It feels so good to see a movie where I actually know some of the folks involved with it. Here I am having been fascinated with Hollywood for years. Always thinking that the stars and people that make it to the big screen were too big-time for me to ever know them. Not anymore. Thanks to this blog and the connections I made with it, I met fellow blogger Monica Mingo years ago. Fast forward to now and she's out there making films. Her latest joint: her first full-feature length film called "The Coalition".
The story is about a group of high profile guys who have an affinity for the good life and the perks that comes with it (i.e. fast cars, money and women). Being young, rich and handsome they're accustomed do doing what they want with things always going their way. Until they cross the wrong women. That's when karma gets some womanly assistance and these group of playboys find out the hard way what happens when a woman scorned becomes a scorned alliance of women.
To some of you NFL enthusiasts, this film may ring a bell or two. It should because one of the executive producers (or is he THE executive producer?) is none only than NFL Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs. Dude was looking to get into movies so here he is doing his thing. And I have the honor of saying I know him vicariously since he's friends with Monica. G gets annoyed whenever we're playing Madden and/or watching the game and I bust out with "I know him" when he's on screen. Sorry...I have very few brushes with greatness so sometimes I have to stretch to get them.
Thing is, I may have had the best chance to meet Terrell this past weekend. "The Coalition" premiered at the American Black Film Festival in Miami this past weekend. All I had to do was find a way to get an airline ticket down there and I would have been in like FLint. I could have been rubbing elbows with not only Suggs but also former Cheetah Girls' star Adrienne Bailon. OH and Jackee. All of which were a part of this flick. But alas, ballin on a budget (and preparing for this Dallas move) meant it was not meant to be.
It's all good though. I trust when Monica makes it big with her filmmaking that she won't forget the little folks like me. The next time around (or sooner) I may be able to make a trip to a set. I can be right there bouncing ideas off Suggs. Or even by the hired camera gun filming the behind-the-scenes candids (hint, hint Monica). And you may even see my name on one of those end credit scrolls. Until then, I'm good with saying I know folks making moves in the film industry.
