Filmmakers
Nefertite Nguvu, Writer/Director/Producer
Nefertite is a New York based independent filmmaker who recently made her foray into episodic television directing. Her credits include Hulu’s EMMY® NOMINATED dramatic series Wu-Tang: An American Saga, the Starz original drama series Power Book II: Ghost, Showtime’s original comedy series Flatbush Misdemeanors, and 20th Television’s Peabody Award winning reboot of The Wonder Years, amongst others. She has also written, produced and directed several narrative shorts: I Want You, The End of Winter, Myself When I Am Real, and The Last Two Lovers At The End Of The World.
Nefertite’s critically acclaimed feature film In The Morning debuted at the Urbanworld Film Festival in New York City and won the Audience Award for Best Feature Film. After a string of successful film festival screenings across the country and in Paris, Rome and Johannesburg, the film also won the award for Best International Film at the Terra Di Siena Film Festival in Italy, Best Narrative Feature at the BlackStar Film Festival in Philadelphia, and Best Feature Film and Best Overall at the Bronzelens Film Festival in Atlanta.
Arthur Jafa, Cinematographer/Producer
Arthur Jafa studied filmmaking at Howard University and is highly acclaimed for his cinematography on films such as Julie Dash’s ground-breaking ‘Daughters of the Dust’ (1992, re-released 2016), Spike Lee’s ‘Crooklyn’ (1994), Ada Gay Griffin and Michelle Parkerson’s ‘Audre Lorde: A Litany for Survival (1995), John Akomfrah’s ‘Seven Songs for Malcolm X’ (1993), Stanley Kubrick’s ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ (1999),
Ava DuVernay’s ‘Selma’ (2014) and Nefertite Nguvu’s ‘In The Morning’ (2014). He has remained singularly committed to the proposition that a Black cinema “as rich in power, beauty and alienation as black music” is not only possible but the ultimate goal and inevitable outcome of any sustained “free black association” with cinema. The Hammer Museum recently presented Jafa’s creative work as part of its ‘Made In LA 2016’ program.
Susan Linss, Production Designer
Susan Linss first entered the pop world in 1992 after meeting director Hype Williams to collaborate on a music video for Mary J. Blige. The duo created a continuous stream of groundbreaking music videos with the most successful hip hop artists at the time, including the Notorious B.I.G., Usher, Wu Tang, Naughty by Nature, Blackstreet and The Firm Biz. Linss subsequently worked alongside high-profile directors (such as Paul Hunter, Brett Ratner, Marcus Rayboy, Darren Grant, Chris Robinson, Erik White, Jeremy Rall, and Dante Ariola) as production designer for the likes of Jay-Z, Mos Def, Whitney Houston, Ja Rule, Missy, Ghostface, Cee-lo, Ludacris, Nas, Busta Rhymes, and Fabolous. This simultaneously led to commercials for corporate powerhouses
(ESPN, Levis, Target, HP, PBS, Macy’s LG, Burger King and Heineken) with directors such as Doug Liman, Francois Girard, Luis Mendoki, Chuck McBride and John Leguziamo, and companies such as RSA, Propaganda, HIS, DNA, Psyop, Kaleidescope and Smuggler. In 2003, Linss was hired by Kanye West for a Common music video (‘Go). The two became creatively tied: Susan went on to interior design his New York loft, as well as create concepts and designs for tours, shows, videos, events, lookbooks, and all branding/visual identity for his companies (Good Music and Good Pictures). The duo traveled extensively for inspiration and continue to work together on a project to project basis.
Erin Judd, Producer
Producer Erin Judd is the founder of No Frames Production Company. Since its inception in 2005, Erin has built an extensive roster of commercial clients, and in 2013 expanded the company to serve the European market with the launch of No Frames Europe Oy. In 2014 Erin produced “Dream Big” the theatrically released Isac Elliot music documentary in collaboration with Sony Music Entertainment Finland and received three EMMA nominations for best Music Video.
“As a producer of primarily short-format content, it is always an exciting and rewarding challenge to take on the world of feature length narrative production, as each project has it’s own extended lifespan and adventures. In The Morningis no exception, and being a part of the incredibly talented ensemble of cast and crew has been a true pleasure.” Erin has a relentless commitment to her craft and a passion for the collaborative art of filmmaking.
Neishea Lemle & Gary Pridgeon, Costume Designers
This amazing fashion duo met in 2007 and it was instantly “fashion” love at first sight. They have been wardrobe styling together since 2009, starting with Interscope-signed pop group, I Square. From there, they have created a multi-service fashion company named “Fashion Haven”, where they provide wardrobe styling, costume design, image consultation, personal shopping, digital media and graphic design. They even sell vintage clothes!
Neishea has worked on the short films titled “I Want You”, “The End of Winter” and “Shades of Brooklyn” as well as the prime-time reality- drama titled “High Society” on the CW Network that was centered around socialite, Tinsley Mortimer.
Her fashion editorial debut was featured in the “September Issue” of the Italian fashion magazine “Vandidaes”.
Gary is an acclaimed multi-media visual artist and painter who started his own clothing line, Dirty Laundry, in 1995. Gary has also worked for designer brands such as Marc Ecko Unlimted,
Coogie, Zoo York, Ellen Tracy, Southpole and G-unit as their lead Graphic Artist. Gary was sought out by the Washington, DC Arts Commission to display his work at the Washington, DC Convention Center which is currently in the window displays.
Keep your eye out for this highly sought after, dynamic, fashion power duo!
Rebecca Beluk, Editor
Rebecca Beluk is a feature film and television editor based in Brooklyn, NY. Rebecca studied Film & Television Production at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and was a Girl Scout.
Her most recent credits include “In The Morning” by Director Nefertite Nguvu,
“From the Ashes” by director Michael Bonfiglio, and the web series “Heirloom” directed by Michael Melamedoff and written by Bekah Brunstetter. Rebecca is currently in post-production on “The Problem With Apu” with comedian Hari Kondabolu.
Ali Muney, Editor
Ali Muney is a New York based editor. She has edited a host of documentaries and reality based television programming. She has also edited several narrative short films shown at Cannes, Tribeca Film Festival, Palm Springs ShortFest, Mill Valley, Woodstock and Frameline film festivals.
As an additional and assistant editor, Ali has worked on 12 films with several first time directors and veterans like George C. Wolfe, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Tamara Jenkins.