New Film Co-Produced by Tuff Gong Pcitures Worth Checking Out

[Tropicana]

I saw it tonight. It was selected for the opening gala of Tonya-Lee Williams' Reelworld Film Festival in Toronto.

It will be screened again on Saturday, April 12 at 2:30 in Markham at Cineplex First Markham Place 10.

It was packed and sold out so go early or buy tickets in advance on-line:

http://www.reelworld.ca/Festival/Films.aspx?udt_618_param_detail=10

Destiny

FILM director/producer Jeremy Whittaker has wrapped shooting for his movie Destiny which stars singers Christopher Martin and Karian Sang and Kadeem Wilson.Whittaker, 34, spoke with the Jamaica Observer about the project at the Tuff Gong studio in Kingston last week.
"It's really a romantic drama. It's about family and mix up," he said.
The movie is based around Lisa Collen (played by Jamaican-born, Canada-based Sang) who visits Jamaica from Toronto, Canada to sell her family's estate.
She gets involved with Sean, a recording artiste (played by Martin) and re-connects with her family.
"From there the twist and turns to romance gets heated up," Whittaker revealed.
Destiny cost just under US$1 million and completed filming earlier this month in several locations across Jamaica including Montego Bay, St Mary and Kingston.
He had high praise for Martin, who is one of the popular vocalists in contemporary dancehall. Best known for songs such as Cheater's Prayer, Chill Spot and Take My Wings, Martin had no acting experience.
"He exceeded all of my expectations," said Whittaker.
Making cameo appearances in Destiny are Spice, Cathy Levy, Ity (of comedy duo Ity and Fancy Cat), veteran actor Munair Zacca and Kevoy Burton.
Destiny is co-written by Whittaker and Paul O Beale. It is the first project in a "10-year plan" for Whittaker's Grasshopper Productions.
He expects it to be released by June next year.
The soundtrack was produced by Clive Hunt and has songs by Martin, Busy Signal, Yvad, Spice Sly and Robbie and Chronixx.
Whittaker was born in Jamaica but migrated to Canada as a teenager and attended the University of Toronto, majoring in Communication, Culture and Information Technology (CCIT). He also studied film production.
After graduating, Whittaker returned to Jamaica. He worked at Television Jamaica Ltd as producer for the morning magazine show, Smile Jamaica.

The soundtrack is great....14 original songs. There are some incredible shots of Jamaica. Grace "Spice" Hamilton was a hoot.


Anyway Karian Sang is an amazing singer. Her acting really improved as the film progressed. Once she started singing it was like Okay NOW I get why she was cast. I was not familiar with her work but her voice is fabulous.

As soon as there are video previews of the film I will post them. (They literally just finished editing a few days ago.) In the meantime, take a look at this.

Hot off the press from tonight's gala:

[Tropicana]

Karian Sang is the female lead. Her voice is incredible.

The director said he cast her from her videos and Facebook page. He really liked the way she presented herself on her Facebook page more than her videos:



This is an interview by Jamaicans.com with the female lead actress/singer Karian Sang :

