Freeman Hospitality
Atlanta, Georgia | Series
Sci-Fi, Thriller
A black family-run security firm escorts a foreign journalist into the war-torn badlands of South Georgia to interview a local tyrant.
Freeman Hospitality
Atlanta, Georgia | Series
Sci-Fi, Thriller
2 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $22,333 for post-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
147 supporters | followers
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A black family-run security firm escorts a foreign journalist into the war-torn badlands of South Georgia to interview a local tyrant.
In Partnership With
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The Freemans, a black family living in South Georgia, operate a private security company protecting others amidst a dystopian martial state. The Freeman’s escort into their world a young, determined, yet still naive British journalist named Natalie Pembrook. Pembrook is in the U.S. to interview one of the powerful warlords that have appeared in the aftermath of the fighting.
Freeman Hospitality is painted with pointed clues on how we got here from 2019. It’s a catastrophe of our own making—America’s overindulgence in fossil fuels, heightened political climate, and our lax prosecution laws for financial crimes. They all created the perfect storm of how the most powerful country in the world could fall so far and how the people who live there are still surviving. This all shown to you through the lens of the Freeman’s, an entrepreneurial black family and their skills as a private security company. This pilot is meant to be a jumping off point into the Freeman's world, modeled after nuanced and story-driven sci-fi such as Children of Men and The Expanse. Freeman Hospitality is meant to invoke an immersive world around our characters that is vast and worth exploring further.
It's no secret, making anything on an independent level will be a challenge. I looked around my world and saw what I had access to. We filmed Freeman Hospitality on my grandparents' land in Albany, Georgia. For an entire week, the house they built with their own hands was our basecamp, home, and set. I self-financed the production of this pilot because I was tired of waiting, and I wanted to bring this story to the people. The cast and crew who took this bold step with me are all dedicated filmmakers who were also tired of the status quo. We're looking to raise money for finishing funds for the pilot that will go toward the Color, Visual Effects and the Sound Design this project needs. For those of you who wish to make a tax-deductible donation over $5k, please contact us directly so that we can share how to do so. 501c3 Tax deductable.
Freeman Hospitality came out of a multitude of things, a need to show African Americans outside normal acted roles. A Family that are entrepreneurial masters of their own fate, with the ability to protect themselves and others with their proficiency in firearms. I'm looking to challenge the traditional stereotype of the black family unit, and the stories that represent us but I can't do this alone. To get Freeman Hospitality to a series order I'll need help from those much more powerful than me. We need to spark a grassroots movement that can help us rattle the doors of the powers that be. To show the Netflixs and Amazons of the world that this is a story worth telling. We're following in the footsteps of other crowdfunded series that came before us. Not unlike how Dear White People began, or more recently Raising Dion. If you're tired of your black existence being relegated to a handful of predictable story lines Freeman Hospitality is for you. If you want to see more diverse stories in Sci Fi, then please donate to our campaign. Share it, shout it, tell someone's momma's kids about it. With your support and donations we can make sure Freeman Hospitality grows far beyond the pilot.
We hope you will come on board as a collaborator!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Audio Mixing and Mastering
Costs $1,000
Making the project sound sweet and crispy to the ear.
Sound Design
Costs $1,000
All the sound effects we'll need to really bring our project to life.
Pick Up shots
Costs $6,000
We want to bring our entire cast and crew back for 1 additional day of pickup shots
Cast and Crew Lodging
Costs $3,000
Our shooting location is Albany, GA and we'll need to house and feed our crew for our pickup shots
Share this update!
About This Team
Michael Cooke
Writer/Director/Executive Producer
Michael Cooke is an award-winning director and cinematographer from Atlanta, Georgia. With over 10 years behind the camera, Michael's credits span from commercial work to narrative to documentary. He got his start in the professional world in 2007 as a Director of Photography for some of hip-hop's biggest names including T.I., Gucci Mane and Ludacris. After three years of freelancing in the music video world, Michael transitioned to directing commercials for international brands such as Apple, American Express and Walmart.
Within the last decade, Michael has become one of the most sought after emerging independent directors. Having directed hundreds of projects in multiple genres, his focus has shifted to narrative storytelling. In 2014, he made his directorial debut with the short film Across the Tracks, which was also crowdfunded on Seed&Spark. It went on to win won multiple awards including Best Diaspora Short Film at the African Movie Academy Awards, Best Short Film at UK's Music Video and Screen Awards, and a Ceaser Award from the French Academy of Cinema.
Michael's commitment to sharing stories with social relevance and meaning is evident in all that he masterminds. He is currently in post on a pilot presentation entitled Freeman Hospitality, which is a passion project he shot in his hometown of Albany, Georgia. Whether Michael is directing or shooting, his goal is to carefully craft images that will remain etched in viewers' minds for years to come.
