When did the Bullets Over Brownsville come out?
It’s hasn’t been officially released yet, but we’ve screened it in multiple cities across the country and overseas.
Where did the idea come from?
Bullets Over Brownsville came out of the necessity to connect with our target audience and shed some light on the community, showing that there is talent and a story to be told in our neighborhoods. We are living and dealing with so many social issues but most of the time we just see the effect without recognizing the cause. This movie deals with real life struggle sprinkled with love, empathy and pain.
This was shot in Brownsville. Can you talk about using local people from the neighborhood to be in the movie?
We originally casted trained actors in the movie but during rehearsals we quickly realized that the authenticity and core of the characters wasn’t there. So we did open auditions in Brownsville and that was disappointing because you quickly realize that people don’t believe that either they are good enough or we are good enough to make a movie really happen! So we selected people in the neighborhood we knew we could rely on and that knew our track record and would see the project all the way through until the end. In the process discovering that they had the gift and raw talent as an actor. So we mixed the movie with trained and untrained actors to get that authentic flavor of the community. Never pass up opportunity believe you are worthy of great things put the work in and great things will happen.
The movie is very gritty almost if I had to make a comparison to something like Southland on television. Was that on purpose or it just turned out that way?
That was all intentional when we were writing the script. We knew that we wanted to create something that would strike a nerve in America’s consciousness, something that would require the viewer to pay closer attention to the troubled realities in the urban communities and the messages we wanted to deliver. This movie is dealing with the psychological aspects of human conditioning, years of layered abuse within our community and in disenfranchised communities throughout the world, so the grit and frustration is always simmering.
The movie touches on a lot of themes like the pimp game, porn, drug game, snitching, guns, can you talk about why when usually movies focus on one of these themes?
Well, we can’t speak for other films but for Bullets over Brownsville it’s the reality of urban America, what drives people to succeed or fail and we meticulously used those themes to promote a positive message and raise awareness to open up communication and show the harsh realities that some people are faced with in their daily lives.
What is the next step for the movie? Are there any plans to release a DVD?
Yes. We are currently looking at an early June 2012 DVD release date through online retailers such as Amazon and FilmBaby as well as digital downloads through ITunes, Amazon Video On Demand, Hulu, Netflix and more. It will also be available in your local neighborhood store where movies and music is sold, so our goal is to have it everywhere.
Are you currently on tour, I saw it has been presented at a few film festivals?
It’s funny you asked that. Yes we’ve been touring the festival circuit all through America, a few countries in Europe and Africa collecting some awards. But soon after its official DVD release, we will be starting a new distribution tour traveling through major cities in the U.S. & Internationally having DVD’s available for sale bringing it directly to the people. That’s the next step for us; we’re trying to do something with this movie that will be groundbreaking. Check the website for updated info.
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