http://www.jamaicans.com/music/interviews/kariansang.shtml

his week we have a conversation with Jamaican singer, Karian Sang. Born in Kingston, Jamaica the young artist Karian Sang (formally known as lil precious) started singing at a young age. She quickly discovered that her Jamaican ancestry blessed her with rhythm in her soul and a beautiful voice. Lil Precious’ first album first single “So Insane” was added to Top 40 radio stations across Canada. In 2010 the second single “Ma Jam” was also added to radio and TV ( Much Music/Much Vibe). April 2011 Karian Sang/Lil Precious won her five WRCMA awards.Currently going back and forth from Canada to Miami Karian sang has created a buzz for herself, Her latest single “take it” ft Mavado who is part of “we the best” has been premiered on the billboards and has been number 1 in the UK, Toronto, Australia ect... Karian sang has two mix tapes that have done very well “assassin in training”, “assassin unleashed” and her latest mixtape “grammy's” produced by supreme: also including producers Sean Klassic, Troyton Hind, Di Genius, Pay attention, High Volume, Ice Music Media and Optimas with original tracks also colabartions with Mavado, Shaggy and Andi Ites. Here is our conversation with Karian Sang.
Q: Tell us about your background and how did you get started singing?
Karian: I’m Jamaican born raised in Canada mix with chinese, black, west indian, cuban and scottish I grew up on dancehall music starting falling in luv with other types of music as well I had a hunger for learning everything became exciting to me in the music world, I started doing lil shows had a group, soon after my brother became my manager.
Q: Tell how about your song “So Insane” that was on the charts in Canada? Did you write the song? What was your inspiration to write the song?
Karian: So “Insane” was the first single off my album “Every step” that did very well produced by Iron Ryan written by myself about a guy I had a crush on, I usually write about things in my life like people places or things around me, I was basically describing the feeling I got from meeting him.... I guess i was kinda telling erryone ma business lol
Q: What is the best compliment you have gotten about the “So Insane” song?
Karian: ..the best compliment was winning WRCMA best R&B/hip hop single of the year yeaaaa babii lol but it doesn’t count cause I’m Karian sang now lol
Q: You have a few singles out there. When can we expect your second album to be released?
Karian: Well first I will be releasing my 3rd mixtape which is very important to me called Grammys "everything I feel everything I think" 23 tracks with 3 skits 4 remixes and rest originals songs after that there will be an album but I’m hoping we can all marinate on Grammys for a bit lol
Q: How would you describe your sound?
Karian: New but familiar! timeless
Q: Your recently collaborated with Mavado on his single "Take It". What was it like working with him?
Karian: Working with the supa star was exhilarating I found it to be very different from what people say or think about him, he's considerate and pushes to be greater each day he's been very motivating both for my talents and for my understanding of the music biz.
Q: Are there any future collaboration with other artist in the works?
Karian: Yes, many! My plan is to work with the all stars u name em i want'em lol. I luv surprises so u guys gone afto wait for the name dropping. lol
Q: What projects are you working on right now?
Karian: I’m currently working on my mixtape single & music video for “HOT GAL TING” the remix of "March Out" by Mavado produced by DJ Frass which is very exciting for me cause I made it for my hot gal assassins, gotta rep ma girls!
Q: I know it is early in your career but what is your proudest moment so far?
Karian: When “take it” premiered on billboard and watching a bunch of dance crews at a club dancing to take it live so dope, the lil things mean alot too..Q:If you were stuck on a deserted island and given the choice of 2 albums to put on your ipod which artist would it be?
Karian: If I had to pick just 2 it would be boyz11men evolution and 2pac all eyes on me, I luv balance
Q: My favorite guilty pleasure is
Karian: Food!! Especially chocolate I believe deep down inside me I’m a real fat girl waiting to come out lol
Q: My Mother always told me…..
Karian: ...cover it up and they will always want to unwrap it
Q: Seven day, six nights, all expenses paid, my vacation destination is…
Karian: Egypt i luv to explore I wanna see the world before ours
Thanks for your time. Do you any closing thoughts?
Karian: Yes! I really wanted to say Jamaica for my vacation destination but I didn’t want to be conceited about my home but it’s the best place to have a vacation especially for food!!!! lol

Read more: http://www.jamaicans.com/music/interviews/kariansang.shtml

[Tropicana]

This is Chistopher Martin the singer/actor who played her love interest. Love his voice:

His character (type) did not appeal to me but he played it well.

To be fair the Black Jamaican men came off as players. For example, I didn't like the character portrayed by Christopher Martin at all. I thought man she has bad taste in men. He should have cast himself as the male lead.

[Tropicana]

When Jeremy Whittaker first saw the iconic movie Jurassic Park as a teen in Jamaica, he fell in love with what was on screen and hoped to one day become a director.Whittaker, 35, is finally living that dream. His first feature film, Destiny, a romantic drama exploring the theme of returning home to Jamaica as well as the vibrant music scene there, opens Toronto’s ReelWorld Film Festival on Wednesday.

Originally from Kingston, Jamaica, Whittaker now lives in Toronto. The child of a doctor and an actuary, he was sent to Canada to attend Robert Land Academy, a private military boarding school, because he was a “bit wild.”

The academy “taught me discipline,” he said. After graduation, Whittaker had his pick of universities, and chose to study statistics and economics at the University of Toronto. Two years in, he decided the world of numbers wasn’t for him.

He went home for a year and did an internship at a media/production house. The moviemaking bug bit again.

“I was rolling cables,” said Whittaker. “I started from the ground up. I enjoyed being on the small sets. It was like, ‘This is what I want to do. I want to create. I want to be on set, help create different worlds, bring people in and let them enjoy it.’ ”

His parents were initially less than enthusiastic. But Whittaker was adamant. He wanted to work in film. So back he came to Toronto and studied digital communication in a joint program offered by Sheridan College and the University of Toronto’s Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology.

This time, he loved what he was doing, learning every facet of film production. “It didn’t feel like school or work,” he said. “It was me learning the craft.”

After graduation, he returned to Jamaica, worked as a TV producer at a local station and then started his own green-screen studio with a friend. He also directed music videos, winning the People’s Choice Award for best video at Jamaica’s 2010 Excellence in Music Entertainment Awards.

