Latest / Creative Roots Podcast / Over 15,000 Views And Incoming TV Deals - Ollie Crooms | Ep. 72

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Over 15,000 Views And Incoming TV Deals - Ollie Crooms | Ep. 72 · Creative Roots Podcast

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: It's kind of hard not to mention you or your name in certain circles in certain situations and spaces, you know.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_01: Can you actually produce that scene?
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_01: Do you have ways to finance that scene?
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_01: Do you have uh connections to do that?
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: Or if you can't watch your own film that long, how do you expect other people to watch it, right?
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: And I mean that's a general statement, but I mean So we did pick up a distribution deal with OmniPlus TV Network in this creative space when you force something, you tend to truth in the air, let it speak.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: Mr.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: Oliver Crooms, man, we have collectively done some amazing things over the past few months.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_00: You know, um Marcus, Jennifer, they've already been here.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: And we shout out to the whole casting crew.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: Listen, I'm making an open invitation for y'all.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_00: I'm looking right here in the center camera.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: I'm making an open invitation before Ollie does.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: Listen, if you are wanting to be a part of this podcast, let me know.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: Reach out to me, reach out to Ollie.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: Um, we'll make something happen.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: Because everybody played an important role.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that if you want to speak on it, speak on it.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: And this is a platform.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_01: Shout out to the Charlotte Podcast Studio.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_01: This is an elite studio, an elite podcast, one of the top in the states, uh, not just the city.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_01: So I definitely want to have um a situation where we can get, if not everybody here one at a time, or maybe one huge thing.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_01: We can do a blowout.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_01: We have a big part, a big group of the of the team here at one time.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_01: That'd be pretty ambitious.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_01: But uh so that brings in Artbox Charlotte.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: We basically take this stuff out and it becomes an intimate gathering space.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_01: There you go.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: So we can hold, depending on what's in here, we can hold up to a hundred people comfortably.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: No crowded spaces, nobody shoulder to shoulder.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_01: That's in that sounds like something super special that we can celebrate big accomplishments.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_01: And I look forward to covering that here today because we have multiple reasons to celebrate.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um, yes.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_01: One off the hand already is we've been nominated in one multiple film festival.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_01: But one that's coming up that I'm very excited about is the Raleigh Film and Art Festival.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_01: A very prestigious festival here in Raleigh, you know, our our home city of the state, you know, our our main place for it comes to things coming into this the states, Raleigh, North Carolina.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_01: And um, they recognized us.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, they're excited to have us be a part.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_01: And just being in the catalog, all these other films, you go to the website, there's many huge, interesting looking films.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_01: And then we see our our flow our movie poster amongst the other ones, it makes me feel very well.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_01: Like, wow, we thrived where we can be around these other great films.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_01: And um, it looks interesting, it looks like we belong there.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_01: You don't look like we're the art one out, and it's it's really cool.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_01: Shout out to Megan.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, she's our photographer for our official movie poster.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, I'll really get a chance to give her a shout out because I think that movie poster really uh brings a lot of interest.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_01: Uh it uh you know, makes people look a second time like, what is this?
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_01: Is it a lifetime movie?
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_01: What is this, you know?
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_01: So um I'm really excited, proud of our production value, and um we're gonna be there uh in Raleigh.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_01: Um I gotta look back at my calendar, but it's coming really soon, like within the next month or so.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, is it this month?
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_01: Is it I think it's October month?
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_01: Um I won't be, which is a Saturday.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_01: Um I don't know if you have community notes or underneath in the editing when somebody says something wrong, like nah, that's not right.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_01: But um you can October 3rd.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, Raleigh Filming Art Festival, October 3rd at 4 p.m.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, yes.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_01: So it's gonna be a great time.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we're gonna be there, we're gonna be showing out, we're gonna be in the VIP section.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we're looking forward to it.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_01: And um win or lose, we all winners and just feel great to be there, to be invited to be there.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_01: So that's one thing to be very excited about.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_01: And there's been other festivals that we've been a part of and won a few of as well.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_01: So um the momentum just keeps building, you know, it's really it's really building, and um we just cross a milestone as well, which just take a conversation here to there to hear the door.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_00: Oh wait, now you're making the whole episode.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: We gotta talk about this.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: Don't tell everybody everything.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_01: I know so much to talk about.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: Again, yeah, like there's so much that is taking place.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: Let me do this.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to another episode of Creative Roots for Seedsone Become Visions Grown.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: I am your host, Tay.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: Y'all already know who we're sitting here with today.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: Um, this man has an introduction like no other introduction.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: Filmmaker, uh uh director, producer, the founder of Carolina Film Festival, my little brother, and I don't care what nobody says.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: Say something we're fighting.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: Uh what else is it?
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: It's so much.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_00: Actor.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_00: Spider-Man.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: Your neighborhood friendly Spider-Man.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_00: Uh what I'm missing something.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: Music producer sometimes.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: That's what it is.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: Music producer.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: Ollie on the beat.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: Check it out.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: But listen, listen, listen.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_00: Before I jump, shout out to Allen Lux Studios, Charlotte Podcast Studio, and Artbox Charlotte.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_00: Y'all already know how we do.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: We would like to thank us.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: Um 8 Ball.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_01: 8 Ball.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_01: Man, it's a it's a ride already.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_01: So it's a ride.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_01: We um when was our premiere?
