars, he discovered Jamaica’s involvement. A key piece of research for Saulter was Laurie Gunst’s book Born Fi’ Dead, which gave him a point of reference for the time period.
Saulter goal with Better Mus’ Come was to examine the type of environment that causes something like the Green Bay Massacre to happen. “It looks at the situations and influences that created that kind of violence. It’s not a film to give answers but to raise questions on the socio-political situation and you can draw a parallel to what’s happening today.” Saulter said.
The same month Saulter premiered Better Mus’ Come in Jamaica, security forces invaded Tivoli Gardens in an effort to capture alleged drug don Dudus. The striking parallels between the fragile state of socio-political emergency during both events (at least 73 civilians died as a result of the incursion) magnifies the origin of this problem. “There is a misconception that Jamaicans are intrinsically violent, and I wanted to create a story that more accurately illustrated the root cause and effect of the extreme violence taking place in our country.” Saulter explains.
Saulter admits that he feared the movie would not translate well to foreign audiences, “I was worried that maybe the film would be too specific to Jamaica for it to be appreciated.” He went on to say, “The current state of world affairs with political instability in so many places and many situations of political corruption, the film keeps getting more relevant.”
A VISA AND A HURRICANE
As the story goes, Saulter had to come back to Jamaica to get another visa. While waiting, a hurricane hit. “It just kind of hit me, like the hurricane I guess, why am I going to be another person in America, in New York, or in L.A. working with that landscape trying to make to tell a new story. This is my home and this landscape is really fresh and if I want to be a relevant story teller in this medium I feel it should be from my homeland.” Saulter says. Saulter set out from there to make the next great Jamaican film.
Saulter’s fascination with the Cold War sparked the idea to set his feature film in ‘70s Jamaica. “In my research I discovered that Jamaica went through a very similar CIA orchestrated destabilization in the mid to late 1970’s. The murder rate went up over 300% in just a couple years due to political violence.”
He spent months combing through the Jamaican Gleaner archives, reading the Council on Hemispheric Relations reports, and speaking to people that were around at the time of the Green Bay Massacre, including survivors. “The Opposition Jamaica Labour Party and its leader Edward Seaga were supported by the CIA in an attempt to get rid of the left leaning People’s National Party led by then Prime Minister Michael Manley, who was a good friend and admirer of Fidel Castro. This of course did not sit well with America. So groups of young men on either side of the political divide were armed and financed to wage war against any person or community that supported the other party. This was the beginning of a “Tribal War” that engulfed the country, the legacy of which still haunts Jamaica to this day.
“Realizing all of this at once, I was shocked to know that we were never taught this in school. Here was the most relevant moment in our post-colonial history and the only record of it for my generation was a few dub songs from the 1970’s. The most famous of which being “Green Bay Killing A Murder (bow)” by the then named Nigger Kojak (real name).”
“As a Jamaican I felt this era had to be explored in order for us to understand the realities we were facing in the present time. As a story teller I immediately new I had to make this film.” With a head full of ideas Saulter started writing the script.
In the meantime, Saulter reconnected with Josh Bratter, who he had previously written a script for when he was 18. Saulter ended up sharing the premise for Better Mus’ Come with Bratter. “The moment I told him the story he immediately said “That’s it!” and this is when Better Mus’ Come started to feel like a real possibility.” That conversation encouraged Saulter to continue with development. Samantha Bratter and Paul Bucknor also came onboard to produce the film. Months later Saulter set out to find funding for the film. He ended up getting financing through private investors.
ALL JAMAICAN CAST AND CREW
Recreating the environment and atmosphere of 1970’s Kingston Jamaica demanded authenticity in casting, wardrobe, and production design. Instead of relying to traditional methods of casting, the production team held two casting sessions at the Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts. Unfortunately, this hotbed of creative talent didn’t offer leads for the film.
“The actors came to the film in seemingly random but serendipitous ways.” Saulter explained. The production team took casting to the Sandy Park community where the majority of the film takes place. The team auditioned 300 people from the community. Their goal was to unearth talent and cast extras.
FINDING RICKY – Sheldon Shepherd Ricky is a man of varying complexities; a single father, a leader in his community, a poet, and a gangster. “We were looking for someone who was a natural leader, because that’s the type of person that would run a community. Someone who could be a killer and a nurturer at the same time.”
It was at the end of a day of auditioning when the production team noticed Sheldon Shepherd hanging out at casting along with close friend and NO-MADDZ bandmate with Everaldo Creary, ‘Shortman’. “We spotted him and invited him to audition.” With cameras rolling Shepherd began reciting an original poem. “One of the producers started to mess with him on camera to get a reaction and his reaction was so fierce and convincing that for a second we thought he was really going to hurt someone, and then he just laughed.”
