BETTER MUS’
COME
PUBLICITY CONTACTS
Tilane Jones
tilane@affrm.com
818.995.0050
Rating: NR
TRT: 104 minutes
CREDITS
Written & Directed by
Storm
Producer
Paul Bucknor
Executive Produced by
Joshua Bratter
Samantha Bratter
Paul Bucknor
Director of Photography
Storm
Editors
Storm
Paul Bucknor
Cast
Sheldon Shepherd - Ricky
Nicole Grey - Kemala
Ricardo Orgill - Flames
Everaldo Creary - Short Man
Roger Guenveur Smith - Prime Minister
SYNOPSIS
Better Mus’ Come is a coming of age drama set in Jamaica’s turbulent 1970s,
against the backdrop of the Cold War, a national water crisis, an energy crisis,
corruption, and numerous murder scandals that gave birth to the polarized
violence gripping the streets of Kingston both then and now.
After months of incarceration as a suspected political agitator, Ricky is released.
Haunted by the tragic death of his devoted young wife and paralyzed by
conflicting feelings of guilt and loyalty to his political tribe, he tries to navigate
his way through the minefields created by the constant social upheaval that
seems to be ubiquitous in his community, while providing a better life for his 5year old son.
At his home coming party Ricky meets Kemala, a book smart country girl, who
lives in the opposing neighborhood, enemy territory. In many ways they are
opposites, but what starts as antagonism quickly turns into burning passion.
Kemala encourages Ricky to convince his old friends in the community to adopt a
more passive approach. To defy the status quo of confrontation, this leads to the
inevitable cycle of violence. The big question is, can Ricky and his crew beat the
odds and ensure that Better Mus’ Come?
Director’s Statement
I’ve always been a bit of a cold war junkie, and there was a point in my life
where I would watch, read, and research everything I could on geopolitics and
espionage in the 20th century. I particularly remember the well-documented case
of the US backed military coup that brought down Chile’s democratically elected
government and killed its president. To my surprise something similar, but much
less known, had also happened in Jamaica.
I grew up with stories from my parents and elder Rastafarians about CIA
infiltration of Jamaica, but it was only during this research that I practically
stumbled upon Jamaica’s chapter in the cold war. I learnt about the
destabilization of my country and the undeclared civil war that took place from
the 1970’s into the early 80’s between street gangs who were recruited and
armed by the political parties to fight for control of communities and the
resulting votes of their inhabitants. The legacy of this time has so influenced our
culture and shaped our society that it is safe to say Jamaica would have been an
entirely different nation, and much better off, if not for this tragic time. Here was
the most significant moment in our post-colonial history and we were taught
nothing about it in school.
The script was developed with the goal of putting Jamaica’s culture of violence in
context. To show that our reputation for celebrating gangsterism is the result of
an entrenched political culture that continues to keep the masses separated and
oppressed. A culture that developed as a direct result of outside influence from
the World’s superpowers, with their desire to control the destiny of other nations.
I wanted to humanize the gangster, to show that he is the product of his
environment for which both he and society at large must pay the price. This is a
universal story, as political violence is definitely not unique to Jamaica, but a
defining factor of many if not most developing nations
Ricky is a gang leader who has lost his will to fight for political principles he no
longer believes in. He is the protector of his community, and a single father
raising a young son who has started to emulate his violent ways. How does he
break the cycle of violence when he is only valued for his willingness to be
violent? Ricky is not a faceless mad dog criminal like society would consider him,
but a real person with wants, needs, motivations, and hobbies. He writes poetry,
but keeps it to himself. Who wants to hear a gangster recite poetry anyways?
Kemala is a book smart young lady who does not see her world in terms of
neighborhood boundaries, and therefore has no fear of crossing them. The
simplicity of her outlook encourages Ricky to think outside of the boundaries he
has put himself in.
The experience I’m most trying to communicate with Better Mus’ Come is that of
discovery. Through discovering the facts of our post colonial history one can
better understand the power and relevance of our cultural output. When reggae
music conquered the world with Bob Marley and other icons singing about “tribal
warfare” and rising above oppression, he was speaking about what he saw right
in front of him on the streets of Kingston, and this music resonated across the
globe.
As a cinematographer I placed major emphasis on telling the story visually. The
political war was a color war; Orange versus Green, PNP (People’s National
Party) versus JLP (Jamaica Labor Party). I was never dead-set on the dialogue I
wrote or my preconceptions about a character, but preferred to create an
atmosphere of exploration with the actors so that nuanced moments could arise,
bringing something unpredictable and magical to the film. What was most
important to me was creating an atmosphere that was at once beautiful, and
thick with tension. I took major inspiration from the cinematography of
Christopher Doyle, the rich colors of Marcel Camus’ “Black Orpheus”, and the
legendary gun-slinging sound of Ennio Morricone.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
“FIX AND DESTROY” - GREEN BAY MASSACRE
In the 1970’s members of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the Peoples
National Party (PNP) were embroiled in a bloody battle for power. Trapped in
that ideological war were communities of Jamaicans longing for solutions to basic
problems. Both parties fought that battle in the streets and alleys of Kingston
with gangs who used violence and intimidation to silence opposition. This toxic
mix of tribalism, politics, poverty, power, and violence that permeated in Jamaica
set the stage for the Green Bay Massacre.
January 5, 1978, 14 members of the JLP targeted and deemed as a threat to the
stability of the PNP government are lured to the Green Bay Shooting Range
under the assumption that they were to transport and guard shipments of illegal
guns. The men were caught in an ambush, led by members of the Military
Intelligence Unit, which left 5 dead.
Better Mus’ Come written and produced three decades later questions the
actions of the people who chose to engage politics and violence and how that
decision transformed the community.
