The Talk
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama
After an unarmed black teenager is killed, James and Maddie argue over whether to warn their 9 year old son about police brutality. James is worried about the welfare of his son and thinks that he can handle the truth. But Maddie is against it. She wants to protect him from the truth... for now.
The Talk
New York City, New York | Film Short
Drama
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $6,180 for festivals. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
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After an unarmed black teenager is killed, James and Maddie argue over whether to warn their 9 year old son about police brutality. James is worried about the welfare of his son and thinks that he can handle the truth. But Maddie is against it. She wants to protect him from the truth... for now.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
I first got the idea for “The Talk” in 2015 while visiting LA to attend the Bherc film festival. While there, I got the vision of an African American child raising his hands in the air and two police officers pointing their pistols at him. After thinking about it for a few days, it manifested into a short film.
My attempts to shoot it didn’t pan out right away, for various reasons. But things often work out the way they’re supposed to, with Gods timing. And in 2016, I met the person who would help me bring my vision to life, Keisha Richards Lafleur. We immediately hit it off and became good friends. After working with her on a seperate project I was impressed by her dedication to her craft. I showed her the script and she became my co-producer, co-director and my on screen wife. I am very thankful to her for all the time and energy she has put into this project.
Then our crew began to fill itself out and everyone who read the script became very passionate about it. It became a story that we needed to tell and we needed to get it right. My good friend Frank Bal, a Caucasian police officer with 21 years on the force, read the script and wanted to be a part of it. Most of the cast and crew have children so the subject matter hits close to home with them.
And with names like Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Alton Sterling and Walter Scott, just to name a few, it is becoming more and more necessary to prepare our children for what they may encounter with their interactions with the police. And what to do to ensure that they make it home.
The question that I became interested in is when. At what age is it appropriate to have that kind of discussion. I asked a lot of family and friends this question while I was writing the script and I got different answers for different reasons. The Talk tackles that question and shows both sides of that debate. Neither side is necessarily right or wrong. And when it comes down to it, all a parent wants is to keep their child safe.
I’m very proud of what we were able to accomplish with this film. And I believe that parents will be able to relate to the situation my characters find themselves in. No matter what racial demographic they may be a part of.
Share this update!
About This Team
I met Keisha on the set of the Netflix show Seven Seconds and we quickly became good friends. While working together on a seperate short film, I was impressed by her directing style, her knowledge and her passion for the craft. I knew that I needed to have her with me on this project. Along with being an experienced writer, producer and director, Keisha is also a brilliant actress. Having trained in Meisner technique under the great Terry Knickerbocker. Keisha has booked roles on shows like "Power" and "Luke Cage". And through her production company Twelve 20 Films, has created her own short films like "Mind Games" and "Know a Good Thing".
Katherine Marie is a producer, SAG-AFTRA actor, and commercial print model who is a major foodie and an Iron Chef in her next lifetime. In the past year, she has been fortunate enough to produce a number of projects from music videos to short films. She has booked roles on the tv shows “Blue Bloods” and “Fully Engaged” and worked as a hand model in numerous Dairy Queen commercials. She is a stunt woman as well, having performed stunts on the tv shows “The Get Down” and “Royal Pains”. I've known Katherine for a long time both being actors that run in the same circles. Not only is she a great actress but she’s a great organizer and hard worker. It was a no brainer asking her to be on the team as a co-producer. Plus, she and Keisha are good friends who have collaborated several times before.
Chris Greenis a native of Spring Valley, New York and has recently been directing music videos for several underground up-and-coming artists in the NY area. In 2013, he directed his first web series “Life and Shit”. Quickly after that he started directing several short films. Most notably “This House” which was well reviewed by critics and peers. Chris’s background is very diverse as an Army National Guard highest rank 2nd Lieutenant. But his love for the arts has always remained pure as he was chosen twice by Jazz at Lincoln Center to teach Hip Hop 101 classes in Africa and Asia. Whether in the music industry, teaching dance classes or directing films, Chris has an extensive creative knowledge to pull from for creative work and his eye for aesthetics is what makes his work something to admire and look forward to. I met Chris on the set of "This House". He was the Director and DP and I was one of the actors. We became good friends and he was the first person I thought of when it was time to find a trustworthy DP for our project. He stays pretty busy directing films and music videos throughout the year so I was very happy that he was able to fit our project into his schedule. Chris also edited The Talk with me.
