"Three people…all heavy hitters in
their own right, and all three play to win in this battle royal being fought on
three fronts—the heart, the bed, and the dance floor."
GOAL
We're raising money for the Pre-Production stage of this forthcoming movie.
PLEASE MAKE A CONTRIBUTION BY CLICKING ONE OF THE CATEGORIES ON THE RIGHT.
THE STORY
A fallen dance icon
steps to resurrection over his vindictive former lover.
Russell Promise—a
handsome and prosperous
real estate agent—finds himself broke and homeless after the real estate crash
of 2008. His passion for dancing leads to his salvation, but lust for his ex-lover
may steer him toward damnation.
In this urban romance set in the world of
Steppin', Russell is the King of the dance floor and appears to be a
lucky man with Monica Thomas and Lynnette Parker—two of the most gorgeous women
in town—both deeply in love with him. He finds himself at a crossroads being
pulled in love's opposite directions. Can real love compete with lust and lies,
and can Russell tell the difference? All three are heavy hitters in their own
right, and all three play to win in this battle royal being fought on three
fronts—the heart, the bed, and the dance floor.
PLEASE MAKE A CONTRIBUTION BY CLICKING ONE OF THE CATEGORIES ON THE RIGHT.
STEPPIN' / CHICAGO STYLE STEPPIN'
Steppin’ (also known as Chicago-style Stepping) is an urban
dance that originated in Chicago. The dance is defined by its unique style and
culture within the larger world of Swing Dance. Just as anyone at the top of their game can be called a Heavy Hitter,
so, too, are the steppers who are at the top of their game called Heavy
Hitters. They Step when they want to have a good time, but they also compete for recognition in friendly dance battles all the
way to competing in organized contests for cash prizes. The steppers challenge and dare each other with unique moves and footwork. Steppin’ also includes the addictive aura of music
and has its own sub-genre of music known as Steppers Grooves because of the
particular beat and tempo of the songs. I’m also committed to showcasing the Indie artists whose
music has helped fuel the dance by featuring their music in the film. Most of them don't get radio airplay, but are big stars in the Steppers world. Showing real steppers dancing to their genre of music puts them in their element and will contribute to the authenticity of the film. Steppin’ was popular in Chicago and the Midwest,
but after the release of R. Kelly’s 2003 mega-hit “Step in the Name of Love,”
popularity of the dance skyrocketed and swept across the country. I believe that Steppin’ is a valid aspect of Chicago’s
cultural identity. The world of
Steppin’ has its own culture, including music, style of dress, and attitude. This world is real to the steppers, and I respect that world. Bottom line...I want the steppers to be proud of this film. Our desire is for HEAVY HITTERS to be
commercially successful as well as become a cult classic that will endure
throughout the years.
AFFILIATED
DANCES - Hand Dancing, Swing Dancing, Walking, Bop, Urban Ballroom, Line Dancing, Hustle, Detroit Graystone
Video of Contest
Steppin' is fun, great exercise, and the contests can be quite competitive. The Steppin' community is a loosely-knit family of people nationwide who enjoy the dance and camaraderie of traveling the country to attend different themed Steppin' conventions. These events have expanded in scope to include workshops in finance, health and diet, history, honoring pioneers of the dance, and more. This is one of my favorite videos of a Steppin' contest and a good example of an energetic performance, creative Steppin' moves, techniques, and footwork. Check out the cool but aggressive dancing by Andre Blackwell and the dazzling moves by Lady Margaret Fisher.
PLEASE MAKE A CONTRIBUTION BY CLICKING ONE OF THE CATEGORIES ON THE RIGHT.
When the ladies step...they step like this!
When the men get Stepper's Sharp...
