Meet the cast and crew of our next film "Naima"
An all star team of creatives for this indie film
Last year we came into the production of our first film April Again with a distinct goal: Put the world on notice of what a few talented creatives with a shared vision can do. Our indie film went on to be screened around the country in festivals, taking home Best Actor, Best Feature Film and Best Of The Fest awards at the People's Film Festival in Harlem. We also snagged the audience award for Best Feature Film in the Baltimore International Black Film Festival among other accolades.
We learned a lot during that process, and realized that perhaps the most difficult thing about Indie film is forming a cast and crew who believe and are invested in the project. For this reason we are excited to announce our talented cast and crew for our second film: Naima. This quirky crime comedy will be released in 2020 and we're looking forward to the process again. So without further ado, meet them below!
Writer/Director - Tyrel Hunt
Ty is the founder of Grittyvibes.com and the writer/director/editor of April Again
Erewil Ferreira - Assistant Director
Wellz is an accomplished NYC photographer and creative director. He's carved out his niche in film photography, shooting some of the city's most promising creatives. He worked on April Again extensively, operating the camera, sound and even making a brief but memorable cameo in the film.
Derrick Saint Pierre - Cinematographer
Derrick shoots nearly all of the content for Footlocker NYC and has worked with Champs, Vans, Sweet Chick and many more. Along with his professional resume, you can also find him in the streets, pumping out content for artists and influencers. His first Gritty Vibes collab came on a Jazz mini documentary this past summer.
Musicians
Immanuel Wilkins - Composer
Immanuel's music was a hit in April Again and that's no coincidence. Despite just recently graduating from Julliard, he is already regularly mentioned as a top Saxophonist and Composer. Wilkins regularly tours worldwide both with his quartet and other famed musician groups. We met Immanuel Wilkins through this platform, writing an article about his abilities on the sax.
Steven "Khemestry" Fowler - Composer
Khemestry is a budding trumpeter and composer with his group The Harlem Society. His talent was on full display in our documentary "Where's my Basquiat?" His debut album is on the way and we're expecting his career to only expand from there.
Anthony Anderson - Drummer (On screen cameo)
Like most of the crew, we first connected with Anthony through Gritty Vibes, writing the very first article about his gift on the drums. Since then, his fanbase has blossomed to almost 30k followers on Instagram as his renditions of popular songs have made him a must see online. Don't get it confused though, Anthony is just as explosive live and can be seen shredding in gigs around the city.
Actors
Amanda Morris
Morris has collaborated with Gritty Vibes from day 1, playing a supporting role in April Again, which she also helped produce. Upon graduating from Howard University, she has taken her talents to Utah, first in her scene stealing role in Lyric Rep's Raisin in the Sun and eventually a leading role in Salt Lake Acting Company's Form of a Girl Unknown.
Kar Logan
Kar is a series regular on BET Network's Situationships along with Afroland TV's Wingmen, the latter of which he helped direct. He's acted in a number of short films, digital series, and theatrical productions and can be seen in a recent commercial for Adidas.
Ivanhoe Aurelio
Ivanhoe has made appearances on The Last OG, Gotham, High Maintenance and more. He recently appeared on the Wu-tang Hulu series as a Five Percenter in the park. He's also done commercial work, most recently for Mr Rooter.
Marco Malgioglio
Marco's experience stretches from the stage to the screen as he has shined Off Broadway in shows like "Rant" and "The House Of God". He's also appeared on screen in City of Gold and Discovery Channel's I married a Mobster.
Lance Brown
Lance made his big screen debut in our first film April Again, with a fan favorite performance as TJ. His portrayal of the character incited laughter throughout the film festival season, and he was a hot topic in the Q&A's that followed. Bringing his comedic flair back to this film was a must.
Khari Constantine
After receiving his BA in the arts at SUNY Oswego, Khari has gained experience in a number of theatrical performances. His first film role came in April Again, where he played a starring role as Ryan. Despite not uttering a single word of dialogue in the film, Khari managed to captivate audiences as his portrayal of the mute character sparked dialogue of mental health and disabilities in the black community. His performance was capped off by a Best Actor award in The People's Film Festival.
Dwayne R Grant
Dwayne is a veteran actor with wide ranging roles in a number of films. He trained at both Barry Shapiro Studios & Bruce Ornstein Studios and also has credits in TV and theatrical productions. He beat out a competitive bunch to play the high powered agent Liam Cole.
Shayna Darice
Shayna studied acting at Stephens College along with Urban Assembly School for the Performing Arts. She has acted in several indie films and performed in The Warehouse Theatre for the plays "A Piece of My Heart" and "An Evening of Children’s Theatre".
John-Peter Cruz
John-Peter has trained extensively at places like New York Film Academy, Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, and Hunter College, where he earned his degree in Theatre. He has appeared in several roles on the Investigation Discovery Channel and also appeared on Fox for Showtime at The Apollo.
Malcolm Young
We first worked with Malcolm in 2017, and since then he has continued to pump out comedic content on Instagram with dozens of skits and worldly observations. He has also tested the range of his talents on stage, where he's shown promise as a stand up comedian.
Timothy J Cox
Upon graduating from Marietta College in Theatre, Timothy has gone on to act in over 45 films and 40 theatrical productions. Along with his lengthy film and theatre resume, he has also played Theodore Roosevelt on The Travel Channel and played a supporting role on the History Channel's Irish Mob series. He is a veteran actor and consummate professional.
Christopher Laing
Christopher is currently finishing up his final year in Brooklyn College's MFA program, where he studies theatre and has acted in several productions. Those interested can check him out on the gram (@youlovesimba) where he uses his #Simbaskits to showcase his comedic prowess.
Tieisha Thomas
Tieisha earned her BA in theatre at Buffalo State and has since been a force on the NYC scene. She's graced Public Theater in their musical adaptation of Hercules and is currently performing in the Off Broadway musical "Lost In The Disco" where her vocal range and acting ability has been on display.