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_01: It felt like not that long ago, but so much happened since then.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: Last month, July.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe uh yeah, I think it was.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_01: It was like July 25th or something like that.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_01: Um, June or July, yeah.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_01: Um, yeah, it's been a ride, man.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um we're on YouTube, and one of the thresholds that we just crossed is 15,000 views on YouTube.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um, which is awesome.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_01: That is exciting.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_01: For people like you and the casting crew.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we couldn't have done this without you guys.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_01: You guys made a product that was interesting to people that people could relate to.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_01: Um mincing Christmas with the pool culture and all that stuff, and throwing some romance with some comedy.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_01: Great job to everyone.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um, Louisa from Megan, from Rachel, from um Randy, and of course my co-star Britney.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_01: Um, everybody did a great job.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_01: And all the cinematographers, all the editors, um, we really did a great job.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_01: I'm really super proud.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, man, me too.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_00: Because, like I said, when you sent it to me, I watched it a couple of times.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, wait a minute.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: You you supposed to be doing the color, not just watching.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_00: Right, yeah.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_00: Because I'm already seeing how the color is supposed to be.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: And I just sat there and I'm like, okay, wait, wait, wait.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: We gotta go back because we gotta work on this, not watch it and give a give feedback.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_00: You know, so and it's not too long, but it's not too short.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it fits that perfect short film, get straight to the point, criteria, requirements, uh stance, you know.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, because when you're watching something for the first time, it catches you.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, okay, we're in a pool hall.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_01: Oh so like running a film festival, that's one thing I kind of keep in the back of my head, is one thing our judges look for is pacing.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_01: So it's like if you have bad pacing, you might lose people interest, or you get too long to get to the point.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_01: So I try to make the movie very pace friendly.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_01: Like you have you even have little kids, you know, they can watch it from beginning to end and be like, oh, this old movie's over already, you know.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, everybody I watch the movie, I like this part.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_01: It's asking for a sequel or the continuation of the movie.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_01: So that also shows you that it got people engaged, it got people talking.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, because uh there's a cliffhanger in there.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: There is a cliffhanger.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_00: I wasn't expecting it, but I was expecting it.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: Um it's some jaw-dropping uh action.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_01: Zaire has some decisions to make.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_01: Uh yeah, he does.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_01: And it got left on his doorstep, literally on his doorstep.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so not going to spoil anything too much, but um there's a moment at the end where Zaire has to make a decision um if he's gonna go forward or he's gonna decide to give it up and go a whole new route without bleeding too much into that.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_01: Just know that when you go to the movie, you're gonna want more of the end.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_01: And um the sequel, which I can announce now, I'm currently writing um in in post-production for that.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_01: And there's gonna be a lot of answers to these questions.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_00: Pre-production.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, because we ain't shot that.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_00: Pre-production.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_00: We ain't shot nothing yet.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we ain't shot it.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, pre-production, yeah.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_01: So it's way, way pre.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, I'm still writing, but I'm really close to finishing.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but it's very interesting.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_01: We're gonna have our gang back, the same characters, and maybe a few new characters.
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, it's a whole new adventure, um, more drama, uh, and more fun, and a lot more pool.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so I'm besides you guys to get a little taste of it when it's when I'm when I'm ready to give you a little taste of the story.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_01: I can't wait for y'all to get a glimpse of that.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm ready for it, man.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you already know me.
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_00: You call me, and I'm available.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna be there.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's the same thing me and Marcus was talking about.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_00: I had to get Marcus, I'm like, Marcus, we're here to talk about you.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: We're not here to talk about Ali.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: We're here to talk about you, man.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_00: But you have made such an impact on so many people, it's kind of hard not to mention you or your name in certain circles, in certain situations and spaces, you know.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I know I'm a very humble in person.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_00: I'm a very humble person, right?
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_00: And I have nothing on you.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_00: You are very, very humble, man.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: And like I told Marcus, I can tell that comes directly from your parents.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: You know, and it's one of those things that's like, listen, thank you.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_00: Don't don't give me too much credit.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: We know where the credit comes from, you know, we we give it all to God.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_00: But it's like, thank you.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: But chill, that that's a little too much, you know.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: So I try not to say much, but you know I'm gonna say it.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_00: So we appreciate you for creating this film, creating this space, giving us an opportunity, you know, allowing us to support you without you know negligence or making sure that we give our all to you because that's what you're giving back to us.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: That's what you give to the community.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, founder of Carolina Film Festival, to start and create something like that, you're not thinking about you.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_00: Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is your first film.
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, my first one that I'm directing and writing, yes, for sure.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: All hands on but hands off at the same time.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, yes.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_01: That means a lot.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_01: I really appreciate that.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I really just want to thank the cast and crew really for just like entrusting the vision that I'm coming up with that God protecting me, and um just trusting that, hey, at the end of at the end of this wild, you know, craziness, there's gonna be a beautiful story at the end, something that we all be proud of, something that we will be proud to share with others.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_01: Uh like I feel thankful for like the city itself, for like for every news station that invited me to talk on the news, for every newspaper I talked to, um, from like channel three, from like the Shaw Observer.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_01: I I appreciate the platform they gave me to talk to the viewers because they don't have to.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_01: That that means a lot.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_01: Right, right.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_01: The platforms that's been given to me has been amazing.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_01: So I've been blessed.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_01: I just try to be a blessing to others and um try to make the day brighter for the others.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_01: If it's through film, is it through putting a mask and you know, brighten kids' days, or if it's making music that transcends like where you're going through the day to take your soul to a higher place, you know, or if it's just talking to some, you know, networking with others and just kind of share my experience with other filmmakers and actors, you know, that's what it's all about to me.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, man.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_00: That's where it has how it has to be.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_00: You know, when we're in this space, we know that there are some that look at us like we're here, like, dude, we still live in Charlotte, you know.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_00: It's not like we moved to Hollywood, you know, got got big time on people.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_00: You know, my number's still the same.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, you can still call me, you know, we can still have conversations, but when you know that people are like, oh man, so y'all famous now.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, I'm not even in the movie.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_00: My name is in the credits, but you know, when people take you and be like, oh my god, which reminds me, Crystaline told me to tell you what's up.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_01: What's yes, Chris?
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_01: What's she doing?
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_01: Where's she at?
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_00: She's in Texas.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_01: She's in Texas.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_01: Tell us, hey, Mr.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_01: Um, funny enough, um, I talked to Rishon.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_01: Shout out to all these people too, by the way.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_01: Recently, maybe like a couple weeks ago, and he brought up Kim.
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_01: I haven't talked to Kim in a long time.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_01: You brought up Kim, um, Kim Middleton.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_01: She was in the band.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, uh, you were in the band at one time, right?
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: I was in the band for a long time.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_01: But you were like um in the ninth, uh, you were like a concert band, or yeah, yeah, okay, but you never did marching band, right?
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_01: Right, right.
