Joanna

Short Short

A stranger on the street disturbs Joanna’s life routine.

Credits

Writer/Director/Cinematographer: Xia Sheng


Production Sound Mixers: Alexandru Leu, Jeanette Sears, and Sha Huang

Editor/Colorist: Niav Conty

Sound Editor: Alexandru Leu

Cast

Yina Qiao as Joanna
George Korsak as Robert

Xia Sheng

Xia Sheng is a screenwriter and film director currently studying at City College. Before coming to the United States, Xia worked as a documentary director, music video director, and post-production coordinator for TV series in China. He is now preparing his first feature film.

Specialization

Cinematography

Credits

MINISCEONGO – Cinematographer
PLUS MINUS BLACK – Cinematographer
OUTWORLD – Camera Assistant
FADED – Camera Assistant
SMALL TALK – Key Grip
i live IN LIFE – Production Sound Mixer
FUTURE PERFECT – Actor

Contact Xia

xiasheng85@gmail.com

Plus Minus Black

Documentary

Plus Minus Black is a documentary that examines differences, biases, and interracial prejudices between African-Americans, Africans, and Afro-Caribbeans through an oral survey. It is a journey that African-American Filmmaker Frank R. Hooker, Jr. sets out on to open up a discussion amongst members from each region, using New York City as a microcosm of the world, in an effort towards building a bridge towards a Pan-African society. The film will be screened in it’s short format at Cityvisions, as well as cut into a feature length format, an hour long format for TV broadcast, and be promoted as an ongoing web series.

Credits

DP – Frank Hooker
Additional Cinematography – Julian Amaro and Xia Sheng
Sound Designer/Composer – Mike Levine

Cast

Represents African American, African and Afro-Caribbean culture in one-on-one and group interviews.

Frank R. Hooker, Jr

A graduate of City College of New York’s Film Program, Frank R. Hooker, Jr. has been at the cutting edge of guerilla filmmaking for over a decade. As CEO of HarlemWood Entertainment, a multi-media company, he has amassed a large catalogue of work ranging from fictional (True American Love, Arthurputer.com, Lickity Split, Watermelon) and documentary films (Plus Minus Black, Grannies vs. War in Iraq, Out of the Mouth of Babes) to genre breaking music (Frank’s Soul Raunch). His work as a film educator has produced numerous protégé’s who have ascended in the craft, and garnered awards through the NAACP. His themes, which focus on identity, pathos, and nobility in the face of ignorance, serve as templates to relate a multi-cultural society to their commonalities.

Specialization

Writing and Directing Documentary

Quote

I am dedicated to tapping the creative powers of each individual that I influence through my knowledge and experience as an artist and educator, as well as instill a professional and masterful attitude towards success. Being an Arts Educator for nearly a decade, I have taught all age groups and learning styles how to own their perspective voice and educate the world.

Credits

Production Coordinator – “Tom in America”
Consulting Producer/ Assistant Cameraman – “Atramentous”

Contact Frank R.

Frank R. Hooker, Jr, CEO
HarlemWood Entertainment
940 Saint Nicholas Ave, Suite #4H
New York, NY 10032
frankrhookerjr@gmail.com
http://plusminusblack.wordpress.com/

Under Ground

Documentary

A documentary tells a story about Xuan of her struggling life between music and reality, her homosexual relationship and her traditional Chinese parents.

Credits

Writer, Director, Producer, DP – Sha Huang
Co-Editors – Sha Huang and Chih-Hsin Lee

Cast

Ye xuan as herself
Casper as herself

Sha Huang

A professional and highly educated computer engineer with strong CG background and clear, meticulous logicality;
A talented, energetic and creative film maker, who is using his logicality and mathematic knowledge as a producer; also following his own mind, tracing the dream of movie making.

Specialization

Writing and Directing Documentary/Producing

Credits

Executive Producer – “Lost in the City”
Set Photographer: “i live in life” and “Small Talk”
Production Manager – “Mainland”

Contact Sha

shuanghenshuang@gmail.com

Tom in America

Fiction

In For 50 years, Michael and Betty have been united by one guiding principle: no secrets. But when a provocative Tom of Finland doll triggers Michael’s long-buried desires, Betty discovers that secrets have been part of their life all along. With long-held mysteries thrust into the open, the foundation of their marriage and the path of their golden years is suddenly rocked. Now, they must redefine their future, and decide if it is one their love can survive.

