DIRECTOR / EDITOR / WRITER:
Ricardo Sean Thompson
Born on the beautiful island of Jamaica in the parish of St. Ann, Thompson’s family relocated to Brooklyn, New York when he was a small child. In 1977, Thompson saw his first motion picture film, Star Wars. He was immediately hooked.
Fast forward to 1995, Thompson graduated from Baruch College with a BBA in Advertising, and immediately enrolled in a film workshop at New York Film Academy. While there, Thompson shot his first music video for the underground rap group The Jigmastas, which became a huge hit on MTV Japan. Thompson went on to work for MTV on the Nickelodeon Magazines’ Rugrats, Nickelodeon Magazine, and Nick Jr. Magazine.
While working at MTV Networks, Thompson collaborated on film projects with Sean P-diddy Combs and Mike Elliot (Brown Sugar, Like Mike). Subsequently, this led to his writing five feature length screenplays, ranging from urban action to sci-fi.
Ricardo Sean Thompson’s first feature film Rap Wars One, starring multi-platinum rap artist Greg Nice and up-and-coming rap super-star Justin “Math†Edwards, premiered at the 2003 American Black Film Festival where it was acquired by Maverick Entertainment for distribution.
Thompson has also worked as Producer and Editor of Jada Kiss protégé J-Hood’s feature length film debut, Ghetto Dawg 2. Both Rap War One and Ghetto Dawg 2 can be seen currently airing on the Starz cable channel.
Thompson’s most recent work is as screenwriter of the urban action films The Ski Mask Way, starring and produced by multi-platinum selling rapper 50 Cent, and Buck The World, starring multi-platinum selling rapper Young Buck. Ricardo just finished production on his latest Feature BACK STAB, which he wrote and directed.Thompson's goal is to take Black and Latino filmmaking to places no one has yet dared to explore.
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PRODUCER:
Michelle-anne M. Small
Her first script ...and then life happens, examines the life of Taylor Hinds, a woman at a crossroads in her life after finding out that she is both pregnant and HIV positive and the decisions that constitute the last year of her life. ...and then life happens was submitted to the Sundance Writer's and Filmmaker's Lab where it advanced past the first round.
However, Michelle decided to pursue another opportunity, producing Not Just Yet, her second screenplay, which mirrored her own life as a young Black woman experiencing her very own "quarter-life crisis". Not Just Yet was completed in October 2003, and was awarded a Melvin Van Peebles Maverick Award at the 2004 San Francisco Black Film Festival and reviewed in Variety’s July 2004 edition.
In May of 2004, Michelle finished producing her second feature film The Pendulum, (starring Paul Ben Victor of HBO’s The Wire) and Line Produced her first short film Confessions, Directed by Chris White (Quiet).
Her most recent distributed work was as the Producer of Jadakiss protégé J-Hood’s feature length film debut, Ghetto Dawg 2, slated for release by Lion’s Gate Home Entertainment in November 2005.
Michelle is currently producing her fourth feature BACK STAB, which is currently in Post-Production.