Inspired by classic 90s crime dramas and the legacy of John Singleton, ‘LA UNDERCOVER’ pays homage to a golden era of filmmaking. The filmmaker, a passionate crime drama fan, draws from favorites like ‘Menace II Society’ and ‘Boyz N The Hood.’ The project also serves as a tribute to Singleton, a great LA filmmaker. With deep family ties to Los Angeles, the filmmaker aims to create a relatable, community-centered film experience. ‘LA UNDERCOVER’ captures the essence of the city through iconic locations, offering an immersive journey into the heart of Los Angeles.
Your inspiration for LA UNDERCOVER came from classic 90s crime dramas and a desire to pay homage to John Singleton. Can you share more about how these influences shaped the film and your creative vision?
I’m a huge crime drama fan and some of my favorite movies are ‘Menace II Society’, ‘Boyz N The Hood’, ‘In Too Deep’, and ‘Higher Learning’. I also really enjoyed watching ‘Snowfall’ and with John Singleton recently passing away, we really wanted to pay some type of respect to one of the great LA filmmakers. My family is really engrained in the Los Angeles community and I wanted to create a film that the locals could resonate with and enjoy for entertainment purposes and I believe we accomplished that. We captured certain footage that makes viewers feel like they are really in the heart of Los Angeles especially if you live in the community. We want to build our fan base here in Los Angeles and the 90s had a lot of classic films with a dope vibe that we want to bring back.
LA UNDERCOVER is described as a gritty crime drama with a strong sense of community. How did you approach capturing the essence of Los Angeles and involving the local community in the making of the film?
From the opening scene to the ending credits, you see various shots of the city of LA including my grandparents house. The opening credits, we rode around the city of LA capturing shots that we knew the audience would resonate with. In one of the final scenes, you see shots of the Dunes where Issa Rae made famous through her show ‘Insecure’ so we made sure to hit a few landmarks including Leimert Park. With the film being called ‘LA Undercover’ it was imperative that we had scenes that LA fans could resonate with.
As a filmmaker who has received over 30 awards for your short films, what do you believe are the key elements that make a film impactful and resonate with audiences, particularly when telling stories that empower and inspire?
One thing I try to incorporate within our films is reliability. Drama is inevitable in all of our lives and our motto for our films is “Movies you can feel”. I want the audience to feel like they can relate to a certain character even if the storyline may be a bit fantasized. We aim to show complete character arcs within our characters from pitfalls to triumphs because that’s real life. Everyone has their share of ups and downs and all of our characters in our films experience that. We also aim to not only inspire the fans, but also filmmakers and creatives as well as stress true independence and using your voice to motivate others. We are all creators in our own way and we want to inspire the world to share their gifts and stories with the world.
You’ve had a diverse career, from sports to acting, filmmaking, and entrepreneurship. How have these different experiences influenced your approach to storytelling and filmmaking?
I feel as though I have lived a lot of life in a short amount of time and my travels and experiences have played a major part in being able to create characters that the audience can resonate with. I want to tell stories that are entertaining and relatable and ‘LA Undercover’ is definitely a story that is exciting for the viewers. I have encountered a lot of different people in different parts of the country and I feel I can be a channel for the people who are unable to get their voice out to the world. Filmmaking is an avenue that gives you access to a large amount of people and I feel it is my duty to use this opportunity to reach the masses in a major way. This is just the beginning for 247LC Films. We definitely have some stories that need to be told.
Your involvement in both the entertainment industry and community initiatives like Highest Level Academy and 247LiveCulture.com reflects a commitment to making a positive impact. Can you tell us more about the role you see filmmakers playing in promoting social change and community empowerment?
As a young Black filmmaker, it is my duty to empower not only my generation but the next generation. Entertainment can be used as a major tool to get certain initiatives across and we at 247LC Films certainly will be using our voice for the empowerment of our people. We would like our films to create real discussions that can outlive us for the future. As influencers of society, it is definitely imperative that we use our gifts and talents to leave a major impact on the world and open up the floor for dialogues that need to be had especially within the Black community. There’s so much work that needs to be done socially to bring society together and as filmmakers, we have the opportunity to reach a lot of people fairly quickly. I am excited to do my part in society.
Can you tell us more about your journey from being a professional football player to pursuing a career in filmmaking and acting? What inspired this transition?
Being a professional football player was an amazing time in my life because I was doing something I truly loved, from working out to game planning and experiencing the overall competitive nature of the sport. Football teaches you lessons that stick with you forever, including time management, how to face adversity, and, most importantly, putting in the work to accomplish my goals. As a filmmaker, you have to think of it as a sport because things won’t always go your way. Transitioning to the entertainment industry was a calling I think I’ve had since I was a little kid. I always had thoughts of something bigger, and when the first Black Panther was released, I saw all the black excellence on screen, and I knew then that I wanted to create magic on screen so people could react the same way I did to Black Panther. So, I tapped into my creative mode and sports background and became a filmmaker.
LA Undercover seems to be a significant milestone for you as a filmmaker. Could you share some of the challenges you faced while working on this project and how you overcame them?
One of the challenges we faced while making ‘LA Undercover’ was securing financial backing. Omar and I had to scrape together the little money we had to create this film. At the time, I was working as a bartender, and when I looked at the season’s schedule, I realized that we had only one week to shoot the film due to my busy work schedule. We brainstormed together and used our network to seek outside help. This led us to collaborate with Christian Del, our Director of Photography, which turned out to be a game changer for us. We had initially planned to shoot the film using just our iPhones, but Christian brought a whole different level of expertise to the project. Despite the financial challenges and our hectic work schedules, we set our minds to it and made it happen. We carefully planned out a week and used five of those days to complete ‘LA Undercover.’
You mentioned your goal is to inspire other indie black filmmakers. What advice would you give to aspiring filmmakers, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, who are looking to break into the industry?
One of the best pieces of advice I can offer aspiring filmmakers is simply to go for it. I know it sounds cliché, but in reality, that’s half the battle. When you’re doing something you love, it puts you in a zone where you can get the job done. Even if you don’t have support from anyone, just start by writing a story, connect with your network of peers, conduct research on the genre you want to explore, and put in the work so that people can see it. If you never take that first step, you won’t have the chance to break into the industry.
Your career has involved a diverse range of roles, from acting to entrepreneurship. How do these different roles complement each other in your creative journey, and how do they contribute to your growth as an artist and filmmaker?
Being a former athlete, a defensive back helped me build character throughout this journey because everything has not always gone my way. In sports, you often face adversity, and it taught me how to persevere and fight for the goals I wanted to achieve. Additionally, coaching college football provided me with valuable leadership skills. As an actor, I saw the industry differently. When I was on set, I paid attention to details that even the crew might not have noticed. I knew that someday I would be able to use this knowledge in my own projects. All of these experiences correlate and contribute to who I am today: a filmmaker who takes risks in pursuing what he believes in. I believe that without some of those experiences, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. As a filmmaker, it’s crucial to understand different people’s backgrounds to become a true artist.
You have received awards for your work as a filmmaker. Can you share some insights into your creative process and the elements you believe contribute to making a film resonate with audiences and stand the test of time, as you mentioned in your introduction?
I would say my process of making films is to study what the greats did, just as I did in football. You watch a lot of films and draw inspiration from them. So, I watch a lot of 90s films because I’m a 90s baby, and when I create, I want people to not just watch my movies but actually feel something. Some of the directors I watch for motivation are F. Gary Gray and Mario Van Peebles, who made waves in the industry with their cinematic excellence, and their films have stood the test of time. I try to experiment and incorporate different elements into my work, much like they did.
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