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you're Kim and like in a marching band with me.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, and read my brought that up because her, me, him, her, um, Rashad and Crystal was really tight.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_01: We all played the Saxon phone except for Rashad, he played drums.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_01: So Crystal and I and Kim were all sitting next to each other with saxophones.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_01: That's man, that's um if somebody ever made a movie about my life, it has to have a scenes of me going to band because that's a big impact in my life.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_01: It was like band class, me being so excited to go to band.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, I would say like moments, me in a car with my mom and my dad, my brother's sister, we were playing music, and like my brother be on this Game Boy, my sister playing dolls, but I'm always like this doing this.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_01: It's like even since I was like a kid, it's just um that's um all bring back memories.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_00: But tell Chris when I said, hey, tell us her Chris, we love you and we miss you, girl.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_00: You ain't gotta come back yet, but you know, let me know when you do.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_00: So something you didn't mention with all these accolades and all these things that has taken place with uh 8ball, we're on TV.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_01: Mm-hmm.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_01: So we did we did pick up a distribution deal with Omni Plus TV network.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it's currently on Roku.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_01: How you can get that app.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_01: It's like an old uh app, like anywhere, any other kind of app, and it's really close to locking a deal with uh Apple and um Samsung devices.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_01: So right now you can find the Roku um anywhere in the world, just download Omni app, and we're like the main thing you see is um because it's an up-and-coming new app.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_01: So it's still building up, and I'm just really blessed that they trusted us to be a part of their team.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_01: So the whole Omni Plus TV team.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_01: It's really fun, it's exciting, and I'm actually still getting messages from other streamers from other streaming platforms.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_01: Keep them rolling, keep them rolling.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_01: So um it's interesting.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm learning more about that world, you know, about like um how long you can stay in a deal to you move into other deals.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I'm learning through the process, but it's a very exciting time for us.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_01: It's a really exciting time for me to learn all this.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, I know it's exciting because when you you mentioned it, I was like, I don't even know if he had this in mind.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_00: No, no.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_00: Um I I don't I'm like the way it sounds, you were like, oh, oh snap.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_00: It just got real.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_01: And all these bosses are saying the same thing.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_01: All these leaders are saying, Um, so it ended in a cliffhanger.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_01: What's the sequel?
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_01: What's the idea?
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, what's going on?
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_01: So a lot of these people are asking for like ideas or my plans for the sequel.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_01: Are we gonna make it a feature film?
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_01: Or are we gonna make it like a part two?
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so I'm working on that to figure out exactly if it's gonna be a sequel or I'm gonna add it with the first movie and make it a feature.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um, because if I do that, that will open up more avenues.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_01: Like then I can really be able to have more serious conversations with Tubi and Amazon because they right now they're strictly do um feature films.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_01: So uh I literally talked to a person from um a distributor out in California, LA, California, who has ties with Tubi and Amazon.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm telling you guys all the dirt, I'm telling you everything.
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_01: So they uh they're like, hey, we would love to have eight ball, but it has to be 90 minutes, it 90 minutes or more to make it you know the standard feature film.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_01: So now I'm learning, okay, that's my limitations.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_01: If I don't reach this, then there, but again, I want to give myself grace.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_01: I don't want to force a 90-minute movie if it's not in me, you know.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_01: I want to give myself time to see how much it could fill in, but I know that in the future, if it's not this one, I know that I have to make 90 minutes if I want to make Amazon to be or competitive to even bigger sites, you know?
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so I got a question with that, because I was supposed to have been asking you this a while ago anyway.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_00: How do you feel about a limited series?
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_01: A limited series, oh man.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_00: Um eight episodes, ten episodes, ten minutes long.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I tell you what, I would be more inclined than that.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_01: That would be pretty fun, but I think I would love to do that.
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_01: I'll be more tempted to look in that direction if I had a team of writers, and I saw myself more as a um a front runner than just a writer.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_01: Because uh, like in the in a movie world, the director kind of tells how everything grows.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_01: That's a producer, then there's a director.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_01: In a TV show world, it's called the showrunner, and they're they're more like the director.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_01: The showrunner hires like the directors underneath them because every episode could have a different director, it could have different writers.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_01: Right, right.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_01: But the showrunner kind of dictates how everything flows.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, uh, if you know who the showrunner is, you know how the you know the thematics of that show is gonna be.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so if I had if I was showrunning and I hire like two or three different writers and I have some you know directors, then that would be pretty fun, you know.
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_01: Um, or maybe it could be an eight-ball spinoff.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_01: We could learn more about Randy and Randy and Zaire's relationship, you know, as best friends.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_01: That might be kind of cool.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_01: But if I had that going on, then that might be something I'll look into.
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_00: Keep that in mind, keep that in mind.
• 19:43
  SPEAKER_00: Hold on to that one.
• 19:44
  SPEAKER_01: Keep that in mind, yeah.
• 19:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we're gonna hold on to that one.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_00: That wouldn't be bad though.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, either way, it wouldn't be bad, but like you said, you don't want to force it.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_00: You know, because we know in this creative space when you force something, you tend to leave things out.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_00: Um, what's the word?
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_00: Lackluster.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's it doesn't hit the way it should or the way that it could.
• 20:08
  SPEAKER_00: And well, we gotta make it 90 minutes, we gotta make it 90 minutes, we gotta make it 90 minutes.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_00: The next thing you know is like, what are we doing?
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and then you also miss uh you kind of missed out the authenticity of it.
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_01: So it's like you can tell that somebody just trying to get through it.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_01: So what are all these filler scenes?
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_01: It has nothing to do with the movie.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_01: Is he trying to make a gap so that he can make 90 minutes or too many stuff that had nothing to do with the movie?
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_01: So I definitely don't want that.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_01: That's not that's not gonna be in any Ollie movies.
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_01: No, like you mentioned about like you mentioned earlier, about this current movie we have, it felt like had a great pace.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_01: It had a beginning and end, and everything makes sense.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_01: It's not like I was trying to rush or extend.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, that's what I want all my projects to feel like.
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we'll make it happen.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_01: We'll make it happen, man.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_00: We'll make it happen.
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_00: So over 15,000 views just on YouTube.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_01: Just on YouTube.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_00: That does not include any other streaming platform.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 21:04
  SPEAKER_00: From that, I'm I'm gonna jump.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_00: Number one, you already explained how it makes you feel.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_00: How many, how much of the cast has said like they're just completely blown away by it?
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_01: I hear all the time.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I hear all of them.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_01: They're I can even just see from the faces, you know.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_01: I can even tell from the stuff they're writing when they're sharing the posts of the accomplishments, or when they're when we were at the premiere, I can see how everybody was excited and was happy.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_01: And they like they were proud to be a part of this project.
• 21:38
  SPEAKER_01: So um from the 15,000 views, from our very first um festival nomination, to the fact that we just even had our movie on the screen, some filmmakers never got that far, you know.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_01: So I count all that a blessing.
• 21:53
  SPEAKER_01: Just the fact that I'm able to have, or I should say we were able to have our movie on the screen for.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_01: People and their friends and their family to see it and share that moment in a cinematic way, in a theatrical way.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um, even if you don't get nominated for any other award, I feel like that is special.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_01: And I feel like I'm glad that at least had that experience for them, for their life.
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_01: You know, they can say, like, oh, they could tell their kids, I saw you saw your dad on TV, you know, on a movie.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_01: It's not something they can do every day.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_01: So right.