Shepherd wasn’t immediately cast in the lead role. In the opening scene, he blends in among the gangsters. But he soon stood out as a leader on camera, which landed him the leading role. “Sheldon has an iconic presence. Even if you see him for the first time and you have no idea who he is, you know he’s a star.”
FINDING KEMALA – Nicole Sky Grey “I’m very lucky to have got the role.” Nicole Sky Grey shared. Nicole rounded out the cast being the last person selected to play ‘Kemala’. “I was on my way to a recording studio and saw someone who resembled a friend of mine. I called to him and blew him a kiss. When I got closer, I realized that it wasn’t my friend… it was actually Storm Saulter, the director of the film, and he was standing with Paul Bucknor, the producer.” Saulter stopped her and asked her to do an impromptu audition. They brought out the camera and Nicole auditioned on the spot and landed the role.
For Nicole, Better Mus’ Come taught her about a piece of history, like most youth from her generation, never learned about in school. Part of her preparation for the role included talking with her granddad and grand-uncle about 1970’s Jamaica.
“The character Kemala to me represents a more evolved product of that environment. Unlike Ricky she does not see her community in terms of borders and no-go zones. She goes where she pleases and doesn’t play by the political rules. She is well read, smart, and headstrong, but it is also her lack of fear that I wanted Ricky to admire. Because his life is all about borders. He aspires to that freedom and I wanted that to be the driving force behind his admiration for Kemala. This forces him to re-think his self-imposed borders, which pushes him towards a need for change.”
FINDING THE PRIME MINISTER - Roger Guenveur Smith Acclaimed actor Roger Guenveur Smith didn’t hesitate to sign on to play a role in Better Mus’ Come. Jamaica holds a special place in his heart. He’s also close friends with Saulter’s parents. “I became exposed to Storm as one of these kids running around the family restaurant out there on the west-end road in Negril. When he went to film school in L.A., where I live, we crossed paths as artists.” Smith shared.
Saulter reiterated, “The cast and crew is entirely Jamaican except for Roger Guenveur Smith, who plays the role of the Prime Minister. He is such an inspiring and accomplished actor, that I believe his participation in the film raised the bar for all the other young actors, many of whom were first time actors.”
As a former history and cultural studies student, Smith was inspired by the films controversial topic. Saulter also recognized Smith as a risk taker who enjoys a creative challenge. Saulter didn’t write Smith’s script. Smith brought his wealth of experience and range to the ‘Prime Minister’ role.
FINDING SHORTMAN - Everaldo Creary Ironically, the production team cast the role for ‘Shortman’ first. Saulter saw Everaldo Creary him in a popular Jamaican stage play called “Jamaica 2 Rhatid.
FINDING FLAMES – Ricardo Orgill The production team found Ricardo Orgill, ‘Flames’, during auditions in Sandy Park. Orgill had no prior acting experience but was natural and dominant on camera. Joining the cast encouraged Orgill to further his education.
FINDING DOG HEART - Dwayne Pusey Dwayne Pusey who plays ‘Dog Heart’, also from Sandy Park had no acting experience, “was about the meanest and scariest person we had come across on camera”, Saulter said. His demeanor made him the perfect fit for ‘Dog Heart’.
THE COMMUNITY AS A CHARACTER A poignant moment in the film is when ‘Ricky’ goes outside and turns on the faucet for water only to find nothing. That image of him turning the knob, hoping for even a trickle, speaks volumes about the conditions of many human beings living in ghettos around the world. This basic need is a small example of the situations plaguing Jamaican’s in neighborhoods like Sandy Park in the ‘70s. Water crisis, food shortages, and an energy crisis helped to create a sense of desperation among the characters in Better Mus’ Come.
shot in community of Sandy Park, Kingston Harbour, and other parts of Kingston production became apart of the community
80% of the cast came out of Sandy Park. Actors spent 3 months living in Sandy Park, immersing themselves in the community prior to shooting. Sandy Park became a character in the film. “Becoming so connected to that community affirmed to me that sometimes the lack of luxury can force people to focus on what is most important to them. To hone their talents and to express themselves in ways that nobody could foresee.”
“The people in Sandy Park are some of the most creative and enthusiastic people I’ve ever worked with and I still work with many folks from there both as talent and members of my crew.”
“Jamaicans are known mostly for our music and culture, all of which emerged from these types of environments. You have to respect everyone’s struggle, and while you may wish for that struggle to end you must respect the creativity that emerges from it.”
WRITER, DIRECTOR, CINEMATOGRAPHER, EDITOR – Storm Saulter “I had to write Better Mus’ Come because there was nobody around that was interested in writing about this era. Anyone who knew about this dark side of the 1970’s was hoping it would just go away.”
