Think Before You Shoot Short Film
Donation protected
My name is Anthony J. Sturdivant and I am an award winning screenwriter and producer from the west side of Chicago, Illinois who is ultimately looking to make a change through films. I recently started a short film series that focuses on promoting positive messages around the world while encouraging individuals to think before they shoot. Currently I have written and produced five short films. After releasing my second film in 2012 and winning a Prestige Film Award, support for the series grew from social media, and community members to media coverage and most importantly, students.
In the Spring of 2011, I was faced with becoming a statistic of my community when I witnessed an armed robbery situation at my local barbershop. I saw that the robber had a gun to the back of one of my friend's head. I reacted by instinct, banging on the door to divert the attention. In an attempt to run the robber then pointed the gun at me, yelling "don't move or I will shoot you".I stopped and knew that my life was based on whether the gunman made the decision to pull the trigger or let me go. For those few endless seconds all I could hear was “I should shoot you” before he decided to slowly lower the gun away from me. Ultimately those few seconds and his decision to not shoot changed the path of both his life and my own.
Later that year, I decided to connect the feelings and intensity of those few moments with an effort to prevent the violence in my community. I created a short film series titled “Think Before You Shoot” in order to bring awareness to the senseless shootings and stress the importance of thinking before committing an act of violence. Think Before You Shoot is a non-profit organization that utilizes short films and student outreach programs to visually connect and engage with the youth and communities. It's goal is to emphasis attention on how one person’s decision can prevent gun violence. #TB4YS is on a mission to get individuals to think before they act/re-act and take responsibility for their actions.
The funding of our project will help us film the 6th installment to the series which aims at the sensless shootings from the police on unarmed victims. With tragic incidents happening across the world involving officers of the law shooting, choking and killing unarmed people who are not viewed as a threat, there seem to be a question on rather or not racism still exist. But in 2015 you would think that those days are well behind us and that with so much change in the world the different races would find that we have so much in common. With this film we will show how all lives matter.
To view short film series visit: http://www.tb4ys.com/films/
With your support together we can continue to spread this important message against gun-violence through the usage of films.
Funding helps:
extend the next short film
improve the overall production
Add props, wardrobe, locations, animation, special FX.
Hire a film company
Equipment rental (lights, sounds, trip-pods, cranes)
Food, beverages, transportation
Invite youth members on set to experience possible career opportunites
To learn more about our organization visit: http://www.tb4ys.com/whatwedo/
In the Spring of 2011, I was faced with becoming a statistic of my community when I witnessed an armed robbery situation at my local barbershop. I saw that the robber had a gun to the back of one of my friend's head. I reacted by instinct, banging on the door to divert the attention. In an attempt to run the robber then pointed the gun at me, yelling "don't move or I will shoot you".I stopped and knew that my life was based on whether the gunman made the decision to pull the trigger or let me go. For those few endless seconds all I could hear was “I should shoot you” before he decided to slowly lower the gun away from me. Ultimately those few seconds and his decision to not shoot changed the path of both his life and my own.
Later that year, I decided to connect the feelings and intensity of those few moments with an effort to prevent the violence in my community. I created a short film series titled “Think Before You Shoot” in order to bring awareness to the senseless shootings and stress the importance of thinking before committing an act of violence. Think Before You Shoot is a non-profit organization that utilizes short films and student outreach programs to visually connect and engage with the youth and communities. It's goal is to emphasis attention on how one person’s decision can prevent gun violence. #TB4YS is on a mission to get individuals to think before they act/re-act and take responsibility for their actions.
The funding of our project will help us film the 6th installment to the series which aims at the sensless shootings from the police on unarmed victims. With tragic incidents happening across the world involving officers of the law shooting, choking and killing unarmed people who are not viewed as a threat, there seem to be a question on rather or not racism still exist. But in 2015 you would think that those days are well behind us and that with so much change in the world the different races would find that we have so much in common. With this film we will show how all lives matter.
To view short film series visit: http://www.tb4ys.com/films/
With your support together we can continue to spread this important message against gun-violence through the usage of films.
Funding helps:
extend the next short film
improve the overall production
Add props, wardrobe, locations, animation, special FX.
Hire a film company
Equipment rental (lights, sounds, trip-pods, cranes)
Food, beverages, transportation
Invite youth members on set to experience possible career opportunites
To learn more about our organization visit: http://www.tb4ys.com/whatwedo/
Organizer
Anthony J. Sturdivant
Organizer
Chicago, IL