Credits

Director – Flavio Alves
DP – Jordan Parrott
Producers – Greg Starr and Roy Gokay Wol
Editor – Julian Amaro
Production Designer – Tommy Janulis
Sound Designer – Charlie Greene
Composer – Jack Woodbridge

Cast

Burt Young, Sally Kirkland, Jacques Mitchell, Alex Kruz, Dawn Young, Denise Hungerford, Michael J. Cannon, and Steve Brustien

Flavio Alves

FLAVIO ALVES is a Brazilian writer, film director, and producer. He was granted political asylum in the United States in 1998 with the help of the Immigrants and Refugee Rights Clinic at New York University’s School of Law. Shortly thereafter, he attended Columbia University, where he earned an undergraduate degree in Political Science. After graduating, Alves worked as an assistant to then-New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Former Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY).
In 2007, Flavio returned to school to study film production at New York University, where he received the Technisphere Award for Outstanding Achievement. Since then, he has directed and produced more than 20 films. His most recent completed project, The Secret Friend, premiered at the 2010 Palm Springs International Film Festival and has entered more than 90 film festivals around the world. The Secret Friend received 24 awards, including Best Short Film at Cleveland International Film Festival, Amsterdam Film Festival, Palm Springs International Film Festival, and Savannah Film Festival.

Specialization

Writing and Directing Fiction

Credits

Producer – “Small Talk”

Contact Flavio

347-267-2500

Beauty: Only Skin Deep???

Documentary

Beauty: Only Skin Deep??? explores the ideology of what beauty is considered to be, in the African American community. Both Adolescents and adults struggling with their outer appearance, can find it difficult to compete with a standard of beauty that often exist in society. The demand to have flawless skin, straight hair, big breast, a flat stomach, and a round derriere often seen on television commercials, or in magazines, can trigger one to believe that getting plastic surgery can enhance their looks. This documentary also explores why some women of color feel the need to bleach their skin. The idea that “lighter is better than dark,” has been resonating through the minds of generations from various cultures. Who feel that having lighter skin will open up doors for them socially and economically. I use my own personal struggles with my body image, and self esteem to intertwine, with some of what my subjects; a cosmetologist, an Aesthetic skin care surgeon, and two barbers, states about how vain beauty is in the African American community.

Credits

Director/Editor/Producer – Shakeima Cooks
Additional Editing – Kanokon Sookaram and Karen Moran
DP – Yessica Curiel Montoya
Additional Cinematography – Ian Phillips and Chris Montgomery
Sound Recordist – Lars Fuchs

Cast

Libra Sene – Professional Cosmetologist
Dr. Rosetta Garriers – Aesthetic Skin Care Surgeon

Shakeima Cooks

A graduate film student at The City College of New York, Shakeima Cooks background includes Public Relations and Advertising with a minor in Journalism. In 2012 Shakeima interned for POV a small documentary division at PBS, and has interned at other notable film divisions such as DCTV (Downtown Community Television) founded by John Alpert. In addition to Maysles Films, a film company established by documentarian Albert Maysles. Shakeima in 2009 completed a documentary with a non-profit organization called EVC (Educational Video Center). The film was titled, “The War Within,” Which is a film about youth, in communities of color, dealing with depression. “A House Is Not A Home,” is the second film that she directed, edited and produced. That was where Shakeima and two other women discuss their experiences of growing up in the Foster Care System, and being adopted by both biological and non-biological family. Directing documentaries have always allowed Shakeima to understand the concept of thinking globally and acting locally when it comes to creating films. Diversity is something that Shakeima consider, should be important to any documentarian. It allows the filmmaker to connect with various audiences from different backgrounds who may be going through a similar struggle. Being a filmmaker to Shakeima is not defined by making millions of dollars, it’s about getting into the minds of the unconscious.

Specialization

Writing and Directing Documentary

Quote

The Challenge Is To Be Yourself, In A World That’s Trying To Make You Like Someone Else
___ Renee Locks

Credits

Sound Recordist – “Plus Minus Black”

Contact Shakeima

Shakeima Cooks@gmail.com
646-584-3184

Longing

Fiction

Joe works as a bouncer in a heavy metal bar and lives with his girlfriend, Laura. He receives a phone call from his sister telling him that their mother has died and asking him to do the unthinkable: come home. In a tangle of work, guilt, and depression, the already-sizable emotional distance between Joe and Laura grows.

Credits

Director – Hsiang Chieh Huang
Producer – Chih Hsin Lee
Cinematographer – Jeanette Sears
Assistant Camera – Ian Bibby
Assistant Director – Cristina Cordero
Production Manager – Nicole Solomon
Sound Recording – Juhui Kwon and Heidi Muller
Editor- Julian Amaro
Additional Photography – Chris Montgomery

Cast

Gregory Valiante, Harmony Stempel

Hsiang Chieh (Frank) Huang

Originally from Taiwan, Frank Huang is an emerging filmmaker with passion. He has worked as director, cinematographer, and editor for several fiction, documentary, experimental and music video projects. Now he is pursuing his master degree in City College MFA program.