STATE OF EMERGENCY
For first time feature filmmaker Storm Saulter, making a film set in his native
Jamaica was necessary for two key reasons, to offer thoughtful reflection on a
tumultuous time in Jamaican history and to help breathe new life into the
Jamaican cinematic landscape.
In an interview with The Fader, Saulter shared where the idea for Better Mus’
Come came from: “I was always interested in the Cold War and the whole
geopolitics of that time. The effect that had on Jamaica and our relations with
Cuba and the US was also interesting, then add to that the Green Bay Massacre.
When you put all those together with the heightening party politics of the time, it
makes for a great story.”
Paired with a strong fascination for researching history, espionage, and political
thriller films, Saulter had to tell the story of the Green Bay Massacre. Most
Jamaican youth born after the massacre are not aware that it occurred. “I always
had a romantic idea about what the ‘70s and maybe the ‘60s were like, and I felt
like maybe I should have been born around that time because it just seemed like
a fair amount of freedom and movement and less just gentrified world.” Saulter
acknowledges. When he began studying the Cold War and the subsequent proxy
wars, he discovered Jamaica’s involvement. A key piece of research for Saulter
was Laurie Gunst’s book Born Fi’ Dead, which gave him a point of reference for
the time period.
Saulter goal with Better Mus’ Come was to examine the type of environment that
causes something like the Green Bay Massacre to happen. “It looks at the
situations and influences that created that kind of violence. It’s not a film to give
answers but to raise questions on the socio-political situation and you can draw a
parallel to what’s happening today.” Saulter said.
The same month Saulter premiered Better Mus’ Come in Jamaica, security forces
invaded Tivoli Gardens in an effort to capture alleged drug don Dudus. The
striking parallels between the fragile state of socio-political emergency during
both events (at least 73 civilians died as a result of the incursion) magnifies the
origin of this problem. “There is a misconception that Jamaicans are intrinsically
violent, and I wanted to create a story that more accurately illustrated the root
cause and effect of the extreme violence taking place in our country.” Saulter
explains.
Saulter admits that he feared the movie would not translate well to foreign
audiences, “I was worried that maybe the film would be too specific to Jamaica
for it to be appreciated.” He went on to say, “The current state of world affairs
with political instability in so many places and many situations of political
corruption, the film keeps getting more relevant.”
A VISA AND A HURRICANE
As the story goes, Saulter had to come back to Jamaica to get another visa.
While waiting, a hurricane hit. “It just kind of hit me, like the hurricane I guess,
why am I going to be another person in America, in New York, or in L.A. working
with that landscape trying to make to tell a new story. This is my home and this
landscape is really fresh and if I want to be a relevant story teller in this medium
I feel it should be from my homeland.” Saulter says. Saulter set out from there
to make the next great Jamaican film.
Saulter’s fascination with the Cold War sparked the idea to set his feature film in
‘70s Jamaica. “In my research I discovered that Jamaica went through a very
similar CIA orchestrated destabilization in the mid to late 1970’s. The murder
rate went up over 300% in just a couple years due to political violence.”
He spent months combing through the Jamaican Gleaner archives, reading the
Council on Hemispheric Relations reports, and speaking to people that were
around at the time of the Green Bay Massacre, including survivors. “The
Opposition Jamaica Labour Party and its leader Edward Seaga were supported by
the CIA in an attempt to get rid of the left leaning People’s National Party led by
then Prime Minister Michael Manley, who was a good friend and admirer of Fidel
Castro. This of course did not sit well with America. So groups of young men on
either side of the political divide were armed and financed to wage war against
any person or community that supported the other party. This was the beginning
of a “Tribal War” that engulfed the country, the legacy of which still haunts
Jamaica to this day.
“Realizing all of this at once, I was shocked to know that we were never taught
this in school. Here was the most relevant moment in our post-colonial history
and the only record of it for my generation was a few dub songs from the
1970’s. The most famous of which being “Green Bay Killing A Murder (bow)” by
the then named Nigger Kojak (real name).”
“As a Jamaican I felt this era had to be explored in order for us to understand
the realities we were facing in the present time. As a story teller I immediately
new I had to make this film.” With a head full of ideas Saulter started writing the
script.
In the meantime, Saulter reconnected with Josh Bratter, who he had previously
written a script for when he was 18. Saulter ended up sharing the premise for
Better Mus’ Come with Bratter. “The moment I told him the story he immediately
said “That’s it!” and this is when Better Mus’ Come started to feel like a real
possibility.” That conversation encouraged Saulter to continue with development.
Samantha Bratter and Paul Bucknor also came onboard to produce the film.
Months later Saulter set out to find funding for the film. He ended up getting
financing through private investors.
ALL JAMAICAN CAST AND CREW
Recreating the environment and atmosphere of 1970’s Kingston Jamaica
demanded authenticity in casting, wardrobe, and production design. Instead of
relying to traditional methods of casting, the production team held two casting
sessions at the Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts.
Unfortunately, this hotbed of creative talent didn’t offer leads for the film.
“The actors came to the film in seemingly random but serendipitous ways.”
Saulter explained. The production team took casting to the Sandy Park
community where the majority of the film takes place. The team auditioned 300
people from the community. Their goal was to unearth talent and cast extras.
FINDING RICKY – Sheldon Shepherd
Ricky is a man of varying complexities; a single father, a leader in his
community, a poet, and a gangster. “We were looking for someone who was a
natural leader, because that’s the type of person that would run a community.
Someone who could be a killer and a nurturer at the same time.”
It was at the end of a day of auditioning when the production team noticed
Sheldon Shepherd hanging out at casting along with close friend and NO-MADDZ
bandmate with Everaldo Creary, ‘Shortman’. “We spotted him and invited him to
audition.” With cameras rolling Shepherd began reciting an original poem. “One
of the producers started to mess with him on camera to get a reaction and his
reaction was so fierce and convincing that for a second we thought he was really
going to hurt someone, and then he just laughed.”
