Experiencing Interruptions?

All to Myself

After learning that her husband (Calvin) has been cheating on her, Evelyn is on a mission to gain revenge. It’s the night of a big speakeasy bash and Evelyn is prepared to cause a scene. Along her journey to the party, Calvin attempts to salvage his marriage but Evelyn has other plans which makes for an unpleasant surprise.

  • Maceo Tendaji
    Director
  • Maceo Tendaji
    Writer
  • Kirsten Hollander
    Writer
  • Maceo Tendaji
    Producer
  • Jacqueline Hamilton
    Key Cast
  • Corey Branch
    Key Cast
  • Larry Mike Sr.
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Music Video, Short
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 50 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 29, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    4,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:35:1
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes
  • MICA MFA Filmmaking Screening
    Baltimore
    United States
    April 29, 2017
    North American Premiere
  • Bill Johnson Black Film Festival
    Gary, IN
    United States
  • Houston Black Film Festival
    Houston, Texas
    United States
    Best Music Video
  • The Shortstack Film Festival
    Toronto, ON
    Canada
Director Biography - Maceo Tendaji

Maceo Lester (better known as Maceo Tendaji) is a film director, editor, and cinematographer. Tendaji was born in Baltimore, MD and raised in the outskirts of the Charm City; Glen Burnie, MD. Throughout high school his peers noticed his knack for taking photos, which led him to taking photos in his leisure time. In pursuit of becoming a sports videographer, Tendaji received his B.A. in Mass Communications at Virginia State University. Years later he enrolled at the Maryland Institute College of Art where he currently studies film. Tendaji is known for his love of music, sports and African-American culture, which are very prevalent in his work. He plans to embark on the entertainment industry with cinematic narrative music videos, narrative film, documentaries, and even abstract visuals.

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Director Statement

All to Myself is loosely based off of true events. It's a combination of stories about friends and family and their real life experiences. I chose to set the story in the 1920's solely because of the liberation of women during that era. At this time, women began expressing themselves more freely; they obtained jobs that require more physical labor and demand. The 19th amendment of the U.S. Constitution: Women's Right to Vote was ratified on August 18, 1920. Although this didn't allow African-Americans to vote, I still wanted Evelyn's character in the film to fill empowered by the progression of women overall. I wanted to portray a woman of power; traditionally in cinema audiences are exposed to such weak and hopeless women. All to Myself exhibits the complete opposite. Evelyn expresses her emotions. however, she chooses not to drown in them. In doing so, she reverses sexism with sexiness to shift power in her favor. Ultimately, this film is about making decisions and how these decisions can affect our lives drastically whether the decision was right or not.
I have a fascination for the 1920's; I love everything about the era (fashion, automobiles. music, architecture, etc.) I always wanted to construct a visual based in this era. I knew it wouldn't be easy with little to no budget so I decided to infuse 20's music with the sounds of modern hip-hop creating a rather unique sound and visual. Also, I infused my love for cinematic storytelling and music video. By blending these two genres I believe audiences are given a complete visual to accompany the music and lyrics instead of simply watching the artists perform their lyrics. This was by far my largest production yet. I would like to thank everyone who contributed and helped make this vision come true.