Back Streets

A Brooklyn Young Filmmakers Community Filmmaking Project

BACK STREETS is an action packed futurist tale that evolves around a magical dreamlike world of Dominican folklore and myth set in a gritty urban environment.  The film portrays New York City ravished by the imagined long-term consequences of the Iraq war, environmental destruction, and urban gang warfare.   Locations include the unique and picturesque “alleys” found next to some of New York City ’s oldest building in Central Brooklyn .

Brooklyn Young Filmmakers executive produced this 30 minute student thesis film project, directed by Adonis Williams, a 2008 graduate of the School of Visual Arts film program, and produced by Daysi Roman, a 2008 graduate of the film program at New York University . Both Mr. Williams and Ms. Roman began taking BYFC classes when they were juniors at Banneker High School in Fort Greene.  The two worked together throughout their college years producing music videos, and maintained a connection with Brooklyn Young Filmmakers.  

When preparing to do BACK STREETS, the biggest shoot of their young careers, they received no practical support from their colleges.    Even though enrolled in expensive film schools, it still remains a challenge for talented and industrious students like Ms. Roman and Mr. Williams to produce high quality narrative student films. Both worked and borrowed their way through film school and do not have the financial family resources that many of their fellow students have.   Knowing that making a good film can be the calling card that helps them find employment in the film industry after graduation, they sought Brooklyn Young Filmmakers help in producing BACK STREETS.  Brooklyn Young Filmmakers assisted with a rewrite of the script and, using a crew of BYFC students, oversaw production design, props, wardrobe, make-up, catering, and recruitment of extras.

BACK STREETS producer, Daysi Roman is also a resident in Fort Greene public housing, where the Brooklyn Young Filmmakers office is located  (Read Daysi’s “Neighbor Sketch” on the Fort Greene Information X-Change blog  http://fginfox.blogspot.com ).  Children from the Whitman Community Center in Fort Greene public housing were cast as Los Niños and parents who came to the shoot helped out as production assistants.

BACK STREET photos by Holly Hosman:  www.hollyhosman.com

The filmmaker, Adonis Williams, is currently at work on a BACK STREETS trailer.  He plans to enter the film in festivals and hopes to develop it into a feature project.