VOLUME FOUR ISSUE ONE
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LEAP YEAR! Arilyn Martinez Cora’s Beautiful Story of Love and Light Ralph Henriquez Blazing Trails Con FUERZA Katra Film Series Considerate and Practical Takeaways Tisa Key Actress Shining Bright
Hill Harper
Using Example To Guide The Young Ones
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: JEFF SMITH FOR REFLECTIONS NYC
email aholmes@acemediacorp.com www.acemediacorp.com
FROM THE EDITOR
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
STAR DAVIS CREATIVE
DIRECTOR
RANDELL PEARSON
Four Year Plan HAPPY Leap Day. It’s February 29, 2016. We decided to release the Spring Issue on this date because it’s unique. Once every four years. When this date comes again in 2020, what do you hope to have done by then? Where do you hope to be?
SOCIAL
MEDIA
MANAGER
COURTNEY LEE CORDERO CONTRIBUTING
EDITORS
MORGAN ELIASON
UCAN! Magazine strives to be unique in everything we do. We celebrate success stories of creative people. We feature artists, content creators, and crew from any and all cultural backgrounds.
MELISSA GOLDSTEIN
This is also our third year anniversary. We published our first issue in early 2013. Time goes by quickly. We are happy that we can continue to bring you positive features on creatives who do what they love and feel innately compelled to do.
ZULA MONTOYA
Special thank you to Hill Harper. Our brief conversation was informative and inspiring. #ByArtistsForEveryone Twitter: @UCANMagazine Website: www.UCANMagazine.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UCANMagazine
ARLEY SEAMUS
EDITORIAL
PRODUCTION
MONICA TRAVELLINO ENTERTAINMENT
DIRECTOR
KAREN Y. BROWN RESEARCH
CENTER
DEIDRE GREGORY KEIDRA CAMERON MICHELLE DUBOIS ADVERTISING
DIRECTOR
KIMBERLY ANN RICHARDS
UCAN! MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED SIX TIMES ANNUALLY IN ENGLISH. UCAN! IS REGISTERED AS AN INTERNATIONAL TRADEMARK. COPYRIGHT © 2015 BY PINDARA STUDIOS LLC. COPYRIGHT UNDER UIVERSAL COPYRIGHT CONVENTION. FRONT COVER AND ENTIRE MAGAZINE DESIGN COPYRIGHT @ 2015 BY PEARSON DESIGNS, BROOKLYN NY, USA. REPRODUCTION OF ANY PARTS OF THIS PUBLICATION REQUIRES EXPRESS WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE PUBLISHER. UCAN! ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHY OR ARTWORK.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25p1V2lCkb0
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TISA KEY ACTOR, WRITER AND FILMMAKER Tisa has had an interest since childhood to be an actor. Born and raised in New York City she developed several different talents at a young age. She studied dance and was involved in various plays while still in elementary school. In 2000 she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her dream. It wasn’t an easy road for Tisa but she hung in there to fulfill what she had a passion for. After working for Disney a few years and getting minor gigs here and there she decided to take matters into her own hands and started writing screenplays. Although some people didn’t believe in Tisa she never gave up no matter what! She directed and produced a few small videos, while she shopped her scripts and ideas around. After becoming frustrated and disgusted with the countless promises, limited roles for minorities, and the non willingness to give her a chance she came back to New York City to produce a horror film “Evil Has A Face” and to finally get one of her short films off the ground. “Vengeance Is Mine” is a short film written, directed, produced, and starring Tisa Key. This time she was in control of her own destiny. “Vengeance Is Mine” is the first of many to come from Tisa Key. Currently she has several projects in the works under her production company T Key Filmz LLC. One is an action drama TV pilot for cable titled “ZENOBIA” and a web-series that’s due to come out soon titled “TRAINED.” Running right now on moovietyme.com is a feature film she produced titled “SATISFACTION.” Tisa always refers to the quote “A job is what you get paid for, a calling is what you’re made for.” Some people may not know that aside from being an Actor/Writer/Filmmaker she’s also a huge advocate for suicide awareness and prevention. Contemplating suicide herself at one point, along with several friends that contemplated, attempted and did commit suicide, this is something that she’s passionate about. This is her calling! Along with her production company T Key Filmz she plans to provide suicide awareness in a non-conventional but effective and eclectic way through the arts. Up first, was her first stage play in Atlanta “TO DIE ALONE: The Suicide Chronicles.” May 29th, 30th and 31st 2015. The pilot episode for the series “ TO DIE ALONE,” will be out summer of 2016. As well as her book “TO DIE ALONE: The Suicide Chronicles (Volume #1), due to be released spring of 2016. Tisa