"Let's Stay Together" - An Indepednent FilmSpending 2 Days Behind-The Scenes With ME (ROD)

Hey FAM,

Just wanted to share some behind-the-scene pics of a film shoot I've been working on the past year called Let's Stay Together by independent film filmmaker (writer/producer/editor/director) Joshua Bee Alafia.


JB (as I call him) and I met a little over a year at a Thelma Hull Performing Arts Center (THPAC) dance theater event through my friend Alex Smith who's the executive chairman of THPAC. JB was a videographer for the dance event and we traded business cards and then a short time later he gave me a call and we've been working together ever since on his film project and other film/commercial projects.

So, I wanted to share these pics with family and friends. I hardly ever have pics of myself as I'm mostly behind my own camera and friends complain I'm hardly in any pics at events.

Also it's about putting out into the universe what I like doing...

1st Interior Location (Brooklyn), Sunday, December 20th, 2009:
ME Chillin' With The Boom and Mic
As I wait For The Next Scene Set-up.
The Basement We Were In Was Little Chilly.





1st Interior Location (Brooklyn), Sunday, December 20th, 2009:
ME ad Actor Lamont Having a Light Laughter Moment.
We Both Admire Actor/Martial Artist Jim Kelly
From Back In Da Day...
Dooooooooyyy!!!
LOL!

2nd Interior Location (Harlem), Sunday, December 20th, 2009:
Writer/Director Joshua Bee Alafia (left) Directing A Scene
And ME Miking It

All the following pics are another day's shoot of Let's Stay Together on Thursday, January 14th, 2010 in Brooklyn, New York.

Setting Up The Spiritual Consul Scene (1)

Setting Up The Spiritual Consul Scene (2)

ME Takin A Break Inbetween The Intimate Bedroom Scene.
I Wasn't Feeling Good That Day So I Was Resting As Best I Could!
LOL!

In This Scene We Were Shooting A POV (Point-of-View) Shot
Of Director Joshua Bee Alafia's Character Parker

ME Get Ready To Mic A Scene

ME (Left) and Malik (Right) Setting A Scene Up

ME and Malik Chillin Inbetween Scene Set-ups

Pictured Left To Right:
Actor Tanda, ME (ROD), Writer /Director Joshua Bee Alafia,
and Artist Malik
Smile For The Camera As We Shoot A Hallway Scene

This Was An Unexpected Picture (My Eyes Wide, LOL!)
Taken Of Me As I Looked At Amma (Our Photographer).
I Usually Don't Like Too Many Pics Of Myself,
But This Was Actually A Qool Pic.
I LIKE IT!

Cast and Crew Pic (Pictured Left To Right):
Joshua, Malik, Tanda and ME (BIG ROD)

Cast and Crew Pic (Pictured Left To Right):
Our Resident Photographer Amma Jelani,
Joshua, Tanda and ME (BIG ROD)

Morehouse Whiz Kid Is Causing a Stir:13-Year-Old Dominates College

Morehouse Whiz Kid is Causing a Stir:
13-Year-Old Dominates College
By Boyce Watkins, PhD
Jan 13th 2010 7:45PM

At thirteen years of age, Stephen Stafford is causing quite a stir at Morehouse College. Stafford has a triple major in pre-med, math and computer science. Though he loves playing video games and playing his drum set, he is no typical teenager.

"I've never taught a student as young as Stephen, and it's been amazing," said computer science professor Sonya Dennis. "He's motivating other students to do better and makes them want to step up their game."

Stafford began his college career at the age of 11, after being home-schooled by his mother. Stafford's mother said that when Stafford began to teach her instead of being taught by her, she knew he needed to be in a college environment.

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about. Stephen Stafford, in my opinion, represents exactly what black men are about: Intelligence, ambition and high academic achievement. This is not to disrespect men in other walks of life, but the truth is that you will never see Stephen Stafford's accomplishments promoted like a rap music video.

We must, as a community, applaud and uphold this young man. We must cheer for him as if he averages 40 points a game. We should converse about his achievements as if he had released a platinum hip-hop album. He should get the same respect as every linebacker, point guard or hip-hop artist in America.

Corporate America will not blow Stephen's trumpet, but I will. I also want all the other Stephen Staffords to make themselves seen. There are hundreds of thousands of Stephen Staffords out there who've been convinced by a culture of thuggery that they should do their best to hide their greatness. Rather than acing math class, they've been taught to measure grams and kilos or to memorize football playbooks that are 100 pages thick. Our young men can analyze the triangle offense in basketball and break down a nickel defense, but then become mentally deficient when it comes to doing algebra, science and social studies. The time for mediocrity is over, since education is the key to making your dreams come true. Sports only creates more nightmares.

Stephen will make more money than all of his athletic friends, because education produces economic empowerment. He will also have more personal freedom and professional fulfillment. He will live the black American dream, and I encourage all of you to make your own sons into the next Stephen Stafford.

The recipe for our kids is simple:

1) Spend as much time studying as you spend playing sports or working at fast food restaurant jobs.
2) Don't let anyone convince you that you can't achieve whatever you put your mind to.

Just by studying 4 to 5 hours per day (less than the number of hours they would put in to working a minimum wage job), almost any child in America can get a college degree and become a doctor, lawyer or whatever they want. It's actually just a matter of doing it. I've taught college for 16 years, and I can tell you that the term "college material" needs to be abolished. Every child is college material if they want to be. That's the truth.