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I know for me, I was like, that thing looked good up there on screen.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks to you, thanks to your color, man, and your audio editing and all that stuff, man.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, we're not talking about me.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, because um, I was like, okay.
• 22:41
  SPEAKER_00: Again, I'm I'm watching it and I already have the colors dialed in, right?
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_00: And as and I go back to actually add the color, and I'm like, oh, that's a little bright.
• 22:54
  SPEAKER_00: Let me bring this down.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_00: You know, um, it was a fun time for me.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, and uh, you know, it didn't take me long to get it to you.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_00: No, so I think for me, that says a lot.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you don't have to wait too much.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you were fast and effective.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_00: Very, yeah.
• 23:12
  SPEAKER_00: I have to be, you know, especially in in this world, you know, you don't rush it, but when you know, you know.
• 23:18
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's not like I gave myself like a set of hours or time.
• 23:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 23:23
  SPEAKER_00: And again, it's only right under 10, right at 10 minutes.
• 23:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_00: You know, so it wasn't difficult because I have a whole um, what do you call that?
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_00: I won't call it a plan.
• 23:35
  SPEAKER_00: I have a whole set of ways, I have a way of doing certain things, you know.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but yeah, man, that there's so much that you can say about eight ball and not repeat yourself.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 23:51
  SPEAKER_00: You know.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_00: So I I want to ask this.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_00: After you got the final version, you send it out.
• 24:05
  SPEAKER_00: What was like one of the first thoughts that came to you after you said, okay, this is it.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_00: We're ready to go.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_00: Did you already have a plan?
• 24:15
  SPEAKER_00: Or after that you said, oh, I know what we can do.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, I'll be planning stuff like even while I'm shooting.
• 24:23
  SPEAKER_01: So it's like even while I'm shooting, I'm thinking how the editing is gonna be while I'm shooting.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_01: While I'm editing, I'm already thinking of like, oh, wait, which film festivals, because I already got an idea of how the flow's gonna be, which film festival this would relate to the most.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_01: And um, yeah, towards the very end, then I start thinking about is distribution can even be a subject.
• 24:44
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, I mean, like, even when I'm editing, I'm thinking about okay, what's the best place we can have our premiere at?
• 24:49
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm always trying to think like a few steps ahead.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and even the sequel talks, I know everybody was, you know, saying we need a sequel, but that was in the back of my head even back then.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_01: If like if I do this, if I do that, if if it's possible, what what what could what kind of story will we tell?
• 25:05
  SPEAKER_01: You know, what will make it different, but still familiar?
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_01: Um, what can keep that legacy going forth?
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_01: Like, so eight balls more than just a movie, it could be an eight-ball brand.
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_01: So, like, if one day I reboot it, like decades later, reboot it, have new actors and tweak the story out, can it can it stand the test of time by just you know, and I can look back like, oh wow, we got a lot accomplished, but you know, I grew a lot since then, you know.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_01: Um so yeah, all that, all that being back in my head, like the whole time, the whole process.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_00: You know what's weird, not weird, but significant about that.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_00: I think that a lot of filmmakers think that way, you know, not just this is it, and we're done.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_00: Right, you know, because I was watching something the other day, and it was uh, I think it was the director or the writer for set it off.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_00: And he said that the original script did not kill everybody.
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_01: Really?
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_00: He said, All you know is Cleo got into this big shootout, but you didn't know if she survived.
• 26:09
  SPEAKER_00: Frankie went to jail, you know, and it's like they changed it, and then they tried to redo a part two, like they tried to get another, like he got written out.
• 26:21
  SPEAKER_00: That's why there's another lady's name on it instead of his.
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_00: And he says sometime after that they wanted to do a part two.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_00: And how do you do a part two and only one person survived?
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_00: You know, so it's like there was no forward thinking there.
• 26:39
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, you can't redo a boys in the hood.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_01: Right, right.
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_00: It's done.
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_01: Right, right.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_00: Nobody's alive but Trey.
• 26:45
  SPEAKER_00: What are you doing?
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_01: Right, right, right.
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm saying?
• 26:48
  SPEAKER_00: But to have that, I think a movie like Boys in the Hood, I think that should have been it anyway.
• 26:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think that thing didn't leave any cliffhangers, but it definitely left you thinking, pondering.
• 26:59
  SPEAKER_01: There's definitely nothing wrong with having a definitive end to a movie, not have to be, you know, money grab and think like, oh, I make a franchise out of this, I'll make a, you know, just how Ryan Kugler was centers, like everybody keeps saying, is it gonna be a part two?
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_01: It's gonna be a part two, like, no, this is just one story.
• 27:17
  SPEAKER_01: That's it.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_01: But you left breadcrumbs where if you wanted to, like the whole Native American, what's that just the fact of saying that Native American vampire hunters, they're like, What?
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_01: I want to see that movie, and they look so cool, you know.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_01: I was like, um, that's a whole nother side thing, but yeah, there's nothing wrong with a definitive end, you know, and just make it.
• 27:38
  SPEAKER_01: So I think they made the right decision of not doing the sequels to those movies, yeah.
• 27:42
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, no, no, no, no.
• 27:44
  SPEAKER_00: But this, you left the perfect cliffhanger.
• 27:47
  SPEAKER_00: You know, what are you gonna do?
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_00: Well, you can't say it now.
• 27:51
  SPEAKER_00: No, don't say it.
• 27:52
  SPEAKER_01: Don't say it.
• 27:52
  SPEAKER_01: I'm just saying like it's gonna be something exciting and fun.
• 27:56
  SPEAKER_01: It's something that's still gonna be romantic, and there's still gonna be decisions that need to be made.
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_01: Desire need to get his stuff together and decide what his heart wants, because uh, without spoiling, there's a person in his past, and it's a person in his future, and he needs to decide which route he wants to go.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_00: If you have not seen this movie, you need to go watch it today, after this episode, but today.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_00: Like, again, it's powerful, it leaves a statement and it's like real life.
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_00: You know, people actually go through some of this stuff, but yeah, man, listen, listen, listen, listen.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_00: Do you have any questions for me?
• 28:41
  SPEAKER_01: Questions for you, man.
• 28:43
  SPEAKER_01: Um, when you was editing, when you was doing the color, I'm hoping it felt good to I feel like when you do color or editing anything like that, your job is easier if you enjoy the content that you're working on.
• 28:58
  SPEAKER_01: Always felt like my question to you, did it feel in an honest way, did you feel like compared to other projects, it was at least enjoyable to work through this?
• 29:08
  SPEAKER_01: Because I know you did it fast, but you still took a lot of your time to do it to get it to be fast.