“Being a director/cinematographer is my natural state as a filmmaker. I have a singular vision when it comes to what I want to see and how I want it to feel so the two are really inseparable for me and sharing that responsibility with someone else would just slow me down and probably frustrate me. Also, I’ve found you have to be like water when making a film and the quicker you can adapt to an unexpected change in the environment is the better you will perform so maintaining both these responsibilities just meant that I could adjust very quickly and keep the train moving.”
“Editing was really the most difficult part because, as is typical, when you’ve had such a controlling hand in all the material it’s very hard to become unattached and to make the best decisions. So there was a lot of editing, private screening, suggestions, and changes. I feel like a certain aesthetic was developed during the editing process and I don’t regret it but I’ve learnt.”
SETTING THE STAGE “The interesting thing about shooting a period piece in a ghetto is that once you remove the signage, the vehicles, and anything else that would give away the modern era, a ghetto in 2013 looks just like a ghetto in 1978. By nature ghettoes are broken down communities that are not really advancing with the times, its just generations of poverty stacked on top of each other. You can’t rebuild that kind of texture; rusting zinc fences and unfinished concrete structures, it’s the kind of texture that holds dark stories and you can feel this when you watch the film.”
Thanks to the work of Production Designer, Khalil Deane, audiences were able to relive a 1970’s Central Kingston neighborhood. The cars, signage, weapons, props; every detail had to be true to the time period. “From the language to the costumes, the props to the locations, we sought to represent realistically the passionate fervor associated with Jamaican politics in the 1970s,” the director explained.
Charl Baker, Costume Designer, had to recreate that funky seventies style, as well as maintain the political consciousness that would have informed the fashion of the time (green being the favored color in JLP neighborhoods, orange and red being the preferred in PNP neighborhoods).
Tamika Nelson and Jackie Greaves were primarily responsible for makeup and hair (obviously very different in the 70’s compared to now). This is a massive undertaking especially because of the scenes with large numbers of extras requiring styling and makeup.
Captain Robert Hibbert was the stunt coordinator and weapons specialist. He trained the actors on how to properly handle their weapons and perform stunts safely.
EXPERIMENT IN GUERILLA MARKETING Better Mus’ Come made its first public appearance at the second Flashpoint Film Festival in 2006 as a short film. The production team initially released the feature length version in 2008. It was apparent then that it needed careful editing. Saulter and Bucknor returned to the editing room. After 5 years of development, production, and editing, they released a tighter version of Better Mus’ Come on October 13, 2012 in Jamaica.
The week leading up to the premiere, a friend suggested the idea of staging a protest to raise awareness about the film. Saulter rounded up approximately 15 drama students from the Edna Manley School of the Arts to join the group. Armed with t-shirts placards and energy the group joined the Fashion Night Out in Kingston crowd.
The group of 25-30 “Protestors” quickly drew a crowd of attendees from the stores to the streets. “The film deals with politics and protest, so we got the chance to mix protesting with promotion. It was a serious reaction, guerrilla marketing at its best. People thought it was a protest against fashion, but soon they realized it was a promotion," said Saulter.
GOING GLOBAL Better Mus’ Come carries a poignant message for our time; one that is rarely told. Audiences at the 8th annual Bahamas International Film Festival connected to the essence of the film. Better Mus’ Come won the audience award for Best Narrative Feature. It also received an honorable mention in the Spirit of Freedom category, which honors movies that explore the human condition and culture. Better Mus’ Come also won the Best Feature award at the Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival. Success at both festivals solidified Better Mus’ Come’s odds for success outside of the Caribbean. It also showed that there is an audience hungry for fresh stories highlighting Jamaican life. “As far as I’m concerned, the Caribbean is the most exciting place in the world to be making film right now. There are so many untold stories, which is an ideal environment for storytellers.” Saulter said.
Winning over the Caribbean audience wasn’t Saulter’s only goal. He saw an opportunity to take this universal story to the international market. In 2012, Saulter took Better Mus’ Come to the American Black Film Festival (ABFF). Sheldon Shepherd won Best Actor, sharing the $5,000 prize with actress Malinda Williams. “It was also very cool to see Sheldon win Best Actor at ABFF because my approach to directing him and the cast was all about subtlety, which is opposite to the way Jamaican’s are accustomed to performing due to our very developed theater culture and our over-the-top style of Pantomime performance. The most common phrase I used with the actors was “give me zero! Don’t project it, feel it inside and it will come through”. What we did really changed the game for screen acting in Jamaica, so I was really proud of that.” Saulter said.