New Jersey native, Frank Bal is a professional stuntman, actor and as well as a police officer for the West Windsor Police Department. He has been on the force for 21 years and counting. Frank fell into the stunt and acting world by chance in 2014 and quickly found a passion for it. He has performed a multitude of stunt and acting roles on shows like “House of Cards”, “The Blacklist”, “Blue Bloods”, “Gotham”, “Elementary”, “Blindspot” and “Power” just to name a few. He loves what he does and plans to continue it well after he retires from the police force. Frank and I have been friends for several years now and he's one of my favorite people on the planet. When I completed the script for The Talk, I sent it to Frank to get his point of view on the project. He loved it. When it came down to finding an actor to play our veteran cop, who better than an actual police officer with acting chops. Frank exceeded my expectations. He also helped us with securing police supervision among other things for the opening scene.
Raised in New York and New Jersey, Marcus Guerrier is an actor/musician and alum of SCVTHS Gifted and Talented Performing Arts Program and New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Past screen credits include the short film “Three Faces” and the upcoming webseries “Delivery”. Other credits include Tisch Stageworks’ “RENT” and the People’s Improv Theatre’s “PITS: The Holes Musical” and “Frizzled”. His debut single under music project “MOZIAH” became available on all streaming platforms in early March. Marcus who plays Jamal in "The Talk"also happens to be my cousin. But that's not why he was cast. He has the talent and presence that was needed to display Jamal's innocence. But also Jamal's fear and dread later on in the scene. He also looks like how I pictured Jamal in my head. Young and naive with a darker complexion. His performance in the film was everything I could’ve hoped for and more.
John Ressos is a first generation Greek American who was born in Queens NY, and grew up on Long Island. He has degrees from multiple colleges and a masters in health education and disease prevention. After leaving his teaching job at the D.O.E. he spent two years in Greece working at a vineyard. When he returned to the US he decided he would pursue his passions which included acting and painting. He loves to entertain, and make people laugh. His most recent credits were in “Rosewater”, “The Promise” and “Like Father”. John and I have known each other for a long time. When it was time to find the rookie cop Officer Constantine, I needed an actor that looked like he could have been on the police force two or three years max. And that would convincingly follow Officer Owens lead with some hesitation. John was the perfect choice and we were lucky to have him on the team.
The multitalented Taron Carter Pollard, affectionately known as ‘Carter,’ is a very bright 8 year old. He dances, sings, plays the snare drum in the famous Brooklyn United Marching Band and is currently a purple belt in Martial Arts. Lately he has developed a love for acting and modeling and has worked on such projects as “Mostly 4 Millennials” for Adult Swim, print work for Novartis. Taron plays me and Keisha's son, Ricky, in "The Talk". I worked with Taron a year prior on the print campaign for Novartis. He and his sister played my son and daughter in the campaign. Taron was the perfect choice for Ricky. He is exactly how I pictured Ricky while I was writing it. He steals the show everytime he's on screen. I see big things for Taron in his future.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
I first got the idea for “The Talk” in 2015 while visiting LA to attend the Bherc film festival. While there, I got the vision of an African American child raising his hands in the air and two police officers pointing their pistols at him. After thinking about it for a few days, it manifested into a short film.
My attempts to shoot it didn’t pan out right away, for various reasons. But things often work out the way they’re supposed to, with Gods timing. And in 2016, I met the person who would help me bring my vision to life, Keisha Richards Lafleur. We immediately hit it off and became good friends. After working with her on a seperate project I was impressed by her dedication to her craft. I showed her the script and she became my co-producer, co-director and my on screen wife. I am very thankful to her for all the time and energy she has put into this project.
Then our crew began to fill itself out and everyone who read the script became very passionate about it. It became a story that we needed to tell and we needed to get it right. My good friend Frank Bal, a Caucasian police officer with 21 years on the force, read the script and wanted to be a part of it. Most of the cast and crew have children so the subject matter hits close to home with them.
And with names like Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Alton Sterling and Walter Scott, just to name a few, it is becoming more and more necessary to prepare our children for what they may encounter with their interactions with the police. And what to do to ensure that they make it home.
The question that I became interested in is when. At what age is it appropriate to have that kind of discussion. I asked a lot of family and friends this question while I was writing the script and I got different answers for different reasons. The Talk tackles that question and shows both sides of that debate. Neither side is necessarily right or wrong. And when it comes down to it, all a parent wants is to keep their child safe.
I’m very proud of what we were able to accomplish with this film. And I believe that parents will be able to relate to the situation my characters find themselves in. No matter what racial demographic they may be a part of.
Share this update!
About This Team
I met Keisha on the set of the Netflix show Seven Seconds and we quickly became good friends. While working together on a seperate short film, I was impressed by her directing style, her knowledge and her passion for the craft. I knew that I needed to have her with me on this project. Along with being an experienced writer, producer and director, Keisha is also a brilliant actress. Having trained in Meisner technique under the great Terry Knickerbocker. Keisha has booked roles on shows like "Power" and "Luke Cage". And through her production company Twelve 20 Films, has created her own short films like "Mind Games" and "Know a Good Thing".