Shepherd wasn’t immediately cast in the lead role. In the opening scene, he
blends in among the gangsters. But he soon stood out as a leader on camera,
which landed him the leading role. “Sheldon has an iconic presence. Even if you
see him for the first time and you have no idea who he is, you know he’s a star.”
FINDING KEMALA – Nicole Sky Grey
“I’m very lucky to have got the role.” Nicole Sky Grey shared. Nicole rounded out
the cast being the last person selected to play ‘Kemala’. “I was on my way to a
recording studio and saw someone who resembled a friend of mine. I called to
him and blew him a kiss. When I got closer, I realized that it wasn’t my friend…
it was actually Storm Saulter, the director of the film, and he was standing with
Paul Bucknor, the producer.” Saulter stopped her and asked her to do an
impromptu audition. They brought out the camera and Nicole auditioned on the
spot and landed the role.
For Nicole, Better Mus’ Come taught her about a piece of history, like most youth
from her generation, never learned about in school. Part of her preparation for
the role included talking with her granddad and grand-uncle about 1970’s
Jamaica.
“The character Kemala to me represents a more evolved product of that
environment. Unlike Ricky she does not see her community in terms of borders
and no-go zones. She goes where she pleases and doesn’t play by the political
rules. She is well read, smart, and headstrong, but it is also her lack of fear that
I wanted Ricky to admire. Because his life is all about borders. He aspires to that
freedom and I wanted that to be the driving force behind his admiration for
Kemala. This forces him to re-think his self-imposed borders, which pushes him
towards a need for change.”
FINDING THE PRIME MINISTER - Roger Guenveur Smith
Acclaimed actor Roger Guenveur Smith didn’t hesitate to sign on to play a role in
Better Mus’ Come. Jamaica holds a special place in his heart. He’s also close
friends with Saulter’s parents. “I became exposed to Storm as one of these kids
running around the family restaurant out there on the west-end road in Negril.
When he went to film school in L.A., where I live, we crossed paths as artists.”
Smith shared.
Saulter reiterated, “The cast and crew is entirely Jamaican except for Roger
Guenveur Smith, who plays the role of the Prime Minister. He is such an inspiring
and accomplished actor, that I believe his participation in the film raised the bar
for all the other young actors, many of whom were first time actors.”
As a former history and cultural studies student, Smith was inspired by the films
controversial topic. Saulter also recognized Smith as a risk taker who enjoys a
creative challenge. Saulter didn’t write Smith’s script. Smith brought his wealth
of experience and range to the ‘Prime Minister’ role.
FINDING SHORTMAN - Everaldo Creary
Ironically, the production team cast the role for ‘Shortman’ first. Saulter saw
Everaldo Creary him in a popular Jamaican stage play called “Jamaica 2 Rhatid.
FINDING FLAMES – Ricardo Orgill
The production team found Ricardo Orgill, ‘Flames’, during auditions in Sandy
Park. Orgill had no prior acting experience but was natural and dominant on
camera. Joining the cast encouraged Orgill to further his education.
FINDING DOG HEART - Dwayne Pusey
Dwayne Pusey who plays ‘Dog Heart’, also from Sandy Park had no acting
experience, “was about the meanest and scariest person we had come across on
camera”, Saulter said. His demeanor made him the perfect fit for ‘Dog Heart’.
THE COMMUNITY AS A CHARACTER
A poignant moment in the film is when ‘Ricky’ goes outside and turns on the
faucet for water only to find nothing. That image of him turning the knob, hoping
for even a trickle, speaks volumes about the conditions of many human beings
living in ghettos around the world. This basic need is a small example of the
situations plaguing Jamaican’s in neighborhoods like Sandy Park in the ‘70s.
Water crisis, food shortages, and an energy crisis helped to create a sense of
desperation among the characters in Better Mus’ Come.
shot in community of Sandy Park, Kingston Harbour, and other parts of Kingston
production became apart of the community
80% of the cast came out of Sandy Park. Actors spent 3 months living in Sandy
Park, immersing themselves in the community prior to shooting. Sandy Park
became a character in the film. “Becoming so connected to that community
affirmed to me that sometimes the lack of luxury can force people to focus on
what is most important to them. To hone their talents and to express themselves
in ways that nobody could foresee.”
“The people in Sandy Park are some of the most creative and enthusiastic people
I’ve ever worked with and I still work with many folks from there both as talent
and members of my crew.”
“Jamaicans are known mostly for our music and culture, all of which emerged
from these types of environments. You have to respect everyone’s struggle, and
while you may wish for that struggle to end you must respect the creativity that
emerges from it.”
WRITER, DIRECTOR, CINEMATOGRAPHER, EDITOR – Storm Saulter
“I had to write Better Mus’ Come because there was nobody around that was
interested in writing about this era. Anyone who knew about this dark side of the
1970’s was hoping it would just go away.”
“Being a director/cinematographer is my natural state as a filmmaker. I have a
singular vision when it comes to what I want to see and how I want it to feel so
the two are really inseparable for me and sharing that responsibility with
someone else would just slow me down and probably frustrate me. Also, I’ve
found you have to be like water when making a film and the quicker you can
adapt to an unexpected change in the environment is the better you will perform
so maintaining both these responsibilities just meant that I could adjust very
quickly and keep the train moving.”
“Editing was really the most difficult part because, as is typical, when you’ve had
such a controlling hand in all the material it’s very hard to become unattached
and to make the best decisions. So there was a lot of editing, private screening,
suggestions, and changes. I feel like a certain aesthetic was developed during
the editing process and I don’t regret it but I’ve learnt.”