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MOVIE
HEAVY HITTERS will help capture and preserve this intangible aspect of African American cultural heritage and the legacy of Steppin'. Although HEAVY HITTERS is a drama, it is infused with bits of documentary-style film making in order to include actual Steppin' history and show the passion it inspires. Everyone wants to see their unique expressions and identities recognized and valued as part of the human record, and HEAVY HITTERS is an excellent way to accomplish this for the art of Steppin'. In
addition to the fictionalized dramatic narrative, the movie presents an
opportunity to trace the history of the dance and its genre of music, as well as actual
Heavy Hitters of the dance whose style, moves, and footwork are legendary. The story is structured to marry the narrative with
the music while the dance is stylized in a way to exhibit the emotions and
healing properties of dancing. It will show how the rut of everyday life can
be transcended when you become one with the dance. These aspects of the movie will also help to bolster the legitimacy of Steppin' as an art form.
YOU'RE IMPORTANT BECAUSE 'EACH ONE CAN REACH ONE' AND 'EVERYBODY CAN TELL SOMEBODY'
This movie can't be completed without your support. So, we're asking you to join our
movement, contribute what you can, and help us spread the word. We call it the 'Each One Reach One' Movement. We ask that each of you reach out to someone else and ask them to support HEAVY HITTERS. We
understand that everyone who wants to supports us might not be able to contribute cash.
But, every time you share this campaign with
someone, you help bring us closer to our goal. You can be of great assistance to us by spreading the word about
HEAVY HITTERS. Basically, all you have to do is tell somebody to tell somebody to tell somebody else. Pretty easy, huh?
PLEASE MAKE A CONTRIBUTION BY CLICKING ONE OF THE CATEGORIES ON THE RIGHT.
OUR TEAM
DEE ROBINSON, Executive Producer, Writer, Director: I’m a poet and writer, in other words, a storyteller.
Everything for me starts first with a poem that I convert to a song that’s then
re-created as a story. In 2009 I was blessed with the opportunity to turn one of
my ‘poem-turned song-turned story’ into a short film. That’s when I truly found
my voice! For me, film making is the ultimate medium of expression to complete
the creative journey from word to screen. Since then, I’ve made three short films,
and I’m now embarking on my first feature—HEAVY HITTERS, a romantic drama that
is set in the world of Steppin’. I was fortunate to have one of my songs (“I
Like It”) become a big hit in the Steppin’ community, which is the inspiration
for HEAVY HITTERS. Steppin’ fascinated me, and I was drawn into the magnetic allure
of both the music and the dance. I became immersed in its culture and studied it as if I were a student. As a storyteller, I feel it is my duty to tell
THIS story and bring this amazing dance to the forefront through narrative film. I am President and CEO of Mentaltainment Media, LLC.
CATHY LEE, Executive Producer: Cathy is Business Manager of Mentaltainment Media, LLC. She has worked in both television and radio production in Indiana, Illinois, Alabama, California, and Alaska. She has a Master's Degree in
Business and Organizational
Management and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Telecommunications from Indiana University. Cathy Lee is Vice President and COO of Mentaltainment Media, LLC.
IARY ISAIAH ISRAEL, Associate Producer: Iary Israel is the CEO and Founder of Word Of Mouth Entertainment, LLC (WOME) and currently one of many noteworthy stepping promoters in the association. WOME was established in 2000 in St. Louis, MO, as the result of a serious need for adult partner dancing. Chicago Stepping was the dance of choice to be introduced to the St. Louis adult social community. After several years of cultivating and infusing Chicago Stepping into the city, there was a need to host a national stepping event which eventually birthed STEPAGANZA—an annual mega event held each May during Memorial Day Week since 2010, and serves as an Awards Gala honoring the lifetime achievement of steppers' contributions to the culture and art form.
PHILLIP GHEE, Producer, Executive in Charge of Production: Phil has over 37 years proven experience in multi-camera
television and film style production as Director of Photography; Strong camera and location production methods in film and video techniques with a specialty in lighting; Excellent management skills and experience in programming and post production. Phil has worked at CBS and BET in addition to numerous independent projects.
