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Canary in a mine

Canary in a mine is a proof of concept short film that is about a young black man who is led to discover happiness during dark times by a strong black woman, after losing his younger brother at the hands of the police.

  • Demetrius Roberts-Taylor
    Writer
  • TAKAI
    Director
  • LaJonel Brown
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes 52 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 2, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    1,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes
Director Biography - TAKAI

Growing up in Oakland, California provided Takai with the right perspective and social conscious he needed to thrive as the artist he is today. Commonly known as takaitheartist, Takai is a creative professional with a lifelong passion in film and storytelling, along with other digital arts. Drawing on influences from artists of many mediums, Takai strives to have the voice of Banksy, the reach of Bob Marley, and the impact of Walt Disney. Takai graduated from the nation's number one public university, UCLA, with a BA in Film, concentration in Directing. Takai has been dedicated to Directing and filmmaking for over 7 years and throughout those years he has worked on numerous kinds of projects, including documentaries, music videos, personal projects, and short films. Now, Takai looks forward to creating a lasting impact on this world through storytelling. The ability to tell stories is a powerful tool that Takai aspires to use as a resonating force to inspire human discovery within each other, in order to extinguish hate and ignite LOVE.

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Director Statement

After a very personal introduction to mental health in young Black men due to the current climate of America, I was inspired to write a film about a young man who is led to discover happiness by a strong black women. I was able to effectively communicate my voice as a director by focusing on solutions rather than problems in a beautiful story about self discovery.