Saulter went on to when the Best Director award at the Pan-African Film Festival. In the three years since its original release, Better Mus’ Come has also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), British Film Institute (BFI), and Film Society of Lincoln Centre.
While screening Better Mus’ Come at TIFF, Saulter got a chance to meet Ava DuVernay and see her film Middle of Nowhere. What he found in Ava was a kindred spirit. “She really listened to my thoughts and respected my ideas. And listening to her outlook on where black cinema is and should be was like hearing someone vocalize what I’d been imagining and hoping for all along.”
“I had known about AaFFRM for a little less than a year before I met Ava, I knew from the films they were putting out that they had an outlook that was quite different from most distributors.”
“The most common response I got before meeting with Ava was; “Wow the film is amazing, but there are no black stars in it. How do I sell a black film without black stars?” It was clear to me early on that AaFFRM was dedicated to films of quality regardless of the “star power” attached.”
“AaFFRM shares a similar ethos to the filmmaker collective New Caribbean Cinema, of which I am a founder, in that they recognize the need to present new, diverse and powerful voices in cinema. The storytellers of this generation. And they’ve utilized the passion of like-minded people to create a powerful network of support that will see to it that our stories are seen and heard.”
AaFFRM ACQUIRES BETTER MUS’ COME
January 14, 2013, the African American Film Festival Releasing Movement (AaFFRM) announced the launch of its new label, ARRAY, dedicated to multi- platform distribution of black independent film. ARRAY’s first acquisition is Better Mus’ Come, Storm Saulter’s debut award-winning drama. ARRAY has acquired all U.S. distribution rights.
Ava DuVernay explains, “AaFFRM’s new label ARRAY is build to serve the tremendous burst of black cinematic talent across the globe, filmmakers who are embracing new technologies to tell their stories by any means necessary. The goal is to expand the brand cultivated over our first four theatrical releases by reaching new audiences via both digital and traditional platforms. Storm’s work on Better Mus’ Come as director, writer and cinematographer is wildly impressive, incredibly important and deserves to be seen by as many film lovers as possible. We’re proud that his gem will launch ARRAY.”
Saulter explained that although many traditional and independent distributors loved the film, they chose not to pick it up because they couldn’t figure out how to sell it. Their misgivings about a “black film” with no recognizable black stars gave AaFFRM an opportunity.
Better Mus’ Come and Storm Saulter’s approach to making this film fit perfectly into AaFFRM’s model. “The difference with a company like AaFFRM, and their new label ARRAY, is that their mission is specifically to identify and elevate quality black independent cinema that may otherwise not see the level of exposure deserved,” Saulter stated.
NEW CARIBBEAN CINEMA With Better Mus’ Come came the next wave of passionate voices in Caribbean cinema. Established in 2012, the New Caribbean Cinema collective founded by Saulter and St. Lucian, Michelle Serieux, is redefining Caribbean cinema. Saulter and Serieux formed this collective to showcase the next generation of talented Caribbean filmmakers. And now is the time with accessible technology that dramatically lowers costs without sacrificing quality.
The New Caribbean Cinema collective is a mixture of ‘First World’ technical skill and business savvy flavored with a distinctly Caribbean world-view, the New Caribbean Cinema Series proposes to present the world with a showcase of creative artistry from the region’s up and coming filmmakers. “This new wave of Caribbean filmmakers are now in a position to define the cinematic landscape of the Caribbean.” Saulter said.
Using the concept of “communal filmmaking”, the collective is expanding the amount and frequency of films coming out of the Caribbean. “A group of filmmakers get together and work on each others films, like a round robin. In the end we will have at least 7 films by different directors, which we will put together to form one feature film at a fraction of the cost of a traditional feature film. We will also have at least 7 individual shorts that can travel on their own.” Saulter explains. The collective includes creative and technical support from Joel Burke and Nile Saulter. RING DI ALARM! is the collective’s latest series, an anthology film made up of seven stories shot in Jamaica.
Indicative of the current black film revolution, the New Caribbean Collective asserts, “New Caribbean Cinema exists to challenge old models and to prove that in our region, innovation and ingenuity are key to our artistic expression.”
Saulter considers himself and New Caribbean Cinema “torchbearers” for the Caribbean in this new black indie film revolution, “Carrying our history, our energy, our culture, and our unique perspective of the World.” He said. “My goal is to build upon the work of the great Caribbean filmmakers before me like Perry Henzell and Euzhan Palcy. The Caribbean can be seen as a microcosm of the world. The ultimate melting pot of races and cultures that, in a way, may give us a glimpse into the future. My goal is to make universal stories wrapped in the texture, language, ugliness, and beauty of our people.”