SETTING THE STAGE
“The interesting thing about shooting a period piece in a ghetto is that once you
remove the signage, the vehicles, and anything else that would give away the
modern era, a ghetto in 2013 looks just like a ghetto in 1978. By nature ghettoes
are broken down communities that are not really advancing with the times, its
just generations of poverty stacked on top of each other. You can’t rebuild that
kind of texture; rusting zinc fences and unfinished concrete structures, it’s the
kind of texture that holds dark stories and you can feel this when you watch the
film.”
Thanks to the work of Production Designer, Khalil Deane, audiences were able to
relive a 1970’s Central Kingston neighborhood. The cars, signage, weapons,
props; every detail had to be true to the time period. “From the language to the
costumes, the props to the locations, we sought to represent realistically the
passionate fervor associated with Jamaican politics in the 1970s,” the director
explained.
Charl Baker, Costume Designer, had to recreate that funky seventies style, as
well as maintain the political consciousness that would have informed the fashion
of the time (green being the favored color in JLP neighborhoods, orange and red
being the preferred in PNP neighborhoods).
Tamika Nelson and Jackie Greaves were primarily responsible for makeup and
hair (obviously very different in the 70’s compared to now). This is a massive
undertaking especially because of the scenes with large numbers of extras
requiring styling and makeup.
Captain Robert Hibbert was the stunt coordinator and weapons specialist. He
trained the actors on how to properly handle their weapons and perform stunts
safely.
EXPERIMENT IN GUERILLA MARKETING
Better Mus’ Come made its first public appearance at the second Flashpoint Film
Festival in 2006 as a short film. The production team initially released the feature
length version in 2008. It was apparent then that it needed careful editing.
Saulter and Bucknor returned to the editing room. After 5 years of development,
production, and editing, they released a tighter version of Better Mus’ Come on
October 13, 2012 in Jamaica.
The week leading up to the premiere, a friend suggested the idea of staging a
protest to raise awareness about the film. Saulter rounded up approximately 15
drama students from the Edna Manley School of the Arts to join the group.
Armed with t-shirts placards and energy the group joined the Fashion Night Out
in Kingston crowd.
The group of 25-30 “Protestors” quickly drew a crowd of attendees from the
stores to the streets. “The film deals with politics and protest, so we got the
chance to mix protesting with promotion. It was a serious reaction, guerrilla
marketing at its best. People thought it was a protest against fashion, but soon
they realized it was a promotion," said Saulter.
GOING GLOBAL
Better Mus’ Come carries a poignant message for our time; one that is rarely
told. Audiences at the 8th annual Bahamas International Film Festival connected
to the essence of the film. Better Mus’ Come won the audience award for Best
Narrative Feature. It also received an honorable mention in the Spirit of Freedom
category, which honors movies that explore the human condition and culture.
Better Mus’ Come also won the Best Feature award at the Trinidad & Tobago
Film Festival. Success at both festivals solidified Better Mus’ Come’s odds for
success outside of the Caribbean. It also showed that there is an audience
hungry for fresh stories highlighting Jamaican life. “As far as I’m concerned, the
Caribbean is the most exciting place in the world to be making film right now.
There are so many untold stories, which is an ideal environment for storytellers.”
Saulter said.
Winning over the Caribbean audience wasn’t Saulter’s only goal. He saw an
opportunity to take this universal story to the international market. In 2012,
Saulter took Better Mus’ Come to the American Black Film Festival (ABFF).
Sheldon Shepherd won Best Actor, sharing the $5,000 prize with actress Malinda
Williams. “It was also very cool to see Sheldon win Best Actor at ABFF because
my approach to directing him and the cast was all about subtlety, which is
opposite to the way Jamaican’s are accustomed to performing due to our very
developed theater culture and our over-the-top style of Pantomime performance.
The most common phrase I used with the actors was “give me zero! Don’t
project it, feel it inside and it will come through”. What we did really changed the
game for screen acting in Jamaica, so I was really proud of that.” Saulter said.
Saulter went on to when the Best Director award at the Pan-African Film Festival.
In the three years since its original release, Better Mus’ Come has also screened
at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), British Film Institute (BFI), and
Film Society of Lincoln Centre.
While screening Better Mus’ Come at TIFF, Saulter got a chance to meet Ava
DuVernay and see her film Middle of Nowhere. What he found in Ava was a
kindred spirit. “She really listened to my thoughts and respected my ideas. And
listening to her outlook on where black cinema is and should be was like hearing
someone vocalize what I’d been imagining and hoping for all along.”
“I had known about AaFFRM for a little less than a year before I met Ava, I knew
from the films they were putting out that they had an outlook that was quite
different from most distributors.”
“The most common response I got before meeting with Ava was; “Wow the film
is amazing, but there are no black stars in it. How do I sell a black film without
black stars?” It was clear to me early on that AaFFRM was dedicated to films of
quality regardless of the “star power” attached.”
“AaFFRM shares a similar ethos to the filmmaker collective New Caribbean
Cinema, of which I am a founder, in that they recognize the need to present
new, diverse and powerful voices in cinema. The storytellers of this generation.
And they’ve utilized the passion of like-minded people to create a powerful
network of support that will see to it that our stories are seen and heard.”
AaFFRM ACQUIRES BETTER M US’ COM E
January 14, 2013, the African American Film Festival Releasing Movement
(AaFFRM) announced the launch of its new label, ARRAY, dedicated to multiplatform distribution of black independent film. ARRAY’s first acquisition is Better
Mus’ Come, Storm Saulter’s debut award-winning drama. ARRAY has acquired all
U.S. distribution rights.