Katherine Marie is a producer, SAG-AFTRA actor, and commercial print model who is a major foodie and an Iron Chef in her next lifetime. In the past year, she has been fortunate enough to produce a number of projects from music videos to short films. She has booked roles on the tv shows “Blue Bloods” and “Fully Engaged” and worked as a hand model in numerous Dairy Queen commercials. She is a stunt woman as well, having performed stunts on the tv shows “The Get Down” and “Royal Pains”. I've known Katherine for a long time both being actors that run in the same circles. Not only is she a great actress but she’s a great organizer and hard worker. It was a no brainer asking her to be on the team as a co-producer. Plus, she and Keisha are good friends who have collaborated several times before.
Chris Greenis a native of Spring Valley, New York and has recently been directing music videos for several underground up-and-coming artists in the NY area. In 2013, he directed his first web series “Life and Shit”. Quickly after that he started directing several short films. Most notably “This House” which was well reviewed by critics and peers. Chris’s background is very diverse as an Army National Guard highest rank 2nd Lieutenant. But his love for the arts has always remained pure as he was chosen twice by Jazz at Lincoln Center to teach Hip Hop 101 classes in Africa and Asia. Whether in the music industry, teaching dance classes or directing films, Chris has an extensive creative knowledge to pull from for creative work and his eye for aesthetics is what makes his work something to admire and look forward to. I met Chris on the set of "This House". He was the Director and DP and I was one of the actors. We became good friends and he was the first person I thought of when it was time to find a trustworthy DP for our project. He stays pretty busy directing films and music videos throughout the year so I was very happy that he was able to fit our project into his schedule. Chris also edited The Talk with me.
New Jersey native, Frank Bal is a professional stuntman, actor and as well as a police officer for the West Windsor Police Department. He has been on the force for 21 years and counting. Frank fell into the stunt and acting world by chance in 2014 and quickly found a passion for it. He has performed a multitude of stunt and acting roles on shows like “House of Cards”, “The Blacklist”, “Blue Bloods”, “Gotham”, “Elementary”, “Blindspot” and “Power” just to name a few. He loves what he does and plans to continue it well after he retires from the police force. Frank and I have been friends for several years now and he's one of my favorite people on the planet. When I completed the script for The Talk, I sent it to Frank to get his point of view on the project. He loved it. When it came down to finding an actor to play our veteran cop, who better than an actual police officer with acting chops. Frank exceeded my expectations. He also helped us with securing police supervision among other things for the opening scene.
Raised in New York and New Jersey, Marcus Guerrier is an actor/musician and alum of SCVTHS Gifted and Talented Performing Arts Program and New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Past screen credits include the short film “Three Faces” and the upcoming webseries “Delivery”. Other credits include Tisch Stageworks’ “RENT” and the People’s Improv Theatre’s “PITS: The Holes Musical” and “Frizzled”. His debut single under music project “MOZIAH” became available on all streaming platforms in early March. Marcus who plays Jamal in "The Talk"also happens to be my cousin. But that's not why he was cast. He has the talent and presence that was needed to display Jamal's innocence. But also Jamal's fear and dread later on in the scene. He also looks like how I pictured Jamal in my head. Young and naive with a darker complexion. His performance in the film was everything I could’ve hoped for and more.
John Ressos is a first generation Greek American who was born in Queens NY, and grew up on Long Island. He has degrees from multiple colleges and a masters in health education and disease prevention. After leaving his teaching job at the D.O.E. he spent two years in Greece working at a vineyard. When he returned to the US he decided he would pursue his passions which included acting and painting. He loves to entertain, and make people laugh. His most recent credits were in “Rosewater”, “The Promise” and “Like Father”. John and I have known each other for a long time. When it was time to find the rookie cop Officer Constantine, I needed an actor that looked like he could have been on the police force two or three years max. And that would convincingly follow Officer Owens lead with some hesitation. John was the perfect choice and we were lucky to have him on the team.
The multitalented Taron Carter Pollard, affectionately known as ‘Carter,’ is a very bright 8 year old. He dances, sings, plays the snare drum in the famous Brooklyn United Marching Band and is currently a purple belt in Martial Arts. Lately he has developed a love for acting and modeling and has worked on such projects as “Mostly 4 Millennials” for Adult Swim, print work for Novartis. Taron plays me and Keisha's son, Ricky, in "The Talk". I worked with Taron a year prior on the print campaign for Novartis. He and his sister played my son and daughter in the campaign. Taron was the perfect choice for Ricky. He is exactly how I pictured Ricky while I was writing it. He steals the show everytime he's on screen. I see big things for Taron in his future.