CAST BIOS
SHELDON SHEPHERD – RICKY In 2012 Sheldon was named Best Actor at the 16th Annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF) for his leading role as “Ricky” in Better Mus' Come, announcing his arrival as THE emerging Caribbean actor to watch! Recipient of the 2006 ‘Prime Ministers Youth Award for Excellence in Arts and Culture’, and A Jamaican cultural ambassador to China in 2005, Sheldon has been at the forefront of Jamaican performing arts since his early teenage years. In his High School years at Kingston College, Sheldon excelled in Drama, and formed the dub poetry group NO-MADDZ with fellow actor poets Everaldo Creary, Oneil Peart and Chris Gordon. A major force in the live music movement emerging from Jamaica, Their unique style involves Dub Poetry spiced with different music genres, carrying the spirit of Jamaican Roots music.
The NO-MADDZ played “The Fastest Band In the World” along side the fastest man in the World Usain Bolt in the 2011 PUMA FAAS global campaign, with their hit single “Rise above Profanity” as the soundtrack. They toured Europe and Asia that same year playing major music festivals from Germany to South Korea.
Sheldon can be seen in the feature film CANDYSHOP by director Joel Burke for Firefly Films and in Michael ‘Ras Tingle’ Tingling’s acclaimed short film PARISH BULL, part of New Caribbean Cinema’s RING DI’ ALARM anthology feature.
SKY NICOLE GREY - KEMALA Jamaican model turned actress Sky Nicole Grey can be seen as the female lead in Storm Saulter's Better Mus’ Come, soon to see it's US release through AaFFRM's new label, ARRAY.
Between climbing trees (and exchanging punches) with the boys by the cane fields of rural Clarendon and later schooling in the decidedly more urban context of Kingston, Sky developed an understanding and ease with the diverse ways of the world, and parlayed this into an international modeling career (catwalk, print, billboard and television), making her home at different times in London, New York, Paris and Miami, and accumulating clients like M.A.C, Diesel, Agent Provocateur and Red Stripe. Editorially, Sky has graced the cover of SHE Magazine, and has been featured in Self, Cosmopolitan, Pride, Essence, and O Magazines.
Though Better Mus’ Come is Sky’s first performance on film, she quickly went on to a lead role in Andrew Dosunmu’s Restless City which premiered in Spring 2011 at the Sundance Film Festival to huge critical acclaim and a successful US theatrical release by AaFFRM.
Sky is a natural performer, expressing herself on screen and in Song. She refers to her music as Trancehall, a pop-induced mix of Electro and Dancehall. She is presently recording her debut album "All of the Above".
EVERALDO CREARY – SHORTMAN Everaldo is one of the most recognizable personalities in the Jamaican comedy scene, particularly through his work in theater, and has toured the World as a star of the hugely popular theatrical production JAMAICA TO RAWTID directed by Aston Cooke, and the stand up comedy TV show “Comedy Buss.” He was the first President of the Jamaica Youth Theater and was awarded the Prime Ministers Youth Award for Excellence in Arts and Culture in 2005.
In addition to Better Mus’ Come, Everaldo stars in the feature film Candyshop by Joel Burke, and as the character ‘Elwood’ on the BBC Drama “Small Island” by award winning novelist Andrea Levy.
Everaldo Also attended Kingston College where he formed the musical group NOMADDZ along with Sheldon Shepherd. He is acknowledged by his peers as one of Jamaica’s finest acting talents.
RICARDO ORGILL - FLAMES
Ricardo pursued music early on as a way to beat poverty and escape the realities of his rough upbringing in Kingston. He met Paul Bucknor through a mutual business associate and that interaction led to Ricardo’s first on-screen role in the feature film Pothole, directed by Bucknor for Firefly Films.
Ricardo showed such natural talent that when his community of Sandy Park was chosen as the main location for Better Mus’ Come, Ricardo auditioned and blew everyone away, earning a lead role in the film. “I never considered acting as a career, it was always music me did think was going to give me a big break. Life is funny; you never know what can happen. I tried it and I love it, it not hard at all, the roles I play feel natural to me because I playing a ghetto man struggling, and that’s my life”
Ricardo was illiterate when he was first introduced to film. With the support of Firefly Films Ricardo attended an adult literacy institution (JAMAL) so that he could read his script and prepare for his lead role in Better Mus’ Come.
Since starring in Better Mus’ Come Ricardo has gone on to direct his own short films and music videos as well as producing dancehall records under his “Sky Blue” music label. He also stars in the feature film Candyshop Written and directed by Joel Burke for Firefly Films, and in Kyle Chin’s Sunday, part of New Caribbean Cinema’s RING DI’ ALARM anthology feature.