Errol Sadler
Producer
Errol Sadler, raised in Brooklyn, NY, is the founder of Supremacy Films; an Atlanta based film company which he owns and operates. He is one of the most sought after producers in the Atlanta Film Industry.
In 2009, Errol made his producer debut with “Eros”, a short dramatic thriller that deals with the repercussions of love, lies and deception. An instant hit, it received a Comcast On-demand distribution deal.
From there Errol partnered with Last Looks Inc. to produce four short films “Up In Smoke”, “No Crime”, “Letters to a Father”, and “Prognosis”. These films have been part of numerous film festivals such as the Atlanta Black Film Festival (ABFF), Brooklyn Short Film Festival (BSFF), Long Island Film Festival (LIFF), Manhattan Film Festival (MIFF), Peachtree Village International Film Festival (PVIFF), and the Women in Film and Television (WIFTA)
Shandra McDonald
Producer
SHANDRA L. MCDONALD is an award-winning screenwriter, director, and producer with more than 20 years’ experience in the television and film industry. She has received awards from the Director's Guild of America, Atlanta Film Festival, IFP Film Festival, American Black Film Festival, British Film Institute, Hollywood Black Film Festival and the 48-Hour Film Festival for her projects. Recently, a feature-film where she served as an executive producer titled Jinn, premiered in the highly-competitive, narrative section at the 2018 South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas. The award-winning film recently received a distribution deal with MGM Studios and is currently streaming on Amazon and iTunes. Shandra is in development with Screen Lloyd Productions for a feature film that she plans to direct titled, “Awake O Sleeper.” She recently directed a television pilot titled, "The Royal Court" that she is pitching. Ms. McDonald continues to grow her film-production company Kiss the Limit Productions producing various types of content including web series, television pilots, documentaries, shorts, and feature films while being a proud Film Professor at Clayton State University
Aimee Man
Producer
Production Managment specialist based in NYC.
Steven Pitts
Cinematographer
Born in Atlanta and raised in Birmingham, Steven spent his early childhood staring out the window, day DREAMING. He picked up his first camera for a 7th grade book report and hasn’t put a camera down since. Restless, he quickly followed his DREAMS. He started out as a PA on sets and worked his way through every production position out there.
Skilled in both, the technical aspects and storytelling, the man can make his DREAMS reality. Steven’s worked with BIG clients like The Coca-Cola Company, McDonald’s, The Weather Channel, GA Lottery, Republic Records, Atlantic Records, SONY and FOX.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The Freemans, a black family living in South Georgia, operate a private security company protecting others amidst a dystopian martial state. The Freeman’s escort into their world a young, determined, yet still naive British journalist named Natalie Pembrook. Pembrook is in the U.S. to interview one of the powerful warlords that have appeared in the aftermath of the fighting.
Freeman Hospitality is painted with pointed clues on how we got here from 2019. It’s a catastrophe of our own making—America’s overindulgence in fossil fuels, heightened political climate, and our lax prosecution laws for financial crimes. They all created the perfect storm of how the most powerful country in the world could fall so far and how the people who live there are still surviving. This all shown to you through the lens of the Freeman’s, an entrepreneurial black family and their skills as a private security company. This pilot is meant to be a jumping off point into the Freeman's world, modeled after nuanced and story-driven sci-fi such as Children of Men and The Expanse. Freeman Hospitality is meant to invoke an immersive world around our characters that is vast and worth exploring further.
It's no secret, making anything on an independent level will be a challenge. I looked around my world and saw what I had access to. We filmed Freeman Hospitality on my grandparents' land in Albany, Georgia. For an entire week, the house they built with their own hands was our basecamp, home, and set. I self-financed the production of this pilot because I was tired of waiting, and I wanted to bring this story to the people. The cast and crew who took this bold step with me are all dedicated filmmakers who were also tired of the status quo. We're looking to raise money for finishing funds for the pilot that will go toward the Color, Visual Effects and the Sound Design this project needs. For those of you who wish to make a tax-deductible donation over $5k, please contact us directly so that we can share how to do so. 501c3 Tax deductable.
Freeman Hospitality came out of a multitude of things, a need to show African Americans outside normal acted roles. A Family that are entrepreneurial masters of their own fate, with the ability to protect themselves and others with their proficiency in firearms. I'm looking to challenge the traditional stereotype of the black family unit, and the stories that represent us but I can't do this alone. To get Freeman Hospitality to a series order I'll need help from those much more powerful than me. We need to spark a grassroots movement that can help us rattle the doors of the powers that be. To show the Netflixs and Amazons of the world that this is a story worth telling. We're following in the footsteps of other crowdfunded series that came before us. Not unlike how Dear White People began, or more recently Raising Dion. If you're tired of your black existence being relegated to a handful of predictable story lines Freeman Hospitality is for you. If you want to see more diverse stories in Sci Fi, then please donate to our campaign. Share it, shout it, tell someone's momma's kids about it. With your support and donations we can make sure Freeman Hospitality grows far beyond the pilot.