Ava DuVernay explains, “AaFFRM’s new label ARRAY is build to serve the
tremendous burst of black cinematic talent across the globe, filmmakers who are
embracing new technologies to tell their stories by any means necessary. The
goal is to expand the brand cultivated over our first four theatrical releases by
reaching new audiences via both digital and traditional platforms. Storm’s work
on Better Mus’ Come as director, writer and cinematographer is wildly
impressive, incredibly important and deserves to be seen by as many film lovers
as possible. We’re proud that his gem will launch ARRAY.”
Saulter explained that although many traditional and independent distributors
loved the film, they chose not to pick it up because they couldn’t figure out how
to sell it. Their misgivings about a “black film” with no recognizable black stars
gave AaFFRM an opportunity.
Better Mus’ Come and Storm Saulter’s approach to making this film fit perfectly
into AaFFRM’s model. “The difference with a company like AaFFRM, and their
new label ARRAY, is that their mission is specifically to identify and elevate
quality black independent cinema that may otherwise not see the level of
exposure deserved,” Saulter stated.
NEW CARIBBEAN CINEMA
With Better Mus’ Come came the next wave of passionate voices in Caribbean
cinema. Established in 2012, the New Caribbean Cinema collective founded by
Saulter and St. Lucian, Michelle Serieux, is redefining Caribbean cinema. Saulter
and Serieux formed this collective to showcase the next generation of talented
Caribbean filmmakers. And now is the time with accessible technology that
dramatically lowers costs without sacrificing quality.
The New Caribbean Cinema collective is a mixture of ‘First World’ technical skill
and business savvy flavored with a distinctly Caribbean world-view, the New
Caribbean Cinema Series proposes to present the world with a showcase of
creative artistry from the region’s up and coming filmmakers. “This new wave of
Caribbean filmmakers are now in a position to define the cinematic landscape of
the Caribbean.” Saulter said.
Using the concept of “communal filmmaking”, the collective is expanding the
amount and frequency of films coming out of the Caribbean. “A group of
filmmakers get together and work on each others films, like a round robin. In the
end we will have at least 7 films by different directors, which we will put together
to form one feature film at a fraction of the cost of a traditional feature film. We
will also have at least 7 individual shorts that can travel on their own.” Saulter
explains. The collective includes creative and technical support from Joel Burke
and Nile Saulter. RING DI ALARM! is the collective’s latest series, an anthology
film made up of seven stories shot in Jamaica.
Indicative of the current black film revolution, the New Caribbean Collective
asserts, “New Caribbean Cinema exists to challenge old models and to prove that
in our region, innovation and ingenuity are key to our artistic expression.”
Saulter considers himself and New Caribbean Cinema “torchbearers” for the
Caribbean in this new black indie film revolution, “Carrying our history, our
energy, our culture, and our unique perspective of the World.” He said. “My goal
is to build upon the work of the great Caribbean filmmakers before me like Perry
Henzell and Euzhan Palcy. The Caribbean can be seen as a microcosm of the
world. The ultimate melting pot of races and cultures that, in a way, may give us
a glimpse into the future. My goal is to make universal stories wrapped in the
texture, language, ugliness, and beauty of our people.”
CAST BIOS
SHELDON SHEPHERD – RICKY
In 2012 Sheldon was named Best Actor at the 16th Annual American Black Film
Festival (ABFF) for his leading role as “Ricky” in Better Mus' Come, announcing
his arrival as THE emerging Caribbean actor to watch! Recipient of the 2006
‘Prime Ministers Youth Award for Excellence in Arts and Culture’, and A Jamaican
cultural ambassador to China in 2005, Sheldon has been at the forefront of
Jamaican performing arts since his early teenage years. In his High School years
at Kingston College, Sheldon excelled in Drama, and formed the dub poetry
group NO-MADDZ with fellow actor poets Everaldo Creary, Oneil Peart and Chris
Gordon. A major force in the live music movement emerging from Jamaica, Their
unique style involves Dub Poetry spiced with different music genres, carrying the
spirit of Jamaican Roots music.
The NO-MADDZ played “The Fastest Band In the World” along side the fastest
man in the World Usain Bolt in the 2011 PUMA FAAS global campaign, with their
hit single “Rise above Profanity” as the soundtrack. They toured Europe and Asia
that same year playing major music festivals from Germany to South Korea.
Sheldon can be seen in the feature film CANDYSHOP by director Joel Burke for
Firefly Films and in Michael ‘Ras Tingle’ Tingling’s acclaimed short film PARISH
BULL, part of New Caribbean Cinema’s RING DI’ ALARM anthology feature.
SKY NICOLE GREY - KEMALA
Jamaican model turned actress Sky Nicole Grey can be seen as the female lead
in Storm Saulter's Better Mus’ Come, soon to see it's US release through
AaFFRM's new label, ARRAY.
Between climbing trees (and exchanging punches) with the boys by the cane
fields of rural Clarendon and later schooling in the decidedly more urban context
of Kingston, Sky developed an understanding and ease with the diverse ways of
the world, and parlayed this into an international modeling career (catwalk, print,
billboard and television), making her home at different times in London, New
York, Paris and Miami, and accumulating clients like M.A.C, Diesel, Agent
Provocateur and Red Stripe. Editorially, Sky has graced the cover of SHE
Magazine, and has been featured in Self, Cosmopolitan, Pride, Essence, and O
Magazines.
Though Better Mus’ Come is Sky’s first performance on film, she quickly went on
to a lead role in Andrew Dosunmu’s Restless City which premiered in Spring 2011
at the Sundance Film Festival to huge critical acclaim and a successful US
theatrical release by AaFFRM.
Sky is a natural performer, expressing herself on screen and in Song. She refers
to her music as Trancehall, a pop-induced mix of Electro and Dancehall. She is
presently recording her debut album "All of the Above".
EVERALDO CREARY – SHORTMAN
Everaldo is one of the most recognizable personalities in the Jamaican comedy
scene, particularly through his work in theater, and has toured the World as a
star of the hugely popular theatrical production JAMAICA TO RAWTID directed by
Aston Cooke, and the stand up comedy TV show “Comedy Buss.” He was the
first President of the Jamaica Youth Theater and was awarded the Prime
Ministers Youth Award for Excellence in Arts and Culture in 2005.
In addition to Better Mus’ Come, Everaldo stars in the feature film Candyshop by
Joel Burke, and as the character ‘Elwood’ on the BBC Drama “Small Island” by
award winning novelist Andrea Levy.
Everaldo Also attended Kingston College where he formed the musical group
NOMADDZ along with Sheldon Shepherd. He is acknowledged by his peers as
one of Jamaica’s finest acting talents.
RICARDO ORGILL - FLAMES
Ricardo pursued music early on as a way to beat poverty and escape the realities
of his rough upbringing in Kingston. He met Paul Bucknor through a mutual
business associate and that interaction led to Ricardo’s first on-screen role in the
feature film Pothole, directed by Bucknor for Firefly Films.
Ricardo showed such natural talent that when his community of Sandy Park was
chosen as the main location for Better Mus’ Come, Ricardo auditioned and blew
everyone away, earning a lead role in the film. “I never considered acting as a
career, it was always music me did think was going to give me a big break. Life
is funny; you never know what can happen. I tried it and I love it, it not hard at
all, the roles I play feel natural to me because I playing a ghetto man struggling,
and that’s my life”
Ricardo was illiterate when he was first introduced to film. With the support of
Firefly Films Ricardo attended an adult literacy institution (JAMAL) so that he
could read his script and prepare for his lead role in Better Mus’ Come.
Since starring in Better Mus’ Come Ricardo has gone on to direct his own short
films and music videos as well as producing dancehall records under his “Sky
Blue” music label. He also stars in the feature film Candyshop Written and
directed by Joel Burke for Firefly Films, and in Kyle Chin’s Sunday, part of New
Caribbean Cinema’s RING DI’ ALARM anthology feature.
ROGER GUENVEUR SMITH – THE PRIME MINISTER
Roger Guenveur Smith adapted his Obie Award-winning solo performance of A Huey
P. Newton Story into a Peabody Award-winning telefilm, directed by his longtime
colleague Spike Lee. For Mr. Lee's Do The Right Thing, Mr. Smith created the
stuttering hero Smiley, as well as a gallery of memorable characters in Malcolm X,
Get On The Bus, He Got Game, Eve's Bayou, Hamlet, All About The Benjamins, Deep
Cover, King of New York, Poetic Justice, MOOZ-LUM, American Gangster and the
HBO series “Oz”, “K Street”, and “Unchained Memories: Readings From The Slave
Narratives.”
Roger's history infused work for the international stage also includes WHO KILLED
BOB MARLEY?, FREDERICK DOUGLASS NOW, IN HONOR OF JEAN-MICHEL
BASQUIAT, RODNEY KING, ICELAND, THE WATTS TOWERS PROJECT, TWO FIRES,
JUAN AND JOHN, and, with Mark Broyard, the award-winning INSIDE THE CREOLE
MAFIA.
Roger stars in Michelle Serieux's acclaimed short Missed, part of New Caribbean
Cinema's RING DI' ALARM anthology feature.
CREW BIOS
STORM SAULTER – WRITER, DIRECTOR, CINEMATOGRAPHER,
EDITOR
Storm Saulter is a visual artist and filmmaker. Born in Negril, Jamaica, he
received formal film training at The Los Angeles Film School graduating in 2001
with a focus in Cinematography and Editing. His commercial clients include
companies such as ROOTS Canada, Red Bull, Nestle, Red Stripe Beer, Atlantic
Records, Warner Music Canada, Sandals Resorts International, Martha Stewart,
and The Hilton. His images have appeared in Rolling Stone, The Village Voice,
and Trace magazine. Storm has exhibited his experimental films at The Brooklyn
Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, The British Museum, and The National
Gallery of Jamaica as well as in numerous group shows and art festivals
internationally.
Critics have recognized his award winning film Better Mus’ Come as heralding a
new movement of independent filmmaking throughout the Caribbean.
Saulter is the co-founder of New Caribbean Cinema, a pioneering effort to
showcase the next generation of talented Caribbean filmmakers through the use
of “communal filmmaking” as a means of creating World class documentary and
narrative works. He recently produced New Caribbean Cinema’s RING DI ALARM!
Alongside co-founder Michelle Serieux.
Saulter received the 2011 Jamaica Gleaner Honour Award for his work in
developing Jamaica’s Film Industry. The Jamaica Observer has named him one of
his country’s most influential people and in 2012 he was identified by the Private
Sector Organization of Jamaica as one of the 50 under fifty business leaders
shaping Jamaica’s future.
PAUL BUCKNOR – WRITER, PRODUCER, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER,
EDITOR, CASTING DIRECTOR
Paul is a multi award winning filmmaker who was born in Jamaica and
raised in England. His creative background is in photography, theatre
and marketing. He produced award winning European TV commercials
before working as a movie pre-sales exec packaging pictures for
Cecchi Gori in Rome. While pursuing a BA in English Lit at University
London, he was UK media agent for Marubeni Corp in Japan. In 1992
he started Black Triangle and Nubian Tales to promote African
American filmmakers and worked as marketing consultant for UK
distributors 20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures and Warner Bros. In
1995, Paul assembled a consortium to buy London's iconic Electric
Cinema making it Britain's first black owned theater. He was CEO and
programmer screening mostly pan-African films. He then wrote the
original story for The Full Monty and co-produced the film for 20th
Century Fox, which was nominated for 4 Academy Awards including
Best Picture.
In 2003 Paul founded Firefly Films in Jamaica to kickstart the local
digital film industry and in 2005, co-founded the annual Flashpoint
Film Festival with Greer Anne Saulter and Chris Blackwell. He
assembled a team of young filmmakers to produce short Jamaican
films for the program, including Storm Saulter, Nile Saulter and Joel
Burke. He is a firm believer is casting being invaluable to the process
and has been casting director for all of the films he has produced.
Producing through Firefly Films, he has worn several hats; writer,
director, casting director and editor on several shorts and 4 feature
films; directing 2 feature films Goathead and Pothole, and producing
Candyshop and Better Mus’ Come. Paul is preparing to release 3
virtually completed feature films in Jamaica and is developing a slate
of new films including Swag set in Jamaica and supernatural thriller,
Don’t Look Back, set in UK.
CHARL BAKER – COSTUME DESIGNER
Growing up between Jamaica and Canada, Charl attended Ryerson University in
Toronto and earned a B.A. in Fashion Design. As an award winning young
designer, Charl went on to work for top Canadian women’s wear designer Franco
Mirabelli, before returning to Jamaica.
She Designed wardrobe for the Marley’s and represented Jamaican designers at
international fashion trade shows, becoming the senior coordinator of Caribbean
Fashion Week.
A multifaceted visual artist, Charl opened Studio 969 and focused on designing
wardrobe for film, television and commercials. She has worked with international
artists’ like Shaggy and the Jolly Boys, and for brands such as RED STRIPE.
Besides Better Mus’ Come, Charl has served as costume designer on a number
of short and feature length films such as Forward and Candyshop for Firefly
Films.
KHALIL DEANE – PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Khalil graduated from the Edna Manly College of Visual Arts with honors in
painting. He went on to win the 2002 Artist of the Year award, and has exhibited
his paintings internationally as one of the fresh new voices in Caribbean art.
He was introduced to film in 2003 on the set of Sweet Jamaica by Paul Bucknor
for Firefly Films. Initially doing the artwork for the lead character ‘Randy’ (Mark
Danvers) who was an aspiring artist, Khalil stayed on set and worked as a
member of the art department. “A whole new world opened for me. I had no
idea Jamaica had a film industry nor what the film industry entailed. “
Since then Khalil has worked as art director on numerous commercials and music
videos for artists such as Damien and Steven Marley, Shaggy, Toots and the
Maytals, Mavado, Richie Spice, and Taurus Riley, and films such as No Good
Friends, Scoundrel, and Candyshop for Firefly Films.
CREDITS
Written & Directed by
Storm
Producer
Paul Bucknor
Executive Produced by
Joshua Bratter
Samantha Bratter
Paul Bucknor
Director of Photography
Storm
Production Designer
Khalil Deane
Editors
Storm
Paul Bucknor
Costume Designer
Charl Baker
Original Score
Wayne Armond
Marlon Stewart-Gaynor
CAST
SHELDON SHEPHERD
NICOLE GREY
RICARDO ORGILL
EVERALD CREARY
DUAYNE PUSEY
IFIDEL WILLIAMS
JEROME BUTLER
DENNIS HALL
CHRIS MCFARLANE
ROGER GUENVEUR SMITH
CARL WILLIAMS
TERIAN DIAS
BOYD GRANT
HUGH DOUSE
VOLIER JOHNSON
DEON SILVERA
CARL BRADSHAW
BILLY MYSTIC
MARLON STEWART-GAYNOR
LAKESHA ELLISON
CHRIS BENJAMIN
CARLTON BUTLER
NATALIE PARBOOSINGH
SPURGEON DALEY
MERVIN SPENCE
DONAHUE JARRETT
TAMEKA NELSON
FARENHEIT
GINA-MAY MAIR
SAVANNA COLE
MUNAIR ZACCA
SEAN ‘SLATER’ LAIDLEY
STEPHEN LEE
TERREL WRIGHT
KEVIN BAILEY
MICHAEL TOMLINSON
JERMAINE CURRUTHERS
DEREK LAING
ONEIL GORDON
GARY LYNCH
SYDNEY CLUE
CHARLES WHITE
KENCILE POWELL
MICHAEL SALMA
DELLISON GENTLES
as Ricky
as Kemala
as Flames
as Shortman
as Dogheart
as Paulie
as Ras David
as Souls
as Army Major
as Prime Minister
as Opposition MP
as Shari
as Kapow
as Foreman
as Taxi Driver
as Aunty
as Rasta Elders
as Marie
as Chris
as Police Sargeant
as PM’s Secretary
as Policeman 1
as Policeman 2
as PNP Speaker
as Screaming Woman
as Mr. Mcdonald
as Mrs. Mcdonald
as Amanda Mcdonald
as Mr. Secretary
as Ricky’s Double
as Soldiers
as Nyabinghi Drummers
CREW
Line Producer
Production Designer
Art Directors
Art Dept. Assistants
1ST Assistant Director
2ND Unit Director