ROGER GUENVEUR SMITH – THE PRIME MINISTER Roger Guenveur Smith adapted his Obie Award-winning solo performance of A Huey P. Newton Story into a Peabody Award-winning telefilm, directed by his longtime colleague Spike Lee. For Mr. Lee's Do The Right Thing, Mr. Smith created the stuttering hero Smiley, as well as a gallery of memorable characters in Malcolm X, Get On The Bus, He Got Game, Eve's Bayou, Hamlet, All About The Benjamins, Deep Cover, King of New York, Poetic Justice, MOOZ-LUM, American Gangster and the HBO series “Oz”, “K Street”, and “Unchained Memories: Readings From The Slave Narratives.”
Roger's history infused work for the international stage also includes WHO KILLED BOB MARLEY?, FREDERICK DOUGLASS NOW, IN HONOR OF JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT, RODNEY KING, ICELAND, THE WATTS TOWERS PROJECT, TWO FIRES, JUAN AND JOHN, and, with Mark Broyard, the award-winning INSIDE THE CREOLE MAFIA.
Roger stars in Michelle Serieux's acclaimed short Missed, part of New Caribbean Cinema's RING DI' ALARM anthology feature.
CREW BIOS
STORM SAULTER – WRITER, DIRECTOR, CINEMATOGRAPHER, EDITOR
Storm Saulter is a visual artist and filmmaker. Born in Negril, Jamaica, he received formal film training at The Los Angeles Film School graduating in 2001 with a focus in Cinematography and Editing. His commercial clients include companies such as ROOTS Canada, Red Bull, Nestle, Red Stripe Beer, Atlantic Records, Warner Music Canada, Sandals Resorts International, Martha Stewart, and The Hilton. His images have appeared in Rolling Stone, The Village Voice, and Trace magazine. Storm has exhibited his experimental films at The Brooklyn Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, The British Museum, and The National Gallery of Jamaica as well as in numerous group shows and art festivals internationally.
Critics have recognized his award winning film Better Mus’ Come as heralding a new movement of independent filmmaking throughout the Caribbean.
Saulter is the co-founder of New Caribbean Cinema, a pioneering effort to showcase the next generation of talented Caribbean filmmakers through the use of “communal filmmaking” as a means of creating World class documentary and narrative works. He recently produced New Caribbean Cinema’s RING DI ALARM! Alongside co-founder Michelle Serieux. Saulter received the 2011 Jamaica Gleaner Honour Award for his work in developing Jamaica’s Film Industry. The Jamaica Observer has named him one of his country’s most influential people and in 2012 he was identified by the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica as one of the 50 under fifty business leaders shaping Jamaica’s future.
PAUL BUCKNOR – WRITER, PRODUCER, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, EDITOR, CASTING DIRECTOR
Paul is a multi award winning filmmaker who was born in Jamaica and raised in England. His creative background is in photography, theatre and marketing. He produced award winning European TV commercials before working as a movie pre-sales exec packaging pictures for Cecchi Gori in Rome. While pursuing a BA in English Lit at University London, he was UK media agent for Marubeni Corp in Japan. In 1992 he started Black Triangle and Nubian Tales to promote African American filmmakers and worked as marketing consultant for UK distributors 20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures and Warner Bros. In 1995, Paul assembled a consortium to buy London's iconic Electric Cinema making it Britain's first black owned theater. He was CEO and programmer screening mostly pan-African films. He then wrote the original story for The Full Monty and co-produced the film for 20th Century Fox, which was nominated for 4 Academy Awards including Best Picture.
In 2003 Paul founded Firefly Films in Jamaica to kickstart the local digital film industry and in 2005, co-founded the annual Flashpoint Film Festival with Greer Anne Saulter and Chris Blackwell. He assembled a team of young filmmakers to produce short Jamaican films for the program, including Storm Saulter, Nile Saulter and Joel Burke. He is a firm believer is casting being invaluable to the process and has been casting director for all of the films he has produced.
Producing through Firefly Films, he has worn several hats; writer, director, casting director and editor on several shorts and 4 feature films; directing 2 feature films Goathead and Pothole, and producing Candyshop and Better Mus’ Come. Paul is preparing to release 3 virtually completed feature films in Jamaica and is developing a slate of new films including Swag set in Jamaica and supernatural thriller, Don’t Look Back, set in UK.
CHARL BAKER – COSTUME DESIGNER Growing up between Jamaica and Canada, Charl attended Ryerson University in Toronto and earned a B.A. in Fashion Design. As an award winning young designer, Charl went on to work for top Canadian women’s wear designer Franco Mirabelli, before returning to Jamaica.
She Designed wardrobe for the Marley’s and represented Jamaican designers at international fashion trade shows, becoming the senior coordinator of Caribbean Fashion Week.