We hope you will come on board as a collaborator!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Audio Mixing and Mastering
Costs $1,000
Making the project sound sweet and crispy to the ear.
Sound Design
Costs $1,000
All the sound effects we'll need to really bring our project to life.
Pick Up shots
Costs $6,000
We want to bring our entire cast and crew back for 1 additional day of pickup shots
Cast and Crew Lodging
Costs $3,000
Our shooting location is Albany, GA and we'll need to house and feed our crew for our pickup shots
Share this update!
About This Team
Michael Cooke
Writer/Director/Executive Producer
Michael Cooke is an award-winning director and cinematographer from Atlanta, Georgia. With over 10 years behind the camera, Michael's credits span from commercial work to narrative to documentary. He got his start in the professional world in 2007 as a Director of Photography for some of hip-hop's biggest names including T.I., Gucci Mane and Ludacris. After three years of freelancing in the music video world, Michael transitioned to directing commercials for international brands such as Apple, American Express and Walmart.
Within the last decade, Michael has become one of the most sought after emerging independent directors. Having directed hundreds of projects in multiple genres, his focus has shifted to narrative storytelling. In 2014, he made his directorial debut with the short film Across the Tracks, which was also crowdfunded on Seed&Spark. It went on to win won multiple awards including Best Diaspora Short Film at the African Movie Academy Awards, Best Short Film at UK's Music Video and Screen Awards, and a Ceaser Award from the French Academy of Cinema.
Michael's commitment to sharing stories with social relevance and meaning is evident in all that he masterminds. He is currently in post on a pilot presentation entitled Freeman Hospitality, which is a passion project he shot in his hometown of Albany, Georgia. Whether Michael is directing or shooting, his goal is to carefully craft images that will remain etched in viewers' minds for years to come.
Errol Sadler
Producer
Errol Sadler, raised in Brooklyn, NY, is the founder of Supremacy Films; an Atlanta based film company which he owns and operates. He is one of the most sought after producers in the Atlanta Film Industry.
In 2009, Errol made his producer debut with “Eros”, a short dramatic thriller that deals with the repercussions of love, lies and deception. An instant hit, it received a Comcast On-demand distribution deal.
From there Errol partnered with Last Looks Inc. to produce four short films “Up In Smoke”, “No Crime”, “Letters to a Father”, and “Prognosis”. These films have been part of numerous film festivals such as the Atlanta Black Film Festival (ABFF), Brooklyn Short Film Festival (BSFF), Long Island Film Festival (LIFF), Manhattan Film Festival (MIFF), Peachtree Village International Film Festival (PVIFF), and the Women in Film and Television (WIFTA)
Shandra McDonald
Producer
SHANDRA L. MCDONALD is an award-winning screenwriter, director, and producer with more than 20 years’ experience in the television and film industry. She has received awards from the Director's Guild of America, Atlanta Film Festival, IFP Film Festival, American Black Film Festival, British Film Institute, Hollywood Black Film Festival and the 48-Hour Film Festival for her projects. Recently, a feature-film where she served as an executive producer titled Jinn, premiered in the highly-competitive, narrative section at the 2018 South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas. The award-winning film recently received a distribution deal with MGM Studios and is currently streaming on Amazon and iTunes. Shandra is in development with Screen Lloyd Productions for a feature film that she plans to direct titled, “Awake O Sleeper.” She recently directed a television pilot titled, "The Royal Court" that she is pitching. Ms. McDonald continues to grow her film-production company Kiss the Limit Productions producing various types of content including web series, television pilots, documentaries, shorts, and feature films while being a proud Film Professor at Clayton State University
Aimee Man
Producer
Production Managment specialist based in NYC.
Steven Pitts
Cinematographer
Born in Atlanta and raised in Birmingham, Steven spent his early childhood staring out the window, day DREAMING. He picked up his first camera for a 7th grade book report and hasn’t put a camera down since. Restless, he quickly followed his DREAMS. He started out as a PA on sets and worked his way through every production position out there.
Skilled in both, the technical aspects and storytelling, the man can make his DREAMS reality. Steven’s worked with BIG clients like The Coca-Cola Company, McDonald’s, The Weather Channel, GA Lottery, Republic Records, Atlantic Records, SONY and FOX.