can also be seen on NETFLIX as the character “Sanchez” in a feature film titled “HOME,” directed by Jono Oliver (Blue Bloods,) which also stars Joe Morton (Scandal, Terminator 2, Speed, & Eureka,) Victor Williams (King Of Queens, & Cop Land,) and James McDaniel (NYPD Blue & Detroit 1-8-7,) just to name a few. Coming up she will also star in Michele Cannon’s directorial debut feature film “Meri, Mary, Mari,” and “NOBODY’S PERFECT,” directed by awesome director and stuntman Derrick Simmons (Tower Heist, 30 Rock, & Why Did I Get Married too?) Her career is finally taking off in the direction she always wanted. This is only the beginning of what’s to come from this talented young lady. So stay tuned there’s more to see. Her goal is to take her acting and filmmaking to places no one has dared tried to explore and her time is now!—Submitted by Tisa Key https://www.facebook.com/TISA-KEY-ActorWriterFilmmak
RALPH HENRIQUEZ BRINGING LIFE TO HIS IDEAS
DIRECTING ON THE SET OF FUERZA
HenryQ Productions and its leader, Ralph Henriquez can check off quite a few “Completed” boxes. Over the last two years, Ralph has produced three films. YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT; MADAM TRIGGER – teaming up on both with writer/director Fabian Perez; and FUERZA which Ralph wrote and directed. Fuerza is the Spanish word for strength. FUERZA is set in present day. It chronicles the life of a powerful super heroine coming into her own and dealing with the tribulations that come with possessing superhuman powers, and while protecting the Earth from possible extinction. Earth is being overrun by galactic beings that feed off of the human life force as their main source of survival. The antagonist, Etreum, is plotting to open a portal that will allow other creatures like himself to invade the Earth and feast until no human life force exists. FUERZA is the only one powerful enough to stop this threat. “FUERZA was an idea that I had back in college from 1985, which had evolved over the years to where it’s at today,” Ralph says. The film, which stars actress Jessica Mas, is his ideas come to life to create a project featuring a Latina in the lead role of a superhero. Ralph’s desire to see more Latino actors on screen was his big motivation for developing FUERZA. “There weren’t any movies in the theaters or on TV that showcased Latinos in a role like that. So I decided to create one of my own,” he says. Ralph says he noticed a wide interest over the past couple of years, in seeing more super heroines on screen. He saw a movement that began showcasing women in super heroine lead roles like the CBS series, SUPERGIRL, as well as two upcoming feature films, WONDER WOMAN and CAPTAIN MARVEL. With the influx of DC and Marvel superhero movies slated for release over the next few years, Ralph hopes to have FUERZA the feature film thrown right into that mix. “I was once asked am I afraid of putting FUERZA up against movies like THE AVENGERS or THE DARK KNIGHT. My reply was no, I don’t fear any Marvel or DC project. In fact, they have been my inspiration for many years. They are the reason why I started liking superheroes to begin with,” he explains.
GOING OVER DETAILS BEFORE FILMING WITH ACTRESS AND STAR OF FUERZA, JESSICA MAS BELOW: WITH WIFE MILAGROS HERIQUEZ
Ralph’s intuition seems to be very accurate as 2015 was a great year for FUERZA. So far the film has won three awards: Best Short Film for Special Effects; Best Short Film USA; and Best Superhero Female. FUERZA has been showcased on the Jessica Medina TV website, and was recently invited by fellow filmmakers Damian Bastar and Adam Gonzalez to be screened alongside their award-winning film ROMA: THE SHORT FILM. The lack of diversity in Latin programming is something else Ralph has noticed. Sofia Vergara is beautiful, but she represents only a fraction of Latino culture. The many other looks and textures in Latino culture remain unrepresented. Ralph is optimistic that change will come. “I too have noticed that there has been very little diversity in the talent used. But in all fairness, I strongly believe that door is slowly opening. With successes of TV shows like UGLY BETTY and JANE THE VIRGIN, these TV shows have done well to pave the way for other projects that can be green lit and showcase Latinos in the lead roles. It’s a work in progress and we all must continue to push forward,” he says with enthusiasm. HenryQ is presently in development for the feature film, RAGE IN THE SHADOWS, which tells the story of a genetically enhanced federal agent. This is another full-bodied role that will star a Latina actress. A very different film from HenryQ’s previous productions is also in its pipeline. NIDO VACIO (Spanish for Empty Nest) will be a short film dealing with the intensely painful subject of infertility. The screenplay was written by Ralph’s wife, Milagros Henriquez. It’s important for HenryQ to not only portray Latino actors in stronger, more positive images – but also to educate that these movies are a viable, rich part of the market. They can be successful. Ralph has some words of encouragement, “I would like to say to anyone looking to be a producer is never give up going for your dream! No matter how many times your script or project is rejected, stick with it! Listen to feedback and make the necessary adjustments to succeed! I wish you all the best!” U CAN! M