A multifaceted visual artist, Charl opened Studio 969 and focused on designing wardrobe for film, television and commercials. She has worked with international artists’ like Shaggy and the Jolly Boys, and for brands such as RED STRIPE.
Besides Better Mus’ Come, Charl has served as costume designer on a number of short and feature length films such as Forward and Candyshop for Firefly Films.
KHALIL DEANE – PRODUCTION DESIGNER Khalil graduated from the Edna Manly College of Visual Arts with honors in painting. He went on to win the 2002 Artist of the Year award, and has exhibited his paintings internationally as one of the fresh new voices in Caribbean art.
He was introduced to film in 2003 on the set of Sweet Jamaica by Paul Bucknor for Firefly Films. Initially doing the artwork for the lead character ‘Randy’ (Mark Danvers) who was an aspiring artist, Khalil stayed on set and worked as a member of the art department. “A whole new world opened for me. I had no idea Jamaica had a film industry nor what the film industry entailed. “
Since then Khalil has worked as art director on numerous commercials and music videos for artists such as Damien and Steven Marley, Shaggy, Toots and the Maytals, Mavado, Richie Spice, and Taurus Riley, and films such as No Good Friends, Scoundrel, and Candyshop for Firefly Films.
CREDITS
Written & Directed by Storm
Producer Paul Bucknor
Executive Produced by Joshua Bratter Samantha Bratter Paul Bucknor
Director of Photography Storm
Production Designer Khalil Deane
Editors Storm Paul Bucknor
Costume Designer Charl Baker
Original Score Wayne Armond Marlon Stewart-Gaynor
CAST SHELDON SHEPHERD as Ricky NICOLE GREY as Kemala RICARDO ORGILL as Flames EVERALD CREARY as Shortman DUAYNE PUSEY as Dogheart IFIDEL WILLIAMS as Paulie JEROME BUTLER as Ras David DENNIS HALL as Souls CHRIS MCFARLANE as Army Major ROGER GUENVEUR SMITH as Prime Minister CARL WILLIAMS as Opposition MP TERIAN DIAS as Shari BOYD GRANT as Kapow HUGH DOUSE as Foreman VOLIER JOHNSON as Taxi Driver DEON SILVERA as Aunty CARL BRADSHAW as Rasta Elders BILLY MYSTIC MARLON STEWART-GAYNOR LAKESHA ELLISON as Marie CHRIS BENJAMIN as Chris CARLTON BUTLER as Police Sargeant NATALIE PARBOOSINGH as PM’s Secretary SPURGEON DALEY as Policeman 1 MERVIN SPENCE as Policeman 2 DONAHUE JARRETT as PNP Speaker TAMEKA NELSON as Screaming Woman FARENHEIT as Mr. Mcdonald GINA-MAY MAIR as Mrs. Mcdonald SAVANNA COLE as Amanda Mcdonald MUNAIR ZACCA as Mr. Secretary SEAN ‘SLATER’ LAIDLEY as Ricky’s Double
STEPHEN LEE as Soldiers TERREL WRIGHT KEVIN BAILEY MICHAEL TOMLINSON JERMAINE CURRUTHERS DEREK LAING
ONEIL GORDON as Nyabinghi Drummers GARY LYNCH SYDNEY CLUE CHARLES WHITE KENCILE POWELL MICHAEL SALMA DELLISON GENTLES
CREW Line Producer PAUL BUCKNOR Production Designer KHALIL DEANE Art Directors KEVON ARCHER JOY KELLY ESTHER BECKFORD Art Dept. Assistants CLEMENT FARQUHARSON VICTORIA SILVERA 1ST Assistant Director SHAREA MOUNIRA SAMUELS 2ND Unit Director NILE SAULTER Production Co-ordinator SHAHERAH THOMPSON Production Supervisor CAROLYN LEE Casting FIREFLY FILMS Costume Designer CHARL BAKER Wardrobe Assistants GEORGETTE SMITH AINSLEY CHUCK Make-up JACKIE GAREAVES TAMEKA NELSON Make-up Assistant KRYSTAL BROWN DEBBIE Special Effects Make-up JENEVA WHORMS JACKIE GAREAVES TAMEKA NELSON MARIE ALLEN Data Manager JOEL BURKE Tech. Assistant KEVIN GRANFORD Weapons Supervisor CAPT. ROBERT HIBBERT Stunt Co-ordinator CAPT. ROBERT HIBBERT