GILBERT GLENN BROWN, Asst. Director, Actor: Gilbert is a seasoned performer of
stage, television,
screen and voice over as an Actor, Writer, Director, Producer and Director
of Photography. Currently, he can be seen in the TV series “The Inspectors.” He also has an extensive list
of TV and screen credits, including: "Drumline 2: A New Beat",
“E.R”, “Shark”, “Cold Case”, “Mercy”, “The Shield”, “The OC”, “The Parker’s”,“Roswell”,
“Dreamgirls”, “The Good Fight, “The Eavesdropper”, ”Raising the Heights”,
“Romeo & Juliet Revisited” and "Night Falls on Manhattan." He is Producer
and Writer for the comedy short “Half Off”, as well as Director and DP on the series "HTMAST." He is also Co-Creator, Producer, Writer and Director
of the forth-coming web series "ALL IN THE TIMING."
Leighala Jimenez-Hall of Leighala J Management & Entertainment, Casting.
FUNDING
HEAVY HITTERS will be produced in stages as we raise sufficient funds to carry out each stage. Steps for each stage are laid out in the actions listed
below. In addition to raising funds, our main fundraising goal is to
keep production entirely in our hands so we can have complete creative control
and keep the original story intact.
STAGE ONE - $20,000 (Time Frame – 60 days)
When we reach $20,000, we can begin Development and Pre-Production, which
should cover the Above-the-Line costs, including Script, Storyboard, Casting, Scout
Locations, selecting the crew, selecting vendors for equipment, renting gear, tech
scout, a table read, auditions. In addition, we can produce a 5-minute pitch reel to expand
our outreach to a wider audience.
STAGE TWO
Production – In Stage Two we will begin actual production. By this point we will have completed
the shooting script, the budget, and the schedule to make everything work. All of the
key elements will have been locked down in preparation to start production, and
we can begin shooting the less complicated scenes. Then we'll move on to the more difficult or complicated scenes and complete principle photography. This requires additional pre-production, choreography, staging, and costs associated
with a large cast for the big finale. All the money raised will be spent directly toward increased production value,
including costs such as wardrobe, building and designing sets, securing locations, travel, and craft services for cast and crew, and most importantly, to pay our talent and production crew.
STAGE THREE
Post-Production – In Stage Three we will begin
editing, color correction, special effects, sound design and re-recording, secure music licenses, digital art, photography, and any
other necessary processes in post-production.
STAGE FOUR
Marketing & Publicity – In Stage Four we will begin the marketing process for the film, including festival costs. We will also continue our grassroots
marketing strategy to supplement the cost of the film’s promotion.
NOTICE:
~If your perk is an appearance in the film or special screening, you must be over 18 or accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to participate.
~ Some perk dates, times, and locations may be subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances, such as weather, production delays, etc.
~~~~~
If you have any
ideas for perks that you’d like to see included, or other ways you can
contribute, please get in touch with us and we’ll see how we can accommodate
you. This is all about collaboration and we’re open to suggestions.
~~~~~
In the event we don't reach our stated goal, we will either scale down the scope of the film or put the funds in an escrow account and seek other resources until we have enough money to continue.
RISKS & CHALLENGES
We
wouldn’t ask you to believe in us if we didn’t believe in ourselves. We’ve
already spent almost $9,000 on costs related to HEAVY HITTERS, including a concept trailer and associated expenses, legal fees, and artwork.
There are risks and challenges in any creative project,
including film making. However, we have put together an experienced team whose
members are so dedicated to the successful completion of this film that our
passion will help us surmount any obstacles presented. We will also pursue additional
supplemental fundraising avenues.
Delays that are out of our control, such as inclement
weather or devastating acts of nature such as an earthquake, tornado, or
hurricane could cause major disruption in production. Problems such as actor or
equipment issues and rescheduling might cause delay, but can be overcome. But,
delay is not defeat, and we will not stop until HEAVY HITTERS is completed and audiences
flocking to see it.
We started planning this project in 2012 and have invested a
lot of time, energy, sweat and tears to see it through. We don’t want to disappoint ourselves, but more importantly, we don’t want to disappoint our
supporters.
ONE MORE THING...
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! And Thank You!