Film Profile:

Name of your Documentary: LIB BOYZ

What made you do this documentary: I wanted to tell a story about young liberians and their love for soccer

Was the subject matter something you were knowledgeable about prior to the documentary ? yeah, i lived in the same neighborhood, so i see how soccer is important, and i played soccer.

What were some of the highs & lows of the documentary filming process ? low point was kids not wanting to talk about the war, which was also a high point because I didnt want to focus on that.

As An African film-maker do you tend to focus on African subject matter or do you feel there is not enough demand for it ,so you have to focus on a wider spectrum? I would like to tell more positive African stories, most of the stories out of Africa are all sad and negative stories, and we have to tell the positive and happy stories too.

What are some of the challenges or advantages you face in getting your documentary seen & distributed? Well, I need money to complete it.

What was it like for you to go to Ghana for the first time & see childhood friends who you had not seen since the war in Liberia, living as refugees in Ghana? Going to Ghana was very special on so many levels, one is being on the continent after so many years in NYC, and seeing my friends was very profound moment for me.

As a filmmaker do you think telling the stories of the people of the African continent can bring about change? If so why? my thoughts have always been that having positive images of africa is positive, and showing that changes people’s views. Do You think the current state of the global economy will have an adverse impact on filmmaking & funding for films? most definitely, every industry is feeling the downturn of the economy. hopefully things will change for filmmaking because it's an escape for the viewing audience.

Do you think the lack of major budgets for films will push the documentary film based approach more to the forefront? documentaries are playing a big role now in filmmaking. it's not just subjected to pbs or tv.  With the digital age, docs are way more accessible than ever before.

Will technology & shooting at global locations with inexpensive labor take the big budget out of big budget films? Technology has definitely played a major role in the redirection of filmmaking, it has cut production costs tremendously, which is  great for indie filmmakers.

What do you see in the future of global film making with the continuous successes & cross overs of International films to the US market? With the internet, the world has got a bit smaller, so people are getting into  cultures they never knew about. you can travel the world without leaving your home.

How does your life experiences effect or influence your approach to film making & the stories you want to tell? I think being African and living in nyc, my approach is always from a diverse perspective, and the stories I'll tell are based on experiences from living in both places.

What are some of the projects you have worked on? Bloody Streetz, a street drama we shot after 9-11, Mixtress X, a doc on female hip hop DJs, Black Star Rising - a looking at the current state of entertainment in Ghana,and it's influence on the culture & the forward movement of Ghana.

What future projects do you have coming up or are looking forward to working on? I  am currently working on LIB BOYZ, a doc on Liberian refugee soccer kids based in NYC.

What advice would you give to future filmmakers? keep doing what you doing, and stick to the story you'll like to tell. Your top 3 greatest film influences? Black Orpheus, School Daze, Sankofa.

If you had limitless budget –what film would you make & why? I'll do something on the real story of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade