How Community (and a Little Weed) Made This Dream Short Film Come True | "City of Dreamz" (Imani Celeste)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agMawl4hqvw

Description

In this episode of Film Festival Friends, Brandon Nick sits down with filmmaker Imani Celeste to talk about her short film City of Dreamz and how community, resourcefulness, and a little weed helped bring her debut short to life. Imani shares how she made the film for $8,750 — casting friends, family, and a stranger off the sidewalk — and shot it in her parents' apartment while figuring out filmmaking on the fly. The conversation also digs into the collaborative magic behind the film's trippy visual and sound design, the ebbs and flows of the festival circuit from quiet stretches to Palm Springs and NewFest, and what it means to tell unapologetically Black queer stories on screen.

Then, Imani brings her full creative energy to the 60-second pitch — sucking Mekhi Phifer and Wanda Sykes into a TikTok-induced animated world where they have to fight their way back to reality.

About Our Guest:

Imani Celeste is a multidisciplinary Afro-Dominican artist, Emmy and Imagen nominated producer. Her debut short film, City of Dreamz, was streaming on AMC+ and has screened at prestigious festivals, including multiple Oscar-qualifying festivals. Her second short film, TIGUERONAS, was selected for the Latino Film Institute’s Inclusion Fellowship supported by Netflix. 

Her work has received coverage in GLAAD, Gothamist, Variety, Deadline, and the Netflix Newsroom. Her choreography and movement direction have been featured on MTV, Nowness, and Something Curated. In the city that breeds dreamz, Imani Celeste personifies the essence of her community and proves to tell their stories in all of their unapologetic truth, drip and glory. 

About City of Dreamz: 

City of Dreamz follows four Black art students telling stories of community, divine intervention and the artistry that led them to this very moment . . . smoking weed in a cramped NYC apartment, trying not to get caught.

ABOUT FFF:

Film Festival Friends is a podcast about queer cinema, craft, and culture. Hosted by Brandon Nick. Full show notes and transcript available on our website: www.brandonnick.com/filmfestivalfriends

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• Guest IG: https://www.instagram.com/imani_celeste/

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Transcript:

Brandon Nick: Me and my friends always have this saying of girl, smoke the blunt, don't let the blunt smoke you. 

Imani Celeste: Yeah, 

Brandon Nick: The blunt, the blunt was smoking her.

Imani Celeste: The blunt smoked her a little bit. I'm not gonna hold you. It was a lot. It was a lot,

Brandon Nick: I mean the blunt was honestly smoking all of y'all.

What's up everyone? This is Brandon Nick and you are tuned into another episode of Film Festival Friends, a podcast where I chat with filmmakers that I met during the festival circuit.

So if you enjoy process driven conversation, indie film production or navigating the festival circuit, then this is the show for you. So be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on social media so you don't miss out on any of these insightful dope conversations.

Today I have the honor of chatting with the head nigga in charge of City of Dreamz, Imani Celeste, and we talk about how the power of community and a little weed helped make her dream short film come true.

And the conversation starts right now.

Welcome. I feel like that was too hard. 

Imani Celeste: No, that eats, that eats. Drama. 

Brandon Nick: I live! I'm so glad to have my festival friend imani here with me. Yes. How are you feeling on today? 

Imani Celeste: I'm feeling great. I'm excited. Excited to have this conversation with a talented ass filmmaker, so yeah, I'm just happy to be here. 

Brandon Nick: Yes, it's given, the Hollywood Reporters, actor on actor but filmmaker on filmmaker. 

Imani Celeste: I know. Director on director. 

Brandon Nick: Tea! Can you describe City Dreamz in 25 words or less? 

Imani Celeste: Okay. Period. I think this is 25 words or less. Okay. So it's four black art students telling stories of community, divine intervention, and the artistry that led them to that moment, which is smoking weed in a cramped apartment, trying not to get caught. I think that's, I think that's 25 words. 

Brandon Nick: I love that. And I love, like naming for me, like I love that you made a film about folks smoking weed. There was a, and I know we haven't even gotten into the questions yet, but there was a moment in the rotation where the bookish one, 

Imani Celeste: yeah, Sade, 

Brandon Nick: When like, Sade, like her first inhale, like she's gagging. Me and my friends always have this saying of girl, smoke the blunt, don't let the blunt smoke you.

Imani Celeste: Yeah.

Brandon Nick: The blunt, was smoking her,

Imani Celeste: The blunt, smoked her a little bit. I'm not gonna hold you. It was a lot. 

Brandon Nick: I mean the blunt a honestly smoking all of y'all, if we can be real, especially, the gentleman who had the, like that very hearty laugh.

Imani Celeste: yeah. 

Brandon Nick: But I love that. Okay, so before I get into, the origins of the film and how the film was made, I'll just ask you know, the steak and potatoes. How did you, how did you fund your film and what was the budget for the film? what did that look like for you? 

Imani Celeste: So my budget was $8,750.

Brandon Nick: Exactly. Love that.

Imani Celeste: Exactly. I got a grant at NYU, so I went to NYU for acting. Okay. I minored in film, so I, really did four years for acting. I learned how to screen write. That's about it, in my film minor. We learned here's a cowboy shop, but we don't really learn filmmaking 101. 

Brandon Nick: Yeah. How did you, and I love that you went to NYU know so many NYU actors, so yeah. It's exciting to exist in that, that pantheon of greatness. How did you, land on your cast and your, crew? And I feel like I remember you saying this in one of the talkbacks that we did that some folks were like family members.

Am I mistaken in that? 

Imani Celeste: Yeah. My parents are in the film.

Brandon Nick: I love that. Yes, yes.. Talk to me about that.

Imani Celeste: I casted my parents. Yeah. Because we didn't have a budget like that, you know, we was working on $8,750. I was like, I shot in my apartment. My parents are in the movie. Katrina, who plays Sade, I met her the very first day of class. Similar to how it is in the movie. Not exactly like that. But similar with the only two black girls in class and it was friendship.

Dante, I actually, who plays Dre, I met in high school. Jaylen, who plays Angel, I met during the pandemic. We had pandemic classes together and so it was just like that was our lead cast.

Everyone I met through NYU. 

It's just like a lot of like close, friends. One person I casted on spot, like literally down the sidewalk. Hey, can you be in this movie? Because somebody dropped like day of.

Brandon Nick: Wait, how'd that go? Tell me about that. Tell me about that story. 

Imani Celeste: That was, I was like, ready, you know, like with filmmaking, you never know what to expect. And you always gotta expect the unexpected something's gonna go wrong, right?

But it's as long as you're prep for it, it doesn't matter. But what happens when someone you've been practicing with isn't there and can't show up? You need this person to be there 'cause it's a character in the script. 

Brandon Nick: Yeah. 

Imani Celeste: And then I, they were shooting a music video on the same block in Bushwick that we were shooting at.

And so I told my A.D. and my grip, I was like, yo, can you go over there and ask somebody, somebody in that group to be in the movie? Wow. They grabbed the youngest guy, his name is Ann. It was great

Brandon Nick: And wait, which one was he?

Imani Celeste: He hit all was his marks. So one that's like clowning him. 

Brandon Nick: I see. Yes. Ah, okay. 

Imani Celeste: Literally met him that day.

Brandon Nick: Wow. Yeah. So he, look, he, that was a blessing for him. He got double booked. 

Imani Celeste: He got double booked. So I was just a blessing because I was about to cry and I'm like,

Brandon Nick: Shout up to the universe. It's giving little,, anything that can go wrong will go wrong, but the universe will always have your back. And I think that is, beautiful that everything was in alignment. 

Imani Celeste: Exactly .

Brandon Nick: In that way. And for you, what is it? What was it like rather working with, people who you have such a personal relationship with? Like actually working with your parents and you know, childhood and, college friends?

Imani Celeste: Yeah, I mean, I think it's a beautiful thing. Especially like working with like friends of mine that we've been like, you know, I've been doing African dance since I was like 13. So it was like to be able to showcase something that is like, 'cause my film is somewhat of a personal story, but also showcasing my friends and having them be in this piece of art that means so much to me.

And for them to eventually, you know, go to screenings and see themselves was like so wholesome. And then with my parents it was funny, but it was also like, yo, sometimes you know, your family gets you tight sometimes. So you're like, yo, like I need you to bring it a little harder, whatever. Like my dad wanted to improv and you know.

Brandon Nick: You know, our parents, and I'm thinking about the parents specifically. Our parents are so used to like, you know, our interactions looking a very specific way. But now it's no mom, I actually in this moment, I'm in charge. I need you to sit here, say your lines. Say it this way. So I'm just like that is a, a beautiful testament. 'Cause I'm just like, I don't know what, trying to direct my mom would even, would even look like. But shout out to, you know, shout out to, making it work. And that was, I mean, and it is also just very beautiful right?

To like, 

Imani Celeste: yeah, 

Brandon Nick: I imagine for you to see the film and like this, is my family. And I think it also showed, yeah, like the, there is a level of chemistry that is really beautiful. I think between all of y'all, right? 

Imani Celeste: I, like it was, I think it's really beautiful to work with people you're so close to when you've known for so long.

And it's like I remember telling my moms like, you know, to do something and she like checked me like a black mom would you know, don't talk to me like that. You know, and I'm like, girl, like we don't got time for this right now. You need to go. But then she's did amazing. 

Brandon Nick: Were when you told them like, hey, I'm casting y'all in this film.

What were the, what was their reactions? 

Imani Celeste: Like, okay, like we just gotta, they were ready for it. you know what I mean? Oh, I love that mean. They were like, okay, just let us know what time you need us. And I feel you know, most parents, not most parents, I won't generalize, but I know some parents aren't, you know, accepting of arts and.

And all the things. So I just appreciate that my parents like let me shoot in their apartment. Like someone pushed my mom's ottoman like out the door. So when she came in, her ottoman wasn't inside the apartment. And she's like, why is my ottoman outside? And I shot in this apartment too for my second short and like we, they like put lights on the ceiling and taped it with gaffer tape. And so some of that like tape ripped off some of the paint in the ceiling.

So like they support me when they see the film and it's good and they're like, congratulations. Even though like I put them through the ringer a little bit with, you know, small budget, sometimes you gotta shoot in your apartment, so. 

Brandon Nick: Tea. Tea! Yeah. How did you arrive at, City of Dreamz? 

Imani Celeste: Yeah. And I was like, I wanna make a TV show, about what it's like to be Black and in college, but specifically art school. Because that's a very different experience. And then being in New York City and living here versus being a transplant and what it's like.

And, at that time it was COVID too. So we lowkey were smoking fake blunts during Rona, like it was. There was a lot of things happening. So at this point it was like 2021. 

And I'm like, okay, like figuring out the story. I will also say they partnered us up with a mentor. His name was Alrik Brown, he's an NYU professor.

Brandon Nick: The school, when you got the grant? 

Imani Celeste: NYU. Yeah. Okay. They partnered us with a mentor. He teaches at NYU. His name is Alrik Brown. Incredible human being, incredible mentor. And he was like, originally was gonna be four poetry shorts based on the themes of the show. And he was like, nah, that's whack. Like mad people do that. you gotta you know, like he was being mad blunt about it. I mean, he probably didn't say it was wack but essentially that's what he said.

And he was like, nah, like you gotta make a story. Like you're here to make it short. Make it short. And so I was thinking about it and I was thinking, what's the best way to tell the first season arc of every character in a succinct 15 minutes? How am I gonna do that? And I was like. Smoking weed, duh. That's one of the best like storytelling methods there are. Like you smoke a blunt with your friends, you smoke a joint with your friends, now you're unpacking your entire life. 

Brandon Nick: Tea. 

Imani Celeste: And you get to play with time because time doesn't exist when you're high.

Brandon Nick: It don't. It don't. 

Imani Celeste: It doesn't. So then I was like, that's it. Like they're telling, it's a cipher, it's a circle. And what that also means in like a historical Black context of like griots telling stories and, circles in the cipher and all that. and so I was just thinking about so many things and I was like, okay, this is how I'm going to tell the story.

Then I started, I got the grant, I think April, 2021, and then we shot October, 2021. It took two years to finish. I didn't finish it till September of 20, or August of 2023. 

Brandon Nick: Wow. 

Imani Celeste: And then I premiered at, New York Latino Film Festival, and then it's been screening since. 

Brandon Nick: Everywhere since. 

So, wait, what was the, 'cause now I have 40 questions, but what was the, what was the two year process? What was the reason behind the two year process? 

Imani Celeste: Well, I mean, again, it's like I didn't go to film school, so I personally didn't really not, I didn't know what the fuck I was doing. Again, I knew how to screen write, but I didn't know. cameras, lenses, all the things.

And so one, I had to do a lot of YouTube research. Two, I had to reach out to everyone and their moms essentially to be like, "hey, I have this film. This is the idea. Do you wanna work with me? I know I have no experience. Please work with me, please." So Alex Wohlin, who's incredible DP he was really like, he really loved the script. He, you know. Help me out. Like he brought his camera on. He did it for a lower rate than, you know, most people probably would. Like he was just really like down for the project. So it was just like everyone, I was gathering everyone like, please help me. Homies help me. And so we were

Brandon Nick: Shoutout to community.

Imani Celeste: Shout out to community because so many people like Max. I'm like, who am I forgetting to name? But like everybody that was on the set that just, you know, was there for me. Like Hailey, my dad was a PA driver, like he drove his car. We like put it in a, the camera equipment in a cart, pushed that in there.

NYU eventually I had to, you know, fight a little bit for it, they eventually gave me lighting equipment. At first they wasn't gonna give me lighting equipment.

Brandon Nick: Oh wow. Yeah. 

Imani Celeste: Yeah. So it was a lot of Reaching out to everyone to be like, just please believe in me and I, yeah, I know that this is gonna be fire.

Once we shot in October, 2021. I didn't know who to reach out to for posts, you know what I mean? Yeah. I don't know what I'm doing. So I like reached out to a friend who did a short, and I was like, yo, can you send me your sound person? So I got my sound designer from them, Joey, incredible human being. 

I had editor and like they did great work, but then it was like I needed to elevate. So that's why it took also two years. And then I found my like, go-to editor now, Simo Motsa. And he just brought it to a whole new level because he taught himself via effects. So then we like played a lot with that. And so that was like a process of us like, you know, becoming friends, but also like of building what this film could look like.

 Because again, I wanted them to get high, more high as you watch the film. So what does that visually look like? And making it trippy. So it was, a lot of pulling on community and then me just, 'cause like I'm like a go-getter. Like I, I do procrastinate a lot, I'm not gonna hold you. But it was like, I need this to work and I was like, I'm gonna be a director. Like I'm gonna figure it out. I don't know what I'm doing, but I'll learn about lenses. Yeah. I'll learn about shot listing. Like I'll figure it out .

Brandon Nick: And how, and for me it's just like knowing this and hearing all of this, I think this is such a beautiful testament to, honoring and you know, really holding your voice. And how does the, that adage of do it afraid, do it scared, do it, you know, in the dark and trust that things will, you know, come along the way.

'Cause it's, it sounds like what I'm hearing is acting is my thing. I also wanted to tell this story, I, I wanted to do this show. I didn't really know, what I was doing essentially, but community guided me along the way. And I'm also a, whenever I'm starting something new-- and this is something like you were talking about coming from school-- one of my, favorite college professors, he used to always say, "start with what you know and then grow."

So whenever I'm doing something, it was just like, alright, alright, let start with the easy, like the low hanging fruit, the people I know, the information that I know. And then from there I can grow. And I feel like that is also like what, you were doing with City of Dreamz. It's I know, I can act, I have friends who can also do a thing or too, you know, you just like, and from there, I will grow and learn all of the things that I need to learn.

Which I think is really just again, another beautiful testament to the journey of like independent filmmaking. And I think that it's, very beautiful.

And I'm so glad that you named your editors and your sound designers because I definitely wanted to like, talk about how much I loved both of those aspects of the film. Like no, the editing is really solid. And, I'm saying this as a person who edits, I was like. Oh, no, this is really good.

This might be a Brandon thing, but I imagine other folks are like this as well. It's like, I don't know, if I was hired to do this project, if I would've edited it the same way. Which isn't to say if I, would've done a better or worse job. It's just like a different job. And I really love the way that this was edited. Like the, the, like speed ramp shots, the, like this, like super imposition, like all of these like practical and visual effects that y'all were doing to like really lean into the world of we high boots.

Imani Celeste: Yeah. Yeah. 

Brandon Nick: Like, we are high boots. And so I really appreciated, visually and audibly, just like navigating this experience and to short in this world. 

What was the conversation like, for production and post-production of like capturing this, like this visual audio, like language and articulation of the film?

Imani Celeste: Like I talked to, you know, Peyton, my sound designer about this, and then also Alex, my DP about this, about creating different worlds. But then in post it became like, again, they say you make a film three times when you write it, when you shoot it, when you add it, and when you edit it. 

Brandon Nick: Tea. 

Imani Celeste: So it was like. It's funny 'cause I knew when I was like finished with my first editor and I was moving, I didn't know who my second editor was going to be at that time, but I knew I had to make it bigger and better because I was like, we're getting high. Like I need this to match getting, I wanted to feel like what it's like when you, get high.

Yeah. Although I don't really smoke weed anymore. But anyways, I feel like a low key, a little bit of a fraud 'cause of that. But 

Brandon Nick: But at the time you did.