Associate Producers ROBERT MENZIES ANDRE COUTU MARLON STEWART-GAYNOR CAPT. ROBBERT HIBBERT Post Production Services ZEA FILMWORKS Colorist ANDRE COUTU Online Editor ANDRE COUTU Assistant Online Editor JORDAN JENSEN Audio Post Production ARTMART AUDIO Re-Recording Mixer MICHAEL HANLAN
Continuity MICHELLE SERIEUX Sound Recordists MICHAEL EDWARDS STEPHEN PARKINSON Boom Operators SHELDON TURBULL STEPHEN PARKINSON Camera Operators DAVID ROGERS NILE SAULTER RAS TINGLE Camera Assistants MARIE ALLEN KYLE CHIN Jib Operator GREGORY ‘ASHA’ MCPHAIL EZRA TOMLINSON Gaffer EARL CAMPBELL Key Grip ROBERT BALL Grips RALL REID MARK MCTAVISH MICHAEL GRANT DAMEAN BROWN Carpenter PAUL DAVIS Electrician ROY THOMAS Mason VALLEN BRYAN Tiler NAKIA FACEY Location Manager KENRICK BOLAN Location Assistant JUSTIN BURKE Port Royal Location Managers ORVAL ‘GUTU’ GOLDSON BOBBY LINDSEY Drivers KEVIN CRAWFORD MELISSA FEARON Publicist ALISON YOUNG English Subtitles PAUL BUCKNOR Catering HYACINTH PALMER BETHUNE Storage Facilites PRINCESS SMALL Production Assistants JEREMY SUTHERLAND ISHAK WILMOT SEAN ‘SLATER’ LAIDLEY MELISSA GORDON SHAHESHA EDWARDS JUDITH BURKE BENHIRE BRANDO JEROME SMITH FONNIQUE MILLER LEROY SALMON TACUMA MILLS MICHAEL DUNN Craft Services SASKIA SAUNDERS SHERRIE DUCILLE ISHTAR MASTERS SHEKEVA MONCRIFFE VIOLA MCPHERSSON VERON SIMPSON KERMITT HEWITT Car Rental LINTON KIRKLAND Vintage Car Rental PAUL GRAMMAR RICHARD BRYAN LAUREL BAILLIE ERROL SUTHERLAND DAVID SANGUENETTI Goat Wrangler TREVOR WARD Mechanic ERROL SUTHERLAND Fire Engine Chief ROBERT LACIE BTS Videographers MARIE ALLEN MYKAL CUSHNIE
MUSIC
“TOTAL OPPOSITES” Written by Marlon Stewart-Gaynor Performed by The Artist M Produced by Marlon Stewart-Gaynor and Wayne Armond From the album “The Fullness of Time” Courtesy of Band Room Productions
“STILL SEARCHING FOR BETTER” Written by Marlon Stewart-Gaynor, Wayne Armond and Storm Saulter Performed by The Artist M Produced by Marlon Stewart-Gaynor and Wayne Armond For Better Mus Come Productions
“STOP THAT RAIN” Written by Marlon Stewart-Gaynor and Wayne Armond Performed by The Artist M and Everaldo “Shortman” Creary Produced by Marlon Stewart-Gaynor and Wayne Armond For Better Mus Come Productions
“LOVE WE A DEAL WID (DUB MIX)” Written by Ras Haile Malekot Performed by Ras Haile Malekot and Philip Ellis Music Arranged by Aston Barett Jr. Produced by G.M.B records and Fam’s House Records From the album “Who is Rastafari?” Courtesy of G.M.B Records
“HELLO CAROL” Written by Hugh Griffiths Performed by Donahue Jarrett and Stephen ‘Cat’ Coore Produced by Jarcat From the album “Jarcat Grooves Volume 1”
“ROCKETS” Written and Performed by Daniel Lanois
“BUFFALO DRUMS” Written and Performed by Daniel Lanois
“ELEPHANT” Written and Performed by Daniel Lanois “DANIEL IN THE LION’S DEN” Performed by Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith From the album “Inna De Yard Volume 2” Courtesy of Makasound
“BE CAREFUL” Performed by Matthew Mcanuff From the album “Inna De Yard Volume 2” Courtesy of Makasound
“DETOUR” Performed by The Viceroys From the album “Inna De Yard Volume 2” Courtesy of Makasound
“CAN’T STOP THE YOUTHS” Performed by Binghy Carlton and Patrick Andy From the album “Inna De Yard Volume 2” Courtesy of Makasound
“THE LIGHT OF DUB” Written by Marlon Stewart-Gaynor Performed by The Artist M Produced by Marlon Stewart-Gaynor and Wayne Armond Courtesy of Band Room
SPECIAL THANKS The community of Sandy Park The community of Port Royal The community of Gordon Town The Jamaica Constabulaty Force The Jamaica Defense Force The National Heritage Trust Casa Loma Guesthouse
Shot entirely on location in JAMAICA.