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, did it feel enjoyable, or you're just like, man, this is dragging?
• 29:17
  SPEAKER_00: No, it didn't drag at all.
• 29:18
  SPEAKER_00: It definitely felt comfortable because again, I watched it a few times before I actually started coloring.
• 29:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, because I wanted to see the whole film.
• 29:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of say, oh, okay, well, I'm gonna take this clip, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, and I'm done.
• 29:32
  SPEAKER_00: Then I go to the next clip, then I'm like, wait a minute, those don't match.
• 29:35
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_00: So identifying which camera was used, uh, the settings that I am able to see, as far as like uh the whole trying with aperture, ISO, and shutter speed, being able to see what I can to determine, okay, this was shot at a thousand, so I don't need to add too much, or this is darker and I need to bring it up, or this is lighter and I need to bring it down.
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_00: It wasn't anything that made me say, huh?
• 30:05
  SPEAKER_01: That's crazy.
• 30:06
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I mean, we we talked about, you know, some of the the scenes in the quote unquote difficult parts of how it would needed to be, you know, done.
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_00: But I mean, I don't I haven't heard any complaints, but no, and an editing space, that's my space.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, that's where I lock in at and that editing room.
• 30:31
  SPEAKER_00: So it wasn't anything that was just like I just need to hurry up and get through this because I don't want to deal with it no more.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_01: That feels good to know.
• 30:41
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, um that's great.
• 30:43
  SPEAKER_01: I'm glad it wasn't um a chore to get through because I know uh editing could be a lot, a lot, a lot of work, yeah, a lot of time.
• 30:50
  SPEAKER_01: Another question I have for you, um, and this are all hypothetical questions.
• 30:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so if there was an eight ball, well, there's gonna be eight boss two, but if there's an eight-ball two or eight ball three, and there was a character named Montavio, and he had dreads, and he wore a black shirt, what do you think this character would be like in this eight-ball world, in this eight-ball universe?
• 31:12
  SPEAKER_01: What kind of would he be Rain's friend?
• 31:15
  SPEAKER_01: Will he be Reigns ex?
• 31:16
  SPEAKER_01: Will he be a cool friend of Zaire?
• 31:18
  SPEAKER_01: Will he be uh a thorn in Zaire's side?
• 31:22
  SPEAKER_01: What would Montavio be in our universe?
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_00: It depends on where you want to take the fan.
• 31:28
  SPEAKER_00: The reason I say that is because, yes, he could be Rain's ex.
• 31:35
  SPEAKER_00: You know, he could also be um that third friend that always partners with uh Randy's character.
• 31:47
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I see Ray, I'm like, that sounds like me.
• 31:51
  SPEAKER_00: Which character are you talking about?
• 31:52
  SPEAKER_00: Randy's character.
• 31:52
  SPEAKER_01: Randy, okay, yeah, yeah.
• 31:54
  SPEAKER_01: Dion, okay.
• 31:54
  SPEAKER_00: Dion.
• 31:55
  SPEAKER_00: So Dion, it to me, I'm like, that sounds like something I would say.
• 32:00
  SPEAKER_01: That's what Monte would say.
• 32:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 32:02
  SPEAKER_00: So it I can see being that third friend that's like, I'm on both of y'all's side.
• 32:09
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 32:09
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm always the level-headed one.
• 32:12
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 32:13
  SPEAKER_00: Like, we can crack jokes, we can be serious, but you know, finding that that middle ground.
• 32:19
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, Dion, the whole thing was like, dude, what are you doing?
• 32:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 32:23
  SPEAKER_00: And you're like, I think I'm falling in love.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_00: And then you do, yeah.
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_00: And you you like, you have a clear sight, he's got jokes, and I'm the one that's clear-sighted with the jokes.
• 32:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, okay.
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I could also be, I mean, I don't know, man.
• 32:38
  SPEAKER_00: It I feel with the little bit of acting skills that I have, I can fit anywhere as needed.
• 32:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm you know.
• 32:45
  SPEAKER_01: I'm more the comfort you credit.
• 32:46
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_00: I mock people all the time.
• 32:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, I quote unquote act all the time.
• 32:53
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I change my my dialect, you know.
• 32:56
  SPEAKER_00: Oh wow.
• 32:57
  SPEAKER_00: Things like that.
• 32:58
  SPEAKER_00: I can I can do a lot.
• 33:01
  SPEAKER_00: You know, like that's why I've have so many short films that are just me.
• 33:06
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I'm working on my acting skills and how I present myself on camera in these films.
• 33:14
  SPEAKER_00: Uh the longest short film I have is about nine minutes and some change long too.
• 33:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but I know the people that I'm talking to are not actors, but those are real life situations.
• 33:28
  SPEAKER_00: Like they actually said the words that they showed that they said, you know, when Shamar's like, I don't need an editor, but can you shoot?
• 33:35
  SPEAKER_00: He really asked me that.
• 33:36
  SPEAKER_00: You know, um, my kids being in there, that's their demeanor.
• 33:41
  SPEAKER_00: That's them.
• 33:42
  SPEAKER_00: Um, my homeboy Drew, you know, he's like, he literally asked me that question.
• 33:47
  SPEAKER_00: He made that statement.
• 33:48
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think you need to look for a job.
• 33:49
  SPEAKER_00: I believe you have everything you had.
• 33:51
  SPEAKER_00: I believe you have everything you need right there in that house.
• 33:54
  SPEAKER_00: You know, so that short film is based on real life action, you know, things that actually took place after I got off the truck.
• 34:02
  SPEAKER_00: So I guess in essence it wasn't difficult.
• 34:06
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I feel that I need to work on my facial expressions when I am on camera and short film status, you know.
• 34:14
  SPEAKER_00: But what do you need me?
• 34:16
  SPEAKER_00: You know, that that's all I had.
• 34:18
  SPEAKER_00: Like, what do you need me?
• 34:19
  SPEAKER_00: You know, wherever you need me.
• 34:20
  SPEAKER_00: In front, behind the camera, it don't matter, man.
• 34:22
  SPEAKER_00: I'm I'm gonna be here.
• 34:23
  SPEAKER_01: What's your what's the name of your movies?
• 34:25
  SPEAKER_01: Put put a name drop, man.
• 34:26
  SPEAKER_01: What what's the name of the movie, your movie, your short film?
• 34:28
  SPEAKER_00: Now what?
• 34:29
  SPEAKER_01: Now what?
• 34:30
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, cool.
• 34:31
  SPEAKER_00: Now what?
• 34:32
  SPEAKER_00: It's on YouTube.
• 34:33
  SPEAKER_00: That's the only place I put it.