Imani Celeste: Yeah. You know, but like barely still. I don't know if you, could kind of tell when I pull in the film, but whatever. We're gonna, we're gonna move on from that.

But I was like, I needed to feel different. Yeah. So I met Simo because I do this thing and it's gonna sound crazy when I say it, but I artistically stalk people. So I like look at the credits of oh, this person is the director, dp, producer, editor, whatever.

And so one of my friend's, Radio, had a music video and I thought the cut was fire and I was like, who edited it? I clicked on Simo's Instagram, found his email. I emailed him. We like got along immediately on that first call. And so I gave him the footage. He was like, I would love to do this, whatever. And the first I let him like, you know editors do their first pass? 

Brandon Nick: Yeah. 

Imani Celeste: He made the shaman disappear. And I was like, yeah, bro, you got it. You got it. Like you ate that like you. You ate that, you chewed that's crazy. You just made my son disappear. Like what? So I was gagged.

And we just spent a lot of time like, figuring out how to make it trippy. Sometimes he went like too far. Sometimes they were like, okay, let's, bring it down a little bit. But we finessed it. The credits is my favorite part.

Brandon Nick: Which I'm gonna get to as well.

Imani Celeste: I love the, credits. but we were just playing with different things. The opening of the chain, which I have, I should have worn it. But, It's like little things like that. And then with sound too. This was me and Joey's first time working together, and he's a genius. So he like cleaned up the sound, cleaned up the audio, and then that's when we like, experimented with it. All the times we hit the blunt is actually a record pop, like a vinyl pop.

Brandon Nick: Oh. Nifty come on foley. We love foley art.

Imani Celeste: Yeah. Yeah. So he just you know, we experimented with it and then we would sit there and we'd think about, okay, we can add this sound and like we'll go through his sound library. Like I love working with both of them. So I'll be there with them for hours.

Like me and Simo probably worked on this film for months before we even passed it along and just hung out, watched it. We'd go through a scene, figure out what cuts, I'd figure out what takes I like the best and then we just went from there. But it was just like a fun experimental process where we just tried shit and we were like, oh, that's cool.

Maybe that's too much. And we just like, again. And then same with color too. I wanted the like saturation to get brighter as the film went along. 

Brandon Nick: Let me know if I'm far off, but what I'm hearing is you as a director, like trusting your collaborators, right? Like I'm trusting you Simo to do this thing. I'm trusting you, sound designer to do this thing. And then from there I can you know, reel it in or zhuzh it, you know, finesse it a bit more. But giving them like that freedom to just play and find as you were saying, what is that story? What is that third story that we're telling in the edit?

So I think it's really beautiful that, you, you know, that you are so trusting. Especially as you are, as you were saying earlier, I am learning all of this, I'm building the train as I'm driving it, right. So I think that's really beautiful that you were able to trust your collaborators and that now y'all have such a beautiful relationship.

And what I've been enjoying about the festival circuit is being able to see so many films. And I think in seeing other, work by, queer folks, Black queer folks specifically you know, it helps give, it helps inform your own visual, your own visual language and visual articulation.

 Which is to say another aspect of City of Dreamz that I loved was the way that you did the credits. Like baby and, I as a person who like between the last two shorts I did, Miss Honey: the Catsuit which I think is how we got to,

Imani Celeste: Which was fire, let's get into that.

Brandon Nick: You know, I, I don't, I'm not a fan of scrolling credits. Like they don't really do much for me. you know, I need my whole time with you to be engaging. So I remember the first time that I saw City of Dreamz and it said, hold up wait a minute, we ain't finished.

And then I was like. Oh, this shit is fire. Shout out to the head bitch in charge, 'cause she ate that. It inspired me to, to even imagine better or imagine stronger about like how I do my credits. So thank you for, you know, giving me added visual language. And what was that? How did you arrive at doing that that first credit sequence and yeah, talk to me about that backstory. 

Imani Celeste: Yeah, I mean it was, and it's also like funny that you mentioned like the moment where Dre's smoking, 'cause there's also some shots that we like reversed in the movie that like, there's like a inhale or like we're dancing that's like actually the shots in reverse.

So we like played with things like that too. But with the credits, so at that point we were like pretty much done with the film and me and Simo are on. Google meets 'cause he loves Google meets down

Brandon Nick: Same.

Imani Celeste: And so we're there like talking and we're like, what are we gonna do for the credits? And are we just gonna do like normal basic credits?

I was like, oh, we have a bunch of like footage, whatever. And then like somehow we came up to the idea of having New York ass credits. And so the first thing that came to my mind was my son with the camera. Like my son with the camera was like, duh, that's a dp, my son with the camera. And so. Then it was like, okay, that's what we're doing.

So then we came up with a Google doc and he put his suggestions, I put my suggestions in of what each, you know, major key alert. That's the key grip. Picasso baby, colorist.

Brandon Nick: Mic check, one two. 

Imani Celeste: I'm a focus man. Mic check one, two. I'm focused, man, First AC, 'cause you pulling focus. Like it was like all those like little things and we were like, yo, nobody. And we were like, nobody's ever done this shit. Like this is gonna go stupid. That's my double dolly 

Brandon Nick: Every time I, 

Imani Celeste: That's my double dolly. 

Brandon Nick: And every time I see it, I'm just like, no, this is so fab. This is so fab. And in a way where I feel like when folks like really get into it, it's oh, like this is like folks are going to want to imitate this or emulate this.

And for me it's just again, it really did, challenge me to reimagine how I even see credits. 'Cause I feel like, and I also wanna name that it's, it, you make good use of like additional footage. 'Cause I'm a person who always talks about you know, there's always footage, as a doc maker, there's always footage that ends up on a cutting on the floor. But you know, I mean, it is oftentimes like you folks put like bloopers and the credits, which you, know, you kind of did. But like you also had these extra shots, right. And this is like making good recycling use of like footage that otherwise wouldn't have made it in the film.

But just. very clever. So again, hats off to you like this. You know, this being your like first project you are doing all of the stunts, all of the shows, reinventing and reimagining the landscape of queer cinema I think that is actually very beautiful. Yeah. 

Imani Celeste: And I think it's like important too for like Black folks to see themselves in a different light. 'Cause I feel like we're always not, I don't want to again, like just...

Brandon Nick: generalize.

Imani Celeste: ...Have an umbrella thing, but I think sometimes we're afraid of how whiteness perceives us, and I hate that you know, with cinema, like there's like this respectability politics sometimes. And it's fuck those respectability politics, I'm gonna do me and y'all are gonna have to sit there and you're gonna have to sit there whether you like it or not.

You gonna sit in this movie, watch it for 12 minutes and if you see my son with the camera, you see hed nigga in charge, you see all of this It just is what it is. You know what I mean? And I think that is like my stamp of I'm gonna do what I want. Fuck respectability politics. Fuck what your perception of Blackness is or Latinidad or queerness. Like it has to fit in your box. It doesn't have to fit in your box. It could be what it's gonna be. 

Brandon Nick: And what I, and, as you were talking, it made me think yeah, if, I were to define Black queer filmmaking, and I don't know that I necessarily have a definition, but I know one of the factors of like Black queer filmmaking for me is to be able to create and create, ignoring the white gaze, right? Because what you were talking about, like Black queer film, Black queerness in itself is just you know, very much, adverse to, or like in opposition to, you know, the status quo. And you know, and seeing that translated into film is very like, very dynamic.

And again, brings people in. 'Cause what I will also say is the characters felt very relatable. Like I knew all four of y'all. I also knew the mom, I also knew the dad. Right. I also knew, the possibility model sitting in the bench next to sibling who was like, girl, why are you in my face?

You know, it's rude to stare. Yeah. and even in that, just, you know, being inspired to be like, okay, bitch, I see you're rude ass and your rude ass has given me permission to now explore and do drag.

I enjoy how, deeply you leaned into, the authenticity of the world of Black queerness and like Brown queerness as you knew it. So again, I mean so much of I think this podcast is really just me, like loving up on the folks, that I've been in the festival circuit with .

Imani Celeste: I appreciate that. 

Brandon Nick: Hey, popping in real quick. This isn't an ad. This is a request for community support. If you're enjoying film festival friends and appreciate queer storytelling, then join my Patreon today.

These shows are free to watch, but they're not free to make your contribution. Helps me produce shows like this to sign up. Visit the link in my description. Thank you in advance. Now let's get back into the conversation.

I think I might've seen your film first at New Fest, but I think we might've met in person first at the festival in Newark.

Imani Celeste: yeah, it was a one in Newark. 

Brandon Nick: Newark LGBTQ Film Festival. Yeah. Which was, again great. Be like, that was great because of like the community aspect. I remember it's all just like. Sitting outside. 

Imani Celeste: We was vibing. 

Brandon Nick: We were vibing. 

Imani Celeste: Yeah. You gave me life advice I did exactly what you told me and, but yeah.

Brandon Nick: Oh, yes, Wait, so I'm, I'm, so glad you brought that up. So wait, we need to send the block on that. And so if I'm remembering correctly and fill in the gaps, if I'm remembering correctly, we were outside of the, we were outside of the venue for Newark LGBTQ Film Festival. And you were telling me about, you were telling us 'cause it was a group of us in a, again, a group of us in a circle. 

Imani Celeste: It was in a circle. Yeah. 

Brandon Nick: A group of us in a circle. And you were telling us about, the next film that you were working on and you were having issues with like music licensing or something like that. yeah. And I remember suggesting you know, just like getting, I think this is how, what I probably said, like getting some level of, you know, like a, licensable song from you know, one of the libraries and then just like throwing lyrics on top of it. I mean, like essentially making your own hook. Is that how it, is that how it went? 

Imani Celeste: Yeah, you were like something something pussy like Dasani or something?

Brandon Nick: Yeah, pussy like Dasani. Oh my God. I'm actually gagging that you remember that? yeah. Yes, pussy, so is that the actual line that you use? Because if you -

Imani Celeste: No, no. I wish. I'm gonna have to, I'm gonna have to write a verse with pussy like Dasani. 

Brandon Nick: Pussy like da Dasani. Okay. So wait, I, know we are here to talk about City of Dreamz, but in the spirit of community, I, do want to know like how, how that process went for you and how you were able to like, weave in the, you know, I guess that support or that suggestion that I was able to give. 

Imani Celeste: Yeah. One, I mean it the, you need to actually get in the studio if we're being honest. That's my first point. You need to get in the studio. You need to make it happen.

I'll be a hype woman just there vibing, you know? So that's one, but two, you were like, yeah, you should do it. And I was like, do I do it? 'cause you know, I low keep writing, you know, I'll be on my Issa shit, just writing sometimes, you know, my room and shit. And I was there and you know, I had, the film was due in a couple weeks.

Yeah. And I was like, shit, I need a song that we cut to, what am I gonna do? So then my homie Steven, who did some, like mixing at the end, and then he like, I was like, yo, I need a beat. Like I need a Dembow beat, like, asap, but let me send you a playlist. I'll like, gimme a day, I'll think about it.

And the next day I was like, yo, I need that. And he was like, I'm sending it over. And I was like, god bless you. and then I got this beat and I was like, okay, I guess I'm gonna have to. 'Cause I feel like he was, people were sending me like people and songs and shit, but it was like not hitting. I was like, I need to get in the, I need to get in the booth.

I need to, do, I need to do what Brandon told me to do. Like I need to lock in. And so then you know, I had a little verse that I already wrote, and then I had to like, change it up a little bit to you know, make it hit with the chorus. Like I wrote a chorus. And the whole thing. And so then I went to my sound designer's crib Joey, and he has like a in-home studio.

So -

Brandon Nick: Shoutout to Joey. 

Imani Celeste: -we just recorded. We had to "pussy like Dasani" it, like that's, what we had to do because we had no choice and the film was due like two weeks and I had a screening like, you know what I mean? Yeah. It was like, we gotta lock in.

Brandon Nick: It worked out. Wow. Mean, the, takeaway for any, indie filmmaker or any filmmaker out there is if you can't license a song or if you can't find the song you need, find you a licensable beat and make the song yourself.

Okay. So wait, really quick, going back to the festivals. How many festivals has City of Dreamz been in so far, and how much have you spent on festival submission fees? 

Imani Celeste: Child. Don't ask me that question. I have no idea. 'cause like I tried to do my taxes, I think. It had to be like, again, just paying for festivals is probably One G, two Gs, like probably around there. But then you wanna travel and you wanna be the director and show your face. Guess what? Now you're spending another G, two Gs traveling 

Brandon Nick: Yes. 

Imani Celeste: So it's been. Hella expensive. 

Brandon Nick: It does add up.

Imani Celeste: I, have a full-time job, so that is why I am, I'm able to spend, I feel like that's another thing is I guess you know, I could say I'm privileged in that sense that I have a job where I'm able to, you know, take some of my check and put it into filmmaking.

 Because I don't think it is easy to spend a G two Gs, you know what I mean as an indie filmmaker. I just want filmmakers, anyone watching to like, have the patience because it started off like strong. We got into NYLIFF we got into Bushwick, we got into Reel Sisters, and it was like a couple festivals and then it went quiet. Like for a good minute. And then may, we picked up with Inwood, but then I found out I got into Palm Springs and Palm Springs is huge. And I was like, I've never been to Palm Springs. So it's like, okay, a bitch is traveling now. You know what I mean? We're outside. 

Brandon Nick: Yeah. Deep outside. 

Imani Celeste: Deep outside. We in Palm Springs. That's crazy. So it's like I went to Palm Springs then, the Newark Black Film Festival, then Holly Shorts, and then it was just like, we're picking up again. And then New fest. And so it was just like moving from there. It was like picking back up again. So it was just like more things were happening and sometimes film takes a life of its own and it'll have, its like ebbs and flows and sometimes there's not gonna be as much screenings and then sometimes there's gonna be a shit ton of screenings. So it's like believing in your vision and being patient with the festival circuit. Because it could be crazy. 

Brandon Nick: You were also at New Fest Pride this year? That was this year, yeah, this year. Earlier this year.

Imani Celeste: Yeah.

Brandon Nick: Aww, I love that. I wish I'd have known 'cause I'd, have pulled up again. 'cause I mean, for me it's I love City of Dreamz. I think that is such a fun vibe to just sit and watch. And, like the, energy of being in a room, which is why I love festivals, to like experience Black queer art in the presence of other folks. Even if not everybody is, you know, representing us or representative of us, is nice.

And I love that you had this like back to back, New Fest, newFest relationship. And like NewFest had also. I'm trying to remember the network, but like a few films from last year, had gone to AMC. So like how was that for you to have this I guess this level of support?

And, I'm also just like gagging 'cause gagging in real time. 'Cause I'm like, this is your first real film and it is done. So many beautiful and wonderful things. Right. And so again, this flowers was to you, but my, I guess going back to my question, 'cause I'm, I can sing your praises all the time. How was that, like, how was your relationship with New fest and just knowing that, and, what was the, as much as you can share what was it like behind the scenes, like of getting City of Dreamz to AMC?

Imani Celeste: Yeah. I mean, I, again, I love New Fest and Nick and an Anton know that I love, I love them so much. and it's crazy 'cause it's like I met Anton on, in Blackstar. And that's kind of how I got connected to New Fest. And like he came through to the screening and Blackstar and that's kind of like where I met NewFest and how my relationship started like building with them.

And then City of Dreamz got into NewFest and they just always show so much love and so much care, which is really nice. 'Cause I feel like sometimes festivals they're just like, you just kind of go in and you go out and that's it. And you like, that's, it. That's your, you know, 10 seconds of fame and skedaddle, that's it. We, showed your film. Goodbye. but like they're really like family oriented. Like everyone there is also mad cool. yeah. I feel like I have like friends now from New Fest, which is like a beautiful thing. But, so one, they picked it up for NewFest Pride. Unfortunately I couldn't make it 'cause I was screening my second short in LA

But my production designer went to NewFest Pride. So when they were like, oh yeah, we'd love to have your-- 

Brandon Nick: Pause. Because I'm, cha I wish I could go back in time. 'Cause I just realized that we were actually in the same block. And you right. Yeah. Right. you were not that. Right. Look, we're both realizing this in the same time, right?

You were not there, you were there. Your production designer who had on that fabulous ass outfit was there. Okay,

Imani Celeste: Amira, yeah.

Brandon Nick: Now I'm remembering. Yeah. Okay. Yes. Now I'm remembering 'cause we took that photo together. Boom. Okay. That it is, it all, makes sense now.

Imani Celeste: I was so sad that I missed it. I was like, damn.

Brandon Nick: Because, but you weren't there because you were elsewhere screening your other short, right? 

Imani Celeste: Yeah, I was in LA so I was like, damn. 

Brandon Nick: Great problem to have. 

Imani Celeste: I know, but I was like, damn. Like I wanted to be so bad.

Brandon Nick: 'Cause NewFest really is the home. NewFest is the homie and the home. Yeah. 

Imani Celeste: And it was like a bunch of Black queer cinema. And I really wanted to just show up and 'cause I mean, I've seen your film. Amazing. Incredible.

Brandon Nick: Thank you.

Imani Celeste: But I'm like, I wanna see it again and I wanna see everyone else's film. Like, I wanna be there. 

