What do you do when all you want to do is live a decent life and get ahead, but even your own people stand in your way? 

 

Eventually, enough has to be enough!

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"America This, America That" is a short film music video adaptation we created with artist Nastyelgic for his song "America This, America That". It is a period piece set in pre-Civil War Virginia 1860s based around William (Darius “Nastyelgic" Jackson), a slave on a failing plantation after the death of its slave owner. William is faced with a life-defining moment after his wife Antonette (Antonette Heckstall-Jackson) is abducted by Tommy (Gabriel Allen Terrell), the house negro now in charge of the plantation, for a book he is secretly learning to read with Ann Marie (Tilia Moraru) the late slave master’s daughter.

 

Some notes about the film, we shot on location at a historic plantation in Hartfield, VA. A few brave souls, including Eric, slept at the plantation all weekend which was a very interesting vibe to be immersed in all weekend, especially on his 30th birthday weekend which he kept a secret. Due to the blizzard that happened the day before our shoot, we lost a day of production so everything was shot in one very long 19-hour day. 

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Executive Producers: 

Darius Jackson, Antonette Heckstall-Jackson, Eric Lovett, Jr., and Ali Bervine

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Adapted for the screen by Stephen Schaffer

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Cast

Darius Nastyelgic Jackson as Darius

Antonette Heckstall-Jackson as Antonette

Gabriel Allen Terrell as Thomas

Talia Moraru as Ann Marie

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Crew

Director: Ali Bervine

Director of Photography: Eric Lovett, Jr.

Assistant Camera: Adam Hribar

Gaffer: Hieu Tran

Grip: Morgan Hunt

Sound Engineer: Andre Johnson

Editor & Colorist: Joe Ronca

Music by Darius Jackson & Ali Bervine

Score Composer: Ali Bervine

Wardrobe: D & J Costumes

Craft Services by Zuri Harris

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Filmed in Virginia