Experiencing Interruptions?

Lil' RED is RIDING the wrong way in the HOOD!

Lil Red is Riding the Wrong Way in the Hood is a Hip Hop twist on a classic cautionary tale. An adventurous little boy gets lost in an urban jungle and runs into a "wolf in sheep's clothing" and a battle of wits begins. Childhood labor and public safety may sound like heavy topics, but this short film is manages to make the subject matter approachable.

"Lil' Red is Riding the Wrong Way in the Hood" is not just an entertaining animated film set to a hip-hop beat; it's a conversation starter for all ages. It allows us a chance to reflect on who to trust, when, and how to stay safe in an increasingly complex and unpredictable world.

  • Venus Jones
    Director
  • Venus Jones
    Writer
  • Venus Jones
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Animation
  • Runtime:
    7 minutes 31 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 30, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Kenya, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Venus Jones

Venus Jones is multi-gifted artivist, and has served as a TEDx speaker, actress, performance coach, spoken word poet, and award-winning radio personality. She co-created a mobile app to help you live on principle with her husband Steve, and became a global Kwanzaa queen. She’s appeared in a Marvel movie, on the cover of Spoken Vizions magazine, a billboard, worked at two major television networks, and served as a Professor of English and Communication at Mission College. Her poetry has been featured in esteemed journals, anthologies, and she's self-published four albums and three books. She's earned praise from hip-hop legend Chuck D., shared the stage with Nikki Giovanni twice and was called “Langston Hughes in the form of a Black girl” by Marjol Rush-Collette, the curator of the Langston Hughes Family Museum.

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Director Statement

"Lil' RED is RIDING is Riding the Wrong Way in the HOOD" is the first animated film I've ever produced. It took ten months of tenacity. I was inspired to create art full of crucial safety lessons set to a hip-hop beat that was family friendly. Our version of this classic cautionary tale is especially for Black and Brown kids who need to talk about tricksters and trust, as soon as possible.

Have you ever made a wrong turn in life? Lil' Red takes a wrong turn and ends up at a crossroad. My initial vision was to meet the child there. I'm the right person to do this because living with ADD and anxiety means I've made my share of wrong turns. But for too many young people and adults, those wrong turns lead to dangerous places, including illegal child labor. Through this animation, kids of all backgrounds can learn to spot red flags and stay safe in their neighborhoods.

This project allowed me to protect my inner child and showcase my skills and experience as a director, SAG actress, spoken word poet, professional voiceover artist, and educator. Everything came together at what feels like divine timing given current events and this motivates me to keep pushing for more social progress until everyone has a safer childhood. With the support of a hard-earned grant, I've created the most award-winning small budget animation in history, and I do believe God called me to do it. Lil Red is Riding the Wrong Way in the Hood was created to keep a little Black boy on the right path, and may it always spark dialogue that matters.