Brandon Nick: It was a powerful block. It was a, really strong block. It was such a, it was such a strong block. I was. I was actually, I was gobsmacked and like very nervous. 'Cause I'm just like, I mean, I know my work is good, but just I think to, and I don't know why I said nervous, but like I mean, I was nervous, but just to be in the company of so much great Black queer work. And then, and again, you know, shout out to New Fest for even, you know, holding that space.

'Cause when it was just like, Hey, we want to do an encore screening of Miss Sunday, I was like, you can do whatever y'all want. I mean, look Yeah. As it stands, I will not say no to NewFest. Right. So I mean, just, having that that opportunity to be able to show my work again. And the privilege of at least for Miss Honey, both of those, and both screenings being programmed in a block full of Black queer art, I think has been such a value to me. Yeah. Like again, I live for NewFest. 

Imani Celeste: Just speaking to AMC, like that was crazy. I used to watch a Walking Dead religiously. Mishon was my bitch. Like my family, like my best friend would come over, my uncle would come over, my uncle's friend would come over me, my mom and dad.

Brandon Nick: Oh, y'all was having Walking Dead watch parties. 

Imani Celeste: Walking Dead watch parties every weekend. So I like grew up on AMC, like I was obsessed with zombies. And so to now, you know, I was like, so I was like gagged. So I, I maybe cried a little bit. Seeing my friends see themselves on the screen is like really, beautiful.

And I'm just gonna go with the first thing that comes to mind, but it was at the Newark Black Film Festival. And I mean, it's the oldest running black film festival in the country.

And all the aunties were coming up to me and saying how much they love the film. And I love when a Black auntie tells you that they love something.

Brandon Nick: Yeah. Right?

Imani Celeste: You know what I mean? It's just such a beautiful experience. So it was like that was just a really beautiful, experience. You're meant to do this. Like reaffirming like, why I am here, why I'm like, put on this earth is no, you're meant to do this. You're gonna be big and like taking pictures with me, like I'm, a celebrity. I'm like, yo, I'm just, I'm a random shorty

Brandon Nick: 'Cause they gonna be like I remember I met her this one time, it's so good to see her grow. 

Imani Celeste: Yeah. So it was very, it was like really beautiful. I think for me it was like, it was just reaffirming why I'm doing this. Because you know, I like with film, like you have your moments of doubt. Should I be doing this? This shit is expensive. I'm tired.

Brandon Nick: I'm navigating that now.

Imani Celeste: You know what I mean? all the things like if you're working full-time and you're doing this like you're tired all the time or like you're doing other things, you know what I mean? So it was just like, having them being like, no, you're meant to do this. this is so special. Like what you're doing is so special.

And I think that's like a really, beautiful thing for me. And then also just like people coming up to my parents and thinking they're actors is like mad funny to me because like they'll be like, like telling my mom like, oh, you're so amazing. And so then my parents like get into who was better themselves.

Brandon Nick: Yeah. They might be gassing your parents. 

Imani Celeste: Yeah. So they'd be like arguing no, I was better. She was good. Just 'cause of the editing, da da da. You know, that whole thing. So I think those have been, 

Brandon Nick: I would definitely hire your mom. No shade. I would definitely hire your mom. Your mom was,

Imani Celeste: Imma tell her.

Brandon Nick: No, do. Your mom was fab. Your mom being a mom felt so real. And this is, there was like the moment, and we don't even see her face as you say it, but you're like, it's okay. You can laugh. And I, can just knowing, remembering that was your mom, I'm just like, I wonder what's going on in this lady's head right now?

And then like to see, like to cut to her seeing her laugh. And that was actually a, like a real joy. And just you know, that very, I don't know if staunch is the right word, but that like staunch face of I know y'all little niglets was in here smoking down. But I love y'all and I also used to be young, so I'm gonna hold space, but don't let this happen again.

Yeah. Don't because y'all mother cussing me out. 

Imani Celeste: Yeah. Yeah. 

Brandon Nick: Has there been any conversation, in the fest, like during your festival circuit run around, like the use or the vehicle of weed? 

Imani Celeste: People ask me if we use real weed to smoke and I was like, fuck no. Like you thought I would be able to direct produce, like act like all of that while being smacked, like there's no way we actually smoke real weed. So just putting it out there. We were not smoking real weed. We use this herb called Kinnick Kinnick, we got it from, there's like a herbal store in the village. It actually opens up your lungs apparently. 

So, but, Katrina, who played Sade, was like, yo, I'm feeling a little lightheaded. Is this, I don't know if this is a placebo effect or what's going on. But we were like, another joint. Another joint. And we was just like, my grip would be like rolling it up as we were like prepping this whole thing. So it was mainly conversation around, asking if we smoked real weed. 

Brandon Nick: Were you like, weren't you guys high? Oh my gosh. 

Imani Celeste: Were we actually high? And I was like, no, we were not. Because I would've not been, I would've not been able to direct.

Brandon Nick: Been to do my job. Yeah. 

Imani Celeste: If we were high, I mean, it would've been a great acting experience, but y'all might've not gotten a whole story if we were all high while, while doing this.

Brandon Nick: So my question is, was there anything that was written, or shot that didn't make it into the final products? Or you know, were there any darling? Were there any sequences that you were like, Ooh, I really love this, but it like, didn't serve the story?

Imani Celeste: Every scene that was written. Was like there, we shot it.

The pier I wish was more lively. I didn't know as many people and I had to really rush. So I wanted it to be a lot more lively. But you know, I got the people that, you know, the people that I needed there, you know, so it was beautiful too. 'cause my uncle's in that shot too. My uncle and his friends are there.

But it was just like, okay, let me, so there was that. I wish was like a little more lively at the moment where my mom was looking at us like, I wish I, after doing the sound design, I was like, I wish I'd just cut that a little bit longer 'cause that is so funny to me. Yeah. but I think overall, like there was, we did shoot the dance scene on a drone.

Brandon Nick: Okay. 