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HILL HARPER HOLDING AN APPRECIATION AWARD HE RECEIVED FROM A FILM FESTIVAL IN NEW YORK CITY. PHOTO: JEFF SMITH OF RELECTIONS NYC
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“It’s all about encouraging young men to manifest their destiny, to live their best possible life.” A while back, I got a surprise opportunity to interview Hill Harper. From his body of acting work, I definitely knew who he was. But with about fifteen minutes to prepare, I realized I actually knew very little about this actor. There was his role as Xavier, the college student in Spike Lee’s GET ON THE BUS, back in 1996. Hill Harper got to work directly with the great Ossie Davis and was a member of a powerful ensemble cast. As the years went by, I always remembered Hill Harper playing educated and professional characters. That includes his supporting role as Christopher Jones opposite Will Smith in the movie CONCUSSION; guest starring as Stokley Davenport on THE SOPRANOS and his regular gig as Spellman Boyle on the CBS series LIMITLESS. Hill Harper, the interviewee, is eloquent and matter-of-fact. He has an acting career that would easily be the nucleus of any normal person’s life. In addition to the character development work, there are the meetings, table reads, rehearsal, blocking, wardrobe, make-up…. It is a full time job that could keep anyone more than busy. Happily so. For Hill Harper, acting is just one of several of his important priorities. Hill Harper is zealous about helping young people. That connection enables him to see what they need. Such astuteness contributed to Mr. Harper becoming a bestselling author. He seemed a bit embarrassed when talking about the five books he’s written, four of which are New York Times Best Sellers. His first book, LETTERS TO A YOUNG BROTHER MANifest Your Destiny, is the one of which he is most proud. “It’s all about encouraging young men to manifest their destiny, to live their best possible life,” Mr. Harper tells us. “I was blessed with books that were encouraging and inspirational to me when I was coming up. [Since then] I didn’t see any books in the landscape for young men. There were some for young women, but not really any for young men, so I wanted to write that book.” Mr. Harper is also passionate about finding ways to lower the recidivism rate of those who’ve been incarcerated. His latest book, LETTERS TO AN INCARCERATED BROTHER is a motivational book for brothers and sisters on the inside, as well as for their families. He talks about the work needed around the mass incarceration system. “We need to find ways to help men and to help woman not go back, and to figure out ways to help them re-enter and get jobs. At the same time we need to fix the system from the top down. I do most of the work from the bottom up, and the politicians can do more of the work top down hopefully.” We talked about President Obama’s MY BROTHERS KEEPER initiative and how the president is the very first sitting commander-in-chief in history of the United States to visit a correctional facility. One purpose was to get to know some of the inmates and to learn what guided their lives to their current situation. I learned Senator Obama was also a contributor to Mr. Harper’s first book. “All of us though, have a hand in it. It’s not about just waiting for the white house, or waiting for the president to have an initiative. It’s about every single person in every community,” Mr. Harper explains. “Actually saying, ‘I’m going to save a young person. I’m going to help a young person.’ And that’s what it’s really about to me.” With Hill Harper, like all over creatives, it all circles back to creating. “Being around creative people and creating things is important to me,” he starts. “Anything that supports creative thought, creative people…. We’re in a world now where you can get your voice out. YouTube. You can make and direct a movie on your phone. I’m so encouraged by that because that means the barrier of entry for new stories and new storytellers is coming down.” Hill Harper the talented artist/mentor/scholar, uses his unique voice to benefit those both in and outside of entertainment. U CAN! M
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HILL HARPER ENCOURAGING A YOUNG MAN AT A GROUP MOTIVATION EVENT.