• 34:34
  SPEAKER_01: Check it out.
• 34:35
  SPEAKER_01: If you haven't already, now what?
• 34:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, now what?
• 34:38
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, it just depicts life after getting off the truck, you know, the first maybe two, three months of getting off the truck.
• 34:48
  SPEAKER_00: Um, like you said, pacing is a very important thing.
• 34:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and you know, to take a film that's 12 to 15 minutes long and it's like, would I watch this?
• 35:01
  SPEAKER_00: If you can't watch your own film that long, how do you expect other people to watch it, right?
• 35:05
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 35:06
  SPEAKER_00: And I mean that's a general statement.
• 35:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, but I mean, in the short film space, I do feel that 10 minutes sits very well.
• 35:15
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it doesn't matter where you're watching, on TV, you know, on your computer, uh in a bathroom, you know, you're gonna be somewhere five to ten minutes long and people can get in and get out and have those cliffhangers.
• 35:30
  SPEAKER_00: Because I mean, even at the end of my short film, you just see me walk out the door.
• 35:35
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 35:35
  SPEAKER_00: You don't see anything that takes place after that, you know, but yeah, man.
• 35:41
  SPEAKER_00: Now what?
• 35:42
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 35:43
  SPEAKER_00: But listen, I greatly appreciate this.
• 35:48
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you coming out again.
• 35:51
  SPEAKER_01: Well, can I accept one last announcement?
• 35:53
  SPEAKER_01: Go ahead, go ahead.
• 35:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so Carolina Film Festival, I'm the founder of that festival here.
• 35:58
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, we just announced our first ever, ever, because I think I brought it up in our last interview.
• 36:04
  SPEAKER_01: You did.
• 36:04
  SPEAKER_01: We came full circle now.
• 36:06
  SPEAKER_01: So I brought it up.
• 36:06
  SPEAKER_01: I was the first one.
• 36:07
  SPEAKER_01: Uh you were the first person that brought it up here by our scholarship.
• 36:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 36:11
  SPEAKER_01: And now you're the first person I'll let you know who the winner is uh live on air.
• 36:16
  SPEAKER_01: So congratulations to Caitlin Page.
• 36:18
  SPEAKER_01: She's our first ever Carolina Film Festival scholarship recipient.
• 36:23
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, super special, really cool.
• 36:25
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, I wish I could tell you her story, but I'm gonna leave that up to her um to announce what what her story is about, what her movie is about.
• 36:33
  SPEAKER_01: It's really, really interesting.
• 36:34
  SPEAKER_00: So, Caitlin, when you're ready, we here.
• 36:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you uh Caitlyn, you should check get an interview.
• 36:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 36:40
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, she's out there in North Charleston.
• 36:42
  SPEAKER_01: And of course, as you know, in order to be nominated to be considered for a scholarship with us, you have to be a filmmaker within North or South Carolina.
• 36:50
  SPEAKER_01: So she fit that mode, had a great story, have a great aspirations, and she was very detailed on what the funds would be used for, and she's got a bright future.
• 37:01
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I can tell I'm excited to see her movie when it's done.
• 37:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, me too.
• 37:06
  SPEAKER_00: I haven't heard anything about it, but yeah, I'm excited too.
• 37:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I've I think when it comes to short films, those that don't know, they miss something very special.
• 37:17
  SPEAKER_00: You miss part of what Creative Roots is for.
• 37:22
  SPEAKER_00: Talking about the journey from the beginning, you get to witness these people, us, become who we're going to be.
• 37:32
  SPEAKER_00: You know, at some point, Oliver Croom's the fourth, right?
• 37:36
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 37:37
  SPEAKER_00: I have to make sure I get that right.
• 37:38
  SPEAKER_00: The fourth is gonna be known worldwide.
• 37:43
  SPEAKER_00: You're already worldwide known, you know, but you're gonna just create a film and everybody's gonna be like, oh, snap, who's this guy?
• 37:52
  SPEAKER_00: Where'd he come from?
• 37:53
  SPEAKER_00: You know, and that's what this platform is for.
• 37:57
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we talk about our journey from the beginning and we offer solutions to those that may be going through some of the same or similar things, you know.
• 38:05
  SPEAKER_00: So what challenges have you had in the midst of this film that you're willing to talk about on camera?
• 38:14
  SPEAKER_01: This film I'm working on now, our challenges is um learning to write in scope, which means uh you may have these big ideas of scenes and like, oh, I want to do the special scene here, I want to do that with this character.
• 38:29
  SPEAKER_01: But can you actually produce that scene?
• 38:32
  SPEAKER_01: Do you have ways to finance that scene?
• 38:34
  SPEAKER_01: Do you have uh connections to do that?
• 38:37
  SPEAKER_01: Or can you write in the scope that you're in?
• 38:39
  SPEAKER_01: That don't mean box yourself in, that don't mean don't be creative, but that means write in a way where it's realistic that you can accomplish those things and maybe save those bigger things for the future when you can accomplish that.
• 38:53
  SPEAKER_01: So, yes, you can try to raise money, you can do that, but can you really can you really shoot a car chasing scene?
• 39:02
  SPEAKER_01: Would you be able to block out three three blocks of uh the city?
• 39:07
  SPEAKER_01: Can you have access to that?
• 39:08
  SPEAKER_01: No, maybe not.
• 39:10
  SPEAKER_01: But how how can you write that where it still be effective if you're chasing somebody and it's not exactly as bomb bangous as that, you know?
• 39:18
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, and that's just one crazy uh example, but just like learning to write in the scope I'm in uh is can be it can be challenging.
• 39:27
  SPEAKER_01: It could be interesting, but it's also creative in its own writers as well.
• 39:30
  SPEAKER_01: Just like, what can I do with what I have and um work towards what I'm looking for?
• 39:36
  SPEAKER_00: I I appreciate you saying that, and here's why.
• 39:41
  SPEAKER_00: Based like you said, we have this grand idea, but we don't have that grand space to do it in.
• 39:50
  SPEAKER_00: Use what you have, shoot with what you have, with who you have.
• 39:54
  SPEAKER_00: Amen to that.
• 39:55
  SPEAKER_00: You know, because there are moves where I'm like, you know, maybe I want somebody to jump out of a plane.
• 40:01
  SPEAKER_00: Who got a plane?
• 40:02
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 40:02
  SPEAKER_00: Who jumping?
• 40:03
  SPEAKER_00: Not me.
• 40:04
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 40:04
  SPEAKER_00: You know, shout out to Jennifer because that's what we're not doing.