Specialization

Writing and Directing Fiction

Contact Hsiang Chieh (Frank)

Sound Designer – “Kisses & Hugs, Mom”
Sound Recorder/Grip – “Small Talk”

Future Perfect

Fiction

Xia, an ESL student studying in New York, struggles with language. He has lost his enthusiasm for his classes, missing them frequently, lying to his parents about his goals in the US, and jeopardizing his visa status in the US . When his former teacher invites him to a book reading in Brooklyn, Xia has to choose between his passion and his obligations. His choice teaches him some sad realities about the ESL system, and the teacher he wanted to call a ‘friend.’

Credits

Crew
Produced by Lars Fuchs, Liam Billingham, Greg Starr

Director of Photography: Chris Montgomery

Editor: Matthew Fleischmann

Sound Design and Composition: Nicholas R. Nelson

Production Design: Aria Chiodo

Production Manager: Cristina Cordero

Assistant Director: David Blaikie

First Assistant Camera: Chris Ungco, Rommel Genciana

Second Assistant Camera: Tsyen Shen, Rachel Batashvili

Gaffer: Jeanette Sears

Behind-the-scenes Photography/Videography: Ian Phillips, Frank Huang

Sound Recorder: Brian Flood, Jeff Gaumer.

Data Management: Nicole Solomon

Production Assistants: Kasia Kruk, Roberto Collado.

Cast

Xia Sheng

Drake – Jesse Presler

John Thomas – Ben Jaegar-Thomas

Louis Phillips

Yung-Jen Yang

Frank Huang

Juhui Kwon

Alexandre Mabred

FUTURE PERFECT students:
Roberto Collado
Miaoyi Zeng

Rahul Bohra

Sarah Kim

Kasia Kruk

Luoqianqian He

Shuainan Zhang

Rui Chi

Monika Yang

Zhiyi Ge

Heidi Mueller

Sha Huang

Teruaki Akai

Bookstore Patrons:

Niav Conty

Matthew Fleischmann

Chih-Hsin Shin

Juhui Kwon

David Blaikie

Ian Phillips

Bar Fly: Tom Offer-Westort

Liam Billingham

Liam Billingham is a filmmaker, theatre director/designer, and media maker based in New York City. He recently directed HUMAN FRUIT BOWL, a one-woman show about art and nude modeling. The show premiered in the 2011 Prague Fringe Festival, where it received numerous accolades and subsequently played in Amsterdam, Hong Kong, and New York City. His last two short films, ALL DRESSED UP and DISPLAY, premiered in the Big Apple Film Festival in NYC. Liam is currently in pre-production on a documentary about the Iganga Community Brass Brand in Uganda. He has also just completed FUTURE PERFECT, a short fiction film inspired by his years teaching English as a Second Language. Liam runs TIE DAY MEDIA, an NYC production company. www.tiedaymedia.com

Specialization

Writing/Directing

Credits

Assistant Director, Lost in The City
Assistant Director, Small Talk
Story Editor/Co-Producer, What If?

Contact Liam

www.tiedaymedia.com
www.futureperfectmovie.com

The Uncanny

Fiction

A reporter goes missing during coverage of a secret ritual in mountains of India. A team is formed to investigate and in lead is a young journalist, Rita. As the search proceeds further Rita founds clues pointing towards her past. The rising tension is creating doubts among team members. The answer lies in the core of a dense jungle. With a fear not unknown, Rita moves forward even if it puts everyone on risk.

Credits

Produced by: Jodha Singh Bohra, Dolly Rawat, Nirmal Singh
Director of Photography: Sunil Rawat
Editor: Karen Moran
Assistant Director: Tarun
Gaffer: Dinesh Nanda
Production Manager: Surendra Chauhan
Gaffer: Dinesh Nanda
Casting- Girish Baudai
Transport- Rakesh mawari
Gopal sing rawat (Hotel Delhi Darbar)
C S Bisht (Hotel Tulsi Palace)
Alok Gusain (Renaissance College)
Producer: Greg Starr
Production Designer: Ganesh Rawat

Cast

Rita – Poonam Pandey
Surendra Chauhan- Deepak
Manoj Snehi- Ravi
Rahul Bohra- Nitin
Harish, Bhuwan joshi- Jaagar Team

Rahul Bohra

Rahul Bohra is currently completing his Master of Fine Arts degree in Media Arts Production at The City College of New York, with a specialization in writing and directing fiction. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Engineering in Information Technology. Prior to his thesis film, “The Uncanny”, which was shot in Uttaranchal, the northern state of his home country, India, Rahul has created several short documentary and narrative works. Rahul hopes to create meaningful and entertaining cinema as a writer and director.

Specialization

Writing and Directing Fiction

Credits

Casting & Pre-production – “Tom in America”
Extra (cast) – “Future Perfect”

Contact Rahul

201-936-6016
rahulbohra8338@gmail.com