AT NATIONAL FINANCE COMMITTEE DINNER WHERE PRESIDENT OBAMA SPOKE
Arilyn MartinezCora
SHARING HER LIGHT WITH US ALL Arilyn Martinez came to New York City from Guayama, Puerto Rico in 2011. Five years later, Arilyn can say she is one of only four people who’ve won the Katra Film Series Grand Finale. Her short film, THE TEXTURE OF THE LIGHT is a beautiful story of a mother who must face old emotional wounds to restore her son’s health. No matter how severe the potential consequences, this mother (played by Nicole Betancourt) forges ahead, knowing her son’s quality of life is completely dependent on her tenacity. Arilyn wrote, directed, and produced THE TEXTURE OF THE LIGHT. “I was influenced by women who have kids, and when the relationships don’t go the way they wanted, they move to another town or to the States because they don’t want the kid have a relationship with the father. I think that is wrong, and that’s one of the reasons I wanted to tell this story,” Arilyn explains. She took her first filmmaking workshop years ago while she was still living on the island. From that time, Arilyn has attended Brooklyn College, and she worked internships at two high profile organizations, Made in New York by IFP and CaribBEING. These internships introduced her to an impressive network of diverse and talented people. They’re also where Arilyn learned the importance of having business connections. Those connections proved invaluable when Arilyn was faced with the challenge of living in New York City, but needing to film in Puerto Rico. “I didn’t know many people in the film industry, but I reached out to the school and they helped me,” she says. Also meeting sound mixer Toño Betancourt was nothing short of a blessing. Arilyn also credits a college professor, Robert Tutak for providing her with a guidance of developing character back stories. “He started to give me books and homework and through that I started to write character bios, and eventually I ended up with a script. Besides winning at the Katra Film Series, THE TEXTURE OF THE LIGHT also won the Silver Whiskers Award at INDIEWORKS. Arilyn is currently drafting her first feature film. She hopes to begin filming in November of this year. She is working on a video about the importance of voting and its effect on the Latino community. Lastly, she is pursuing her MBA in Marketing.
The awards Arilyn received from her accomplishments at Katra are already providing benefits. The legal consultation from Natraj S. Bhushan, Esq was effective in teaching her preparation for her upcoming feature. “It’s been amazing because when you are in a lower level you never think on how important is to know the entertainment law,” she says. If THE TEXTURE OF THE LIGHT is any indication of Arilyn’s talent, audiences are in store for many special things to come. “I just feel on the inside that as a filmmaker and director that I have a special voice with many stories to tell.” We look forward to seeing more stories from Arilyn Martinez Cora. https://twitter.com/Arilyna89 https://www.facebook.com/arilyn.martinez http://pinsta.me/arilyna1 Please like my short -film Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thetextureofthelight
LEFT: FILMING IN GUAYAMA, PR THIS PICTURE: WITH KFS FOUNDER, GEOFFREY GUERRERO AFTER WINNING THE GRAND FINALE
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The Katra Film Series is becoming well known around NYC as the place to screen your short film. Maintaining an ambitious schedule of monthly screenings, Katra sustains a high standard of screening content that is fresh and wide ranging. The Fourth Annual Katra Film Series Grand Finale did not disappoint. Filmmakers and enthusiasts came together and enjoyed an eclectic range of short films that were well written and professionally produced. One nice surprise was the accomplished actors who worked in many of these films, including Academy Award winner Melissa Leo as well as Sally Kirkland, Anna Chlumsky, Burt Young (Rocky), and Sonia Manzano (Sesame Street). A Katra Film Series standalone is the prize package awarded to Grand Finale winners. More than just a plaque that won’t help get financing, this year’s winner of the Katra Film Series Grand Finale took home an all-access to Film Interchange for the 2016 Spring & Fall Season; an annual subscription to CreatorUp’s online workshop courses; a consultation prize with Jennifer Ajemian Casting (casting director), a consultation prize with John T. Trigonis (INDIEGOGO crowdfunding strategist); a one-on-one meeting with Stephen Nemeth (Producer of FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS, THE SESSIONS); and a one-on-one hour long consultation with an entertainment attorney. “At the Katra Film Series we strive on showcasing the best new works out there regardless of gender, race, creed, orientation, color. Talent is talent. We pride ourselves on discovering new talent and giving anyone a chance,” says Geoffrey Guerrero, KFS’ Founder/Executive Director. The Katra Film Series has proven to be a viable outlet for aspiring filmmakers. It provides a great networking source, as well as several tools to assist the filmmaker from script to screen. http://katrafilmseries.com/
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PHOTOGRAPHY: JOSH EICHENBAUM
EMAIL aholmes@acemediacorp.com www.acemediacorp.com
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