• 40:08
  SPEAKER_00: We're not jumping out of no planes, you know.
• 40:10
  SPEAKER_00: So take what you have.
• 40:13
  SPEAKER_00: You know what you have, you know you have a kitchen.
• 40:16
  SPEAKER_00: Shoot in the kitchen.
• 40:18
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you know you can get access to this venue or this place, even if you're creating something where there's like a huge kitchen.
• 40:30
  SPEAKER_00: Who do you know that has a large kitchen that is willing to let you come in there for a couple of hours, you know, and bring other people?
• 40:38
  SPEAKER_00: Because, you know, some of us we don't like other people in our house that we don't know, you know.
• 40:43
  SPEAKER_01: Um, top of what you're saying, I'm also trying to learn to write a beast scenarios.
• 40:51
  SPEAKER_01: So, like if my A scenario is the top notch, that's my script, but certain parts I'm gonna try to do a detour where I'm like, okay, if I can't get a restaurant like I went to, what can I do?
• 41:03
  SPEAKER_01: Or if I try to get this, if I I can't shoot at the baseball stadium like I went to, uh, can I do this?
• 41:10
  SPEAKER_01: So that's like the B scenarios, but it takes more work because like you like you're writing two stories now.
• 41:15
  SPEAKER_01: But you know, if you're not, if you're if you're in the life of the independent filmmaker, you kind of know what I'm talking about.
• 41:21
  SPEAKER_01: So you just kind of have to cross what you don't have access to yet, or maybe you will never have access, but you already have a plan B.
• 41:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 41:30
  SPEAKER_00: And with that plan A, that's just a question.
• 41:36
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, right.
• 41:38
  SPEAKER_00: Working on a short film, just wanted to know.
• 41:40
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I'm I'm working some things out, just wanted to know if there was ever an opportunity for me to shoot a scene here.
• 41:46
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 41:47
  SPEAKER_00: You talk to the owner and they say yeah or nay, and you go from there.
• 41:50
  SPEAKER_00: Right, right.
• 41:51
  SPEAKER_00: You know, and if money has to be involved in that, know what it is.
• 41:55
  SPEAKER_00: So you don't be like, hey, we want to shoot next week.
• 41:58
  SPEAKER_00: And they're like, well, shoot, if you want to shoot next week, we're gonna need like 1500.
• 42:02
  SPEAKER_00: You'd be like, eh, I got$15.
• 42:05
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 42:05
  SPEAKER_00: You know, planning ahead, you know.
• 42:09
  SPEAKER_00: And I feel that a lot of this episode has basically been talking about planning ahead, making sure you know what you want to do with what you are capable of doing and accomplishing where you are.
• 42:24
  SPEAKER_00: Shoot and write in scope.
• 42:27
  SPEAKER_00: That that's a big thing, you know.
• 42:29
  SPEAKER_00: Because again, I know if I've had this thought, this feeling, you have.
• 42:34
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I've watched people on YouTube, like uh D for Darius.
• 42:38
  SPEAKER_00: Shout out for D for to D for Darius to um you gotta use what you got.
• 42:43
  SPEAKER_00: And even if your friends and family aren't actors, one thing that he said was give them very few lines, if lines at all.
• 42:53
  SPEAKER_00: You know, but yeah, man, just take it one location at a time.
• 42:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, do some location scouting.
• 43:02
  SPEAKER_01: That's right.
• 43:02
  SPEAKER_00: You know, that way you can write it in or write it out.
• 43:07
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 43:08
  SPEAKER_01: You know, exactly, exactly.
• 43:09
  SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, man.
• 43:11
  SPEAKER_00: Listen, this this episode is it's been jam-packed.
• 43:14
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know.
• 43:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um I didn't even have the the normal questions to ask because we've we've had that conversation already.
• 43:23
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you already asked me questions.
• 43:26
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I'm gonna two things.
• 43:29
  SPEAKER_00: One, let the people know where they can find 8 ball.
• 43:33
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, and find you if they want to get in contact with that.
• 43:36
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so um 8ball.
• 43:38
  SPEAKER_01: Right now, you can find us on Instagram, it's 8ballmovie at 8ball movie.
• 43:43
  SPEAKER_01: Also on Facebook is facebook.com.
• 43:45
  SPEAKER_01: Um, just go to my page, Ollie Crooms, and I post a lot of stuff there.
• 43:49
  SPEAKER_01: But we mostly the viral mobile time and um Instagram.
• 43:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um, as far as the Carolina Film Festival, it's also Instagram.com forward slash Carolina.
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_01: Film festival.
• 44:01
  SPEAKER_01: And myself, I have Ollie Kroom, which is O L L I E C R O O M S.
• 44:08
  SPEAKER_01: You see all my endeavors.
• 44:10
  SPEAKER_01: And if you want to learn more about me giving back to the community and helping underprivileged kids at Spider-Man, I have a Instagram for that called Spidey, the letter N, Charlotte.
• 44:24
  unknown: Cool.
• 44:25
  SPEAKER_01: That's about everything.
• 44:26
  SPEAKER_00: Cool.
• 44:27
  SPEAKER_00: So you are the first guest that I am starting to ask this question to.
• 44:35
  SPEAKER_00: Now let me preface it.
• 44:37
  SPEAKER_00: This question is based on multiple conversations that have been had here, onset of Creative Roots, where we discuss where we started and the things that have taken place in our lives.
• 44:53
  SPEAKER_00: And the main one of the biggest things is a lot of the stuff comes from like childhood trauma, adult trauma, um, mental health, uh, quote unquote issues, things that we've had to deal with growing up.
• 45:09
  SPEAKER_00: So again, you are the first person that I'm asking this question to.
• 45:14
  SPEAKER_00: And if you need to take a minute, take a minute.
• 45:16
  SPEAKER_00: It's expected.
• 45:17
  SPEAKER_00: But the question is, how's your mental?
• 45:23
  SPEAKER_01: My mental?
• 45:25
  SPEAKER_01: My mental is great, man.
• 45:27
  SPEAKER_01: Um I'm experiencing a great time in my life where I get to express myself freely with music, through art, through visuals.
• 45:40
  SPEAKER_01: Um, some people don't have the opportunity to get up to do stuff like that.
• 45:45
  SPEAKER_01: I have a chance to go out and improve myself, and that's through working out, staying active.
• 45:52
  SPEAKER_01: There's some people right now don't know if they're gonna be able to wake up in the morning at all.
• 45:55
  SPEAKER_01: There's some people that's dealing with medical issues.
• 45:58
  SPEAKER_01: Um I have a stable place.
• 46:01
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I'm excited.
