Black Theory II

"Don't let your perception become your reality."

Stressed about the troubles of settling in a new city, Malik finds that his own skewed outlook on race and the media could cost him his livelihood.

See how Malik strains those relationships close to him as he finds the difference from the things he sees in the media and the ideas he brings into the world. The 24 yr. old writer readies for his first interview in New York City but he learns a lot more about himself throughout the day.

  • Dennis Williams II
    Director
    Euclase, Black Theory I
  • Dennis Williams II
    Writer
    Euclase, Black Theory I
  • Jesse S. Martin
    Producer
    Euclase
  • Jared Adkins
    Producer
  • Malik Gadjigo
    Key Cast
    Black Theory I
  • Marcus Johnson
    Key Cast
  • Chablis Quarterman
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Thriller
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes 19 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 1, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    310 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:
    No
Director Biography - Dennis Williams II

Dennis got his jump-start in narrative storytelling as a freelance writer for Funny or Die during college. While working avidly outside of the classroom to improve his professional experience, he also studied Shakespeare and theatre during his time at UMBC.

Now as the Content Marketing Manager of Augment (NYC tech company), it's Dennis's job to create a compelling story through different kinds of content. Though his passion for film has never faltered.

In 2013, Dennis's short film script, Routine, finished in the semi-final round of the Nantucket Film Festival. He's writing for the award winning web series Astro-Cons, and he's directed and written 3 short films of his own.

With the completion of Black Theory II, Dennis hopes to continue challenging conventional thinking through cinema.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I got into screenwriting because I've always wanted to tell my story. During my senior year of college I was sleeping out of my car, taking 24 credits per semester to eventually graduate with an American Studies degree. I put myself through school with a mobile tech company and I'm still am an entrepreneur to this day but my true passion has always been narrative storytelling.

The main character, Malik, and his situation are very similar to to a lot of young, black individuals in corporate America today. Malik is a writer looking for work, now that he has just moved to New York City. Although, without much luck, he starts to think his lack of opportunity is a direct reflection of his race.

Throughout the different events of the day, Malik finds that it’s actually his skewed outlook and racial bias that is putting his relations in question and ultimately his own life.

The first film of the Black Theory series was shot in Denver, and it took a more introspective take on Malik’s thoughts when watching real news segments speaking on race. We received amazing feedback and placed #19 in the 4th Viewster Online Film Festival.

Black Theory II further carries the compelling narrative on some of society’s pressing racial issues through a compelling narrative. The internal conflict that Malik had in the 1st film is carried out into his actions in his everyday life in Black Theory II. As the film progresses we see how Malik’s constants, his voices of reason reflect another perspective on race just as his outlook is apparent through conversation and ultimately action.

Black Theory II is an 11-minute short film, filmed over the course of two weekends in Bushwick, NY & Manhattan, NY. Shot with a small budget of $310, the crew utilized resources to create a narrative that correctly addressed multiple perspectives of racial stereotypes and bias. Each film uses real news segments to highlight the racial tensions present in our media. Black Theory II is a story of how Malik’s own skewed perceptions of race can cost him his relationships and potentially his own livelihood.