That year, Whittaker came back to Canada with an eye to making movies. He joined the Directors Guild of Canada, did an apprenticeship and started working on the script for what would become his first movie.

His resumé is impressive: working as an assistant director on the TV series Lost Girl,Skins and Suits, as well as assisting directors David Cronenberg and Laurent Cantet with their films Cosmopolis and Foxfire.

Whittaker’s $1.4-million independent film, Destiny, was shot in Jamaica and Toronto, and tells the story of a Canadian woman of Jamaican heritage who returns to the island to deal with property belonging to her parents, who had been killed in car crash. Along the way, she falls in love with a Jamaican musician and reconnects with her family.

“It’s a different kind of Jamaican story,” Whittaker said. “Very real, but nothing to do with guns and violence. But a lot of drama and twists and turns, and it captures the music culture there.”

After premiere at ReelWorld, Whittaker and his team hope to take the film to festivals in Europe, the U.S. and the Caribbean. And of course, he has an agent looking for distribution deals. The soundtrack, which includes 14 original songs, will also be distributed, he said.

Whittaker, now a permanent resident of Canada, has big dreams. He has set up a production company and hopes to do more work in the Caribbean, a market he thinks is ready to explode.

But Toronto will always be his home, he said. “I’m based in Toronto. I love it here. I think Toronto is one of the best cities in the world, if not the best. If Toronto wasn’t so cold it would be overpopulated, cause it’s such a nice city.”

http://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2014/04/01/toronto_filmmakers_destiny_opens_reelworld_festival.html

[Tropicana]

I'll tidy this up later

Credits

Producer Jeremy Whittaker
Director Jeremy Whittaker


Cast

Lisa Pullen ...Karian Sang - She is a very talented singer. Wid dem light skinned long hair obsession Jamaican men will like her
Sean ...Christopher Martin
(The Cousin) Sabrina Diana Colie
Kerstin Whittaker -
Mr. Baxter (The Lawyer) ...Munair Zacca
Kadeem Wilson
Kevoy Burton
Noelle Kerr
Grace Hamilton
Debbie Bissoon
Nadine Rawlins
Jennifer(The "friend" in Canada) ... Victoria Kucher
Christina Benjamin
Ian Ellis
Lyndon Forte


Music Crew and Artists


Clive Hunt is the music supervisor and producer of original songs. A soundtrack CD is being released.


Dave Eggar and Chuck Palmer worked together to do an original score for Destiny!


Garnet Jr. will continue to add to the legacy left by his dad, Garnett Silk. Watch out for this new reggae sensation. He has an original song on the DESTINY soundtrack.




Bazil, a reggae artist born in Paris, France is about to introduce his amazing musical talent to the world. You can hear an original song from him on the DESTINY soundtrack.


Reggae soul songstress, Etana recorded in true form an uplifting and inspirational original song for the DESTINY soundtrack.

[Tropicana]

Jeremy is a very tall man. With his dark complexion and his features, when I saw him walking around and being interviewed, I thought he was some upcoming African actor. He should probably try his hand at acting. He has a great presence. you can miss him when he walks into the room.

[Tropicana]

...and here he is again.

[Tropicana]

Remember, Destiny will be screen again tomorrow. If you are going, go early, it was sold out at its first screening.

http://www.reelworld.ca/Festival/Films.aspx?udt_618_param_detail=10

Encore presentation:

Saturday, April 12, 2014 - 2:30pm

Cineplex Odeon First Markham Place Cinemas; Director in attendance.
Sponsored by Markham African Caribbean Association

[j-kid]

Even though yuh cuss mi from time tuh time. Tanks fi di heads-up!

[Tropicana]

New Jamaican Film with Music Recorded at Tuff Gong Worth Checking Out

Are you going to come see it?

[j-kid]

Das ah 5 hr haul tuh dat location.

[Tropicana]

New Jamaican Film with Music Recorded at Tuff Gong Worth Checking Out

Yes but you have been up here. I was surprised that you know all of the major players in the patty market in Toronto.

[j-kid]

Not recently. Dat has literally bin like mi 4th or 5th home fi many many years. Yuh did not kno sey mi hav honorary citizenship?

And yes, mi was ah special connoisseur of Toronto area patties.

[Tropicana]

Okay here is some of the music.

Gyptian: Hold You
Album: Hold You
Label: VP/Ministry of Sound
Writer: Gyptian
Producer: Ricky Blaze

[Tropicana]

More to come when it is posted.

Tami Chynn: "Can You Feel Me?"
Written & Produced By: N.Case, T.Chynn, T.Chin, B.Jobson, T.Jackson
Album: "Out of Many...One"
Label: Universal Music