• 46:02
  SPEAKER_01: I'm actually moving a little closer to downtown.
• 46:05
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and that's also a big blessing.
• 46:07
  SPEAKER_01: I just have my 15-year anniversary at Bank of America and the anti-money laundering department at Global Financial Crimes.
• 46:15
  SPEAKER_01: So I can see all the great things God has done for me, for my family.
• 46:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um I have two amazing young nephews.
• 46:24
  SPEAKER_01: I have two twin nephews that's coming up soon.
• 46:27
  SPEAKER_01: Um and there's just a lot of things going up in my future that I see.
• 46:32
  SPEAKER_01: So the future's looking bright, and everything I think about where I came from and where I'm going, I can only say that um if it wasn't for God, I don't know where I would be.
• 46:44
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, I'm very proud to be able to say that freely and unashamedly.
• 46:48
  SPEAKER_01: So all that to say, my mentor is really great.
• 46:52
  SPEAKER_00: Good.
• 46:52
  SPEAKER_00: That's always good to hear.
• 46:54
  SPEAKER_00: Because I know some of us we be like, bruh, I can't even answer that question right now.
• 47:00
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 47:01
  SPEAKER_01: You know, yeah, yeah.
• 47:02
  SPEAKER_00: You know, people go through things, and and I realize that a lot of people come here and they kind of just flush some of that stuff out.
• 47:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 47:11
  SPEAKER_00: You know, even after, you know, the cameras cut off, you know, some people we stayed around, we talked, we chatted, you know, cried together, you know, things like that.
• 47:22
  SPEAKER_00: So I I I feel if I don't at least ask, then I would be doing somewhat of a disservice to what I feel God has placed on me with this platform and to others.
• 47:36
  SPEAKER_01: So what I would say behind that, if anybody ever going through that, um, not to be super churchy or super spiritual, and I can just take it to even more circular realm.
• 47:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um, if you have one or two people that love you and you love them, uh, make sure you use the time to spend time with them and be around good positive energy.
• 47:58
  SPEAKER_01: If that's your family members, if that's best friends you knew since the second grade, if it's that your significant other, uh ever he or she may be, um, I would say spend time with the people that care about you, less time with the people that you're trying to impress.
• 48:15
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and realizing that social media is not the real world.
• 48:20
  SPEAKER_01: Right, and the real world is where your home is.
• 48:24
  SPEAKER_01: And most of the time, if not all the time, your home is where your heart is.
• 48:29
  SPEAKER_01: Even if you're having you know scuffles and arguments like, no, you don't know, you don't know what I'm going through.
• 48:34
  SPEAKER_01: You know about my family, but um, that could be true.
• 48:38
  SPEAKER_01: But you may have a sister and brother that supports you.
• 48:41
  SPEAKER_01: You may have uh, you may be one of the lucky ones who have a great relationship with your mom and your dad.
• 48:45
  SPEAKER_01: Just make sure they know that you feel the same way.
• 48:48
  SPEAKER_01: Don't let it be a day where unfortunately you might not be here and you when you leave, you can't remember.
• 48:55
  SPEAKER_01: When was the last time I told my parents I love them?
• 48:58
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you don't want to leave, you know, because tomorrow's not promise.
• 49:01
  SPEAKER_01: No matter what problems you're going through today, just remember tomorrow's not promise.
• 49:05
  SPEAKER_01: So make sure you find the day to find peace for yourself.
• 49:09
  SPEAKER_01: And a lot of times that's being around people that care about you.
• 49:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and if your inner circle doesn't care, you gotta change your circle.
• 49:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 49:20
  SPEAKER_00: I can't tell you how many times my circles have changed.
• 49:24
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's true.
• 49:24
  SPEAKER_00: You know, and I'm not saying that they don't care, but maybe these people care just a little bit more.
• 49:30
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe these people are, you know, yes men and yes women, you know, they actually care about your mental state.
• 49:37
  SPEAKER_00: They care about your heart, they care about your heart posture, they care about how you're living life, you know, because for some of us, everything can look great and kosher on the outside.
• 49:49
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, everything looks like we we on the up and up, but inside we are torn up, yeah, you know, very ragged, and we, in a sense, feel we don't have anybody that we can go and talk to.
• 50:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 50:03
  SPEAKER_00: You know, and then you know, in the black community, it's one of those things of ain't nothing wrong with you.
• 50:08
  SPEAKER_01: Right, yeah.
• 50:09
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we don't we don't seek therapy.
• 50:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think it's become more of a common thing now to seek therapy, but you know, just check on your friends.
• 50:19
  SPEAKER_00: Check on your friends, yeah check on your strong friends, them the main ones you gotta check on.
• 50:24
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, that's exactly right.
• 50:26
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the the stronger they are, the more time they're hiding things and trying to they're trying to be the strong one.
• 50:33
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 50:34
  SPEAKER_00: Well, that's all I got, man.
• 50:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, man.
• 50:36
  SPEAKER_00: I don't I don't have anything else for this episode.
• 50:39
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's been fun, it's been really fun, and I'm thankful that to be here.
• 50:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um, anytime I have something new coming up, I gotta let you know.
• 50:46
  SPEAKER_01: I want to be back, man.
• 50:47
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, you will be.
• 50:49
  SPEAKER_00: You will look we'll we'll write it on the schedule.
• 50:51
  SPEAKER_00: We gotta pin it in.
• 50:52
  SPEAKER_00: We'll we'll get you here.
• 50:53
  SPEAKER_00: All right, you know.
• 50:54
  SPEAKER_00: So listen, y'all.
• 50:56
  SPEAKER_00: That is it for this episode.
• 50:59
  SPEAKER_00: Um, to the rest of the 8ball crew, reach out to me, reach out to Ollie.
• 51:05
  SPEAKER_00: Um, if you want to be here, I have no problem getting you here.
• 51:09
  SPEAKER_00: Um, we won't just talk about 8 ball, we'll also talk about you and what you have going on.
• 51:15
  SPEAKER_00: Um who else?
• 51:17
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's it for now.
• 51:18
  SPEAKER_00: Shout out to everybody we say shout out to.
• 51:21
  SPEAKER_00: Um, that is it for this episode.
• 51:23
  SPEAKER_00: Again, shout out to Analog Studios, Charlotte Podcast Studio, and Artbox Charlotte.
• 51:28
  SPEAKER_00: I would like to thank us.
• 51:30
  SPEAKER_00: Um that's it for this episode.
• 51:32
  SPEAKER_00: Catch y'all in the next one.
• 51:34
  SPEAKER_00: Peace.