Praise for the director’s previous work
“If you still believe in the power of film,
watch WOLF.”
-Film Slate Magazine
This is
the film that Spike Lee’s Red Hook
Summer should have been; and if Tyler Perry had the goods and the guts, his Christian-themed
morality tales that seem to only exist on a really simplistic, even shallow
level, will instead look and sound like WOLF.
-Indiewire’s Shadow & Act
“An
emblem of forgotten children everywhere.”
-Tessa Moran, The Washington City Paper on Katrina’s
Son
“Hope’s War was a kick in the gut. I
don’t think I’ve ever been more affected by a film.”
-Mike Greenberg, SA-Express News
Short Summary
Facebook.
Vine. YouTube. Instagram. These are all social media tools that we use on a
daily basis to post our comings and goings, to reconnect with old friends and
to sneak a peek into the lives of others. But one new trend that has been on
the rise over the last few years has been teenage violent attacks on one
another (and their elders), being posted on-line to the support of their peers.
Some clips as short as five-seconds, others as long as five-minutes, but none
less shocking than the other. These "films" showcase not only a rise
in violent behavior amongst young people, but a steady and disturbing
incline in our desire to ravenously consume violence. one hitta quitta is the story of a young
boy severely addicted to internet violence and chronicles how that violence
leaves cyberspace and find itself into his “real” world. Left to his own
devices and never having to answer for his actions, this young boy feels
invincible and because of this a violent nature rises in him and taming it is
almost impossible. The film asks the question – who is to blame: the school
system, his parents, violent websites, or simply himself?
What We Need & What You Get
The film was shot back
in July using eight different iPhones. Shooting on the iPhone was an integral part in
helping tell the story, not just because it is the device used to document the
heinous acts, but also because the way it captures images places the
audience in the mind of the teenagers and also makes us feel that we are not in
a theater watching a film, but rather scrolling through a social media site,
looking at found footage.
Right
now I am in need of post-production funds. The film needs color correcting,
sound design, VFX and mastering. After that process the film will be sent out
to all the major film festivals, in hopes of finding success similar to that of
my other award-winning shorts.
The Impact
Yes, there have been films shot with iPhones before, but I’ve not
seen one that deals with this phenomenon the way it’s being dealt with in one hitta quitta. My goal with the film
is to simply bring more awareness to the subject of Internet violence and how
the documentation and ultimately visual consumption of that violence is partly
responsible for how violent the culture has become.
Frankly, this entire film is a huge risk, not only because
of the medium it was shot on, but because of its graphic, unapologetic and
confrontational subject matter. Your contribution will not only help it see the
light of day, but will in turn help get the film’s message get out to the
masses.
I’m not one to shy away from difficult content and believe
that if the media can have a negative impact that it can in turn have a
positive impact. If one person begins to monitor what they’re children are
watching, presents an alternative to the violent imagery that has permeated our
cellphones, laptops and iPads, or just simply talks to their child about
violent content, then the film will be a success. However, none of this can take place without
your help.
Please
donate something, but even if you can’t, help spread the word! Every
contribution, repost of this site, word of encouragement and ounce of support
will help us tremendously!!
Check
out trailers, clips and films from some of my previous work. https://vimeo.com/exodusfilmworks
http://www.exodusfilmworks.com
The Visionary
Ya’Ke Smith, known for his unflinching and veracious style of storytelling, is arising voice in independent cinema.
His films have received world-wide acclaim, screening and winning awards at over 80 film festivals, including The Cannes International Film Festival, The DC Shorts Film Festival, The Austin Film Festival, The Dallas International Film Festival, The Urbanworld Film Festival and The American Black Film Festival. His films have also screened on HBO, Showtime, BET and PBS. He is the recipient of a Director’s Guild of America Student Film Award, a regional Student Academy Award and an HBO Short Film Award. His short film, “Katrina’s Son”, was eligible for the 2012 Academy Award in short filmmaking. His debut feature, “WOLF”, which NPR called “an impressive piece by a young director,” premiered at the SXSW Film Festival and went on to win awards at festivals across North America. WOLF is currently available for purchase via iTunes, Amazon Prime and other digital platforms. His latest short, “ dawn.", will premiere on HBO in February 2015.
Ya’Ke has been featured on NPR, CNN, HLN, Ebony Online and Shadow&Act.
Ya’Ke graduated with his B.A. from the Communication Arts Department at the University of The Incarnate Word and his M.F.A. from the University of Texas at Austin’s film program. He is currently the Morgan Woodward Distinguished Professor of Film at the University of Texas at Arlington.