Production Co-ordinator
Production Supervisor
Casting
Costume Designer
Wardrobe Assistants
Make-up
Make-up Assistant
Special Effects Make-up
Data Manager
Tech. Assistant
Weapons Supervisor
Stunt Co-ordinator
Associate Producers
Post Production Services
Colorist
Online Editor
Assistant Online Editor
Audio Post Production
Re-Recording Mixer
Continuity
Sound Recordists
Boom Operators
Camera Operators
Camera Assistants
PAUL BUCKNOR
KHALIL DEANE
KEVON ARCHER
JOY KELLY
ESTHER BECKFORD
CLEMENT FARQUHARSON
VICTORIA SILVERA
SHAREA MOUNIRA SAMUELS
NILE SAULTER
SHAHERAH THOMPSON
CAROLYN LEE
FIREFLY FILMS
CHARL BAKER
GEORGETTE SMITH
AINSLEY CHUCK
JACKIE GAREAVES
TAMEKA NELSON
KRYSTAL BROWN
DEBBIE
JENEVA WHORMS
JACKIE GAREAVES
TAMEKA NELSON
MARIE ALLEN
JOEL BURKE
KEVIN GRANFORD
CAPT. ROBERT HIBBERT
CAPT. ROBERT HIBBERT
ROBERT MENZIES
ANDRE COUTU
MARLON STEWART-GAYNOR
CAPT. ROBBERT HIBBERT
ZEA FILMWORKS
ANDRE COUTU
ANDRE COUTU
JORDAN JENSEN
ARTMART AUDIO
MICHAEL HANLAN
MICHELLE SERIEUX
MICHAEL EDWARDS
STEPHEN PARKINSON
SHELDON TURBULL
STEPHEN PARKINSON
DAVID ROGERS
NILE SAULTER
RAS TINGLE
MARIE ALLEN
KYLE CHIN
Jib Operator
GREGORY ‘ASHA’ MCPHAIL
EZRA TOMLINSON
Gaffer
EARL CAMPBELL
Key Grip
ROBERT BALL
Grips
RALL REID
MARK MCTAVISH
MICHAEL GRANT
DAMEAN BROWN
Carpenter
PAUL DAVIS
Electrician
ROY THOMAS
Mason
VALLEN BRYAN
Tiler
NAKIA FACEY
Location Manager
KENRICK BOLAN
Location Assistant
JUSTIN BURKE
Port Royal Location Managers ORVAL ‘GUTU’ GOLDSON
BOBBY LINDSEY
Drivers
KEVIN CRAWFORD
MELISSA FEARON
Publicist
ALISON YOUNG
English Subtitles
PAUL BUCKNOR
Catering
HYACINTH PALMER
BETHUNE
Storage Facilites
PRINCESS SMALL
Production Assistants
JEREMY SUTHERLAND
ISHAK WILMOT
SEAN ‘SLATER’ LAIDLEY
MELISSA GORDON
SHAHESHA EDWARDS
JUDITH BURKE
BENHIRE BRANDO
JEROME SMITH
FONNIQUE MILLER
LEROY SALMON
TACUMA MILLS
MICHAEL DUNN
Craft Services
SASKIA SAUNDERS
SHERRIE DUCILLE
ISHTAR MASTERS
SHEKEVA MONCRIFFE
VIOLA MCPHERSSON
VERON SIMPSON
KERMITT HEWITT
Car Rental
LINTON KIRKLAND
Vintage Car Rental
PAUL GRAMMAR
RICHARD BRYAN
LAUREL BAILLIE
ERROL SUTHERLAND
DAVID SANGUENETTI
Goat Wrangler
TREVOR WARD
Mechanic
ERROL SUTHERLAND
Fire Engine Chief
BTS Videographers
ROBERT LACIE
MARIE ALLEN
MYKAL CUSHNIE
MUSIC
“TOTAL OPPOSITES”
Written by Marlon Stewart-Gaynor
Performed by The Artist M
Produced by Marlon Stewart-Gaynor and Wayne Armond
From the album “The Fullness of Time”
Courtesy of Band Room Productions
“STILL SEARCHING FOR BETTER”
Written by Marlon Stewart-Gaynor, Wayne Armond and Storm Saulter
Performed by The Artist M
Produced by Marlon Stewart-Gaynor and Wayne Armond
For Better Mus Come Productions
“STOP THAT RAIN”
Written by Marlon Stewart-Gaynor and Wayne Armond
Performed by The Artist M and Everaldo “Shortman” Creary
Produced by Marlon Stewart-Gaynor and Wayne Armond
For Better Mus Come Productions
“LOVE WE A DEAL WID (DUB MIX)”
Written by Ras Haile Malekot
Performed by Ras Haile Malekot and Philip Ellis
Music Arranged by Aston Barett Jr.
Produced by G.M.B records and Fam’s House Records
From the album “Who is Rastafari?”
Courtesy of G.M.B Records
“HELLO CAROL”
Written by Hugh Griffiths
Performed by Donahue Jarrett and Stephen ‘Cat’ Coore
Produced by Jarcat
From the album “Jarcat Grooves Volume 1”
“ROCKETS”
Written and Performed by Daniel Lanois
“BUFFALO DRUMS”
Written and Performed by Daniel Lanois
“ELEPHANT”
Written and Performed by Daniel Lanois
“DANIEL IN THE LION’S DEN”
Performed by Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith
From the album “Inna De Yard Volume 2”
Courtesy of Makasound
“BE CAREFUL”
Performed by Matthew Mcanuff
From the album “Inna De Yard Volume 2”
Courtesy of Makasound
“DETOUR”
Performed by The Viceroys
From the album “Inna De Yard Volume 2”
Courtesy of Makasound
“CAN’T STOP THE YOUTHS”
Performed by Binghy Carlton and Patrick Andy
From the album “Inna De Yard Volume 2”
Courtesy of Makasound
“THE LIGHT OF DUB”
Written by Marlon Stewart-Gaynor
Performed by The Artist M
Produced by Marlon Stewart-Gaynor and Wayne Armond
Courtesy of Band Room
SPECIAL THANKS
The community of Sandy Park
The community of Port Royal
The community of Gordon Town
The Jamaica Constabulaty Force
The Jamaica Defense Force
The National Heritage Trust
Casa Loma Guesthouse
Shot entirely on location in JAMAICA.