Imani Celeste: That was one thing that I wish like it would've worked out, but because of like the lens and the quality, it just didn't work out the way you needed to. So I think that's the one thing. 'cause we like dance in a circle and there was like formations and whatever. So that was the one thing that I was like, damn, I wish that would've worked.

Brandon Nick: And you know, the like, and, I'm probably just like talking to myself at this point. 'Cause I feel like us as filmmakers, we are quite aware of this, but this is you know, there are so many things in like hindsight, they'd be like, damn, if I could have adjusted this or if I could have just you know, if, I could actually had, if I'd have said cut four seconds later. Or four seconds sooner. But then you know, what folks ended up seeing is just like perfect for them. It's just oh, like City of Dreamz was great. What do you mean you wish you did this thing?

It was, great as is. What do you mean you wish there were more people at the pier? I love, and I'm saying this for me, like I love how calm the pier felt. It was very much like I'm on this date with this boy. you know, it's given very easy, breezy, beautiful blue sky, blue day. 

You know, it's like one of those things, it's like for us as the artist, the person. Who like knows the project inside and out. It's just damn, I wish I'd have did this. Even when I see like Miss Honey or like when I'm watching home, it's just damn, I'm really missing this one scene or Damn, I really wish, you know, this could have happened. or even, you know, the inverse of I'm really glad that this thing happened. It's just like nobody ever really knows. 

Imani Celeste: Nobody notices. And you, could Like have sleepless nights over it and you're like, fuck that one shot. And they're like, oh my God. That was great. Wow. Yeah. 

Brandon Nick: This is like the things that we like sometimes obsess over, be nothing.

Imani Celeste: It's not that deep 

Brandon Nick: Naming that hopefully your, next, short film-- not the one that you are also in the festival for-- but naming like the next project that you work on is a Zombie film set in Harlem. 

Imani Celeste: I do wanna make a, I do wanna make a zombie film. 

Brandon Nick: The walking chop cheese or some crap. 

Imani Celeste: No walking chopped cheese is crazy. 

Brandon Nick: no, the five second rule. Oh, sorry. Because that is that, okay, I'm getting ahead of myself 'cause I, okay, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Brandon, take a second. 

Imani Celeste: You got it? We can talk all day. 

Brandon Nick: So I have one more question and then I'll then I'll wrap this up. Was there a mistake that you made during the process that ended up having, like a, that ended up like working out in your favor?

Imani Celeste: It's not necessarily a ball that dropped. It was what we made with what we got. 

Brandon Nick: Ooh. 

Imani Celeste: So this is So the overhead shot, which I think is like one of the most pretty shots in the phone. Which is like me and Katrina who play Sade, like looking at each other.

I wanted that shot so bad and my DP is we don't have the equipment to get the shot. Like we're not gonna get the shot. And I was like, we. I guess we could do it from the side or whatever, but like I wanted this overhead shot so bad. And so I guess my DP talked to my gaffer Max and was like, yo, we're gonna have to, and this is so dangerous, please do not do this. But we rigged it in, like we took... we took like a C-stand, I think, and we put the camera there and the like, so the like bar here? Yeah. And we put a sandbag and we were using an Alexa Xt, which is like kind of a bigger camera. This is like low key, high key, dangerous.

So the camera was like shaking as we were taking that shot. Like we, me and Katrina look up and like the camera's low key, like shaking a little bit. But we did three takes. And then we was, she 

Brandon Nick: "Alright got, we, got something. Let's move on." It was worth it. Nobody got hurt. The, shot actually is very beautiful, and I'm glad y'all did that. Especially in the world of independent filmmaking, we all take some level of risk, or, figuring out creative ways to, get the shot.

Okay, so my last question, the first part is fill in the blank. And it is Black queer film is 

Imani Celeste: Black queer film is freedom. Period. 

Brandon Nick: I love that, tea.

Okay. So the second part of the question. I want you to close your eyes, and this is a sensory question. You said Black queer film is freedom, and if that word was a scene, what does that scene look like? What does it smell taste feel like, sound like? What is coming up in your imagination right now? 

Imani Celeste: I feel like I see like a colorful like sunrise or sunset. And I'm kinda like, my brain is like jumping timelines. Which doesn't make any sense. But like I see both like a field, like of grass but also two people on a field of grass or on a street, like on a sidewalk, looking at like the water.

Because it's I'm thinking both of New York City, but also a rural area too. Like I think yeah, two people can exist in one space. 

And I just see like a closeup of caressing, like just like soft, gentle. And I think it's like a moments like that where it's like you feel the most free.

That's what I see. 

Brandon Nick: Oh, that is beautiful. That is beautiful. Yeah. Thank you.

It's time for a 60 Second pitch, a creative sprint designed to exercise your imagination. Here's how it works. We've got four spin wheels with lead and supporting actors, movie genres, and plot devices. I'm gonna spin the wheels and whatever fate hands us, that's your movie.

You'll get 30 seconds to ideate, then 60 seconds to pitch your film idea out loud. Let's go. Alright, I'm excited. I'm gonna spin the wheel right now.

Imani Celeste: I'm so curious what I'm gonna get. 

Brandon Nick: Oh, I'm screaming. Okay. oh. No. 

Imani Celeste: We got Niecy Nash?

Brandon Nick: I knew it was gonna be Niecy Nash, but it was Mekhi Phifer. So, Mekhi Phifer is your lead. Wanda Sykes is your supporting actress, and this is an animated film about going viral on TikTok.

And your 60 seconds starts now.

Imani Celeste: Okay. So essentially, it starts off. Live action. It starts off with Mekhi Phifer and Wanda Sykes. It's a buddy comedy, right? And they're, you know, they're getting ready for Mekhi Phifer's like wedding. And they do this whole like TikTok trend, but it's low-key, like a 13 going to 30 moment where you know, she goes back in time except they go into this animated world.

Brandon Nick: Ooh.

Imani Celeste: Yeah, so it goes from live-action animation. And so essentially it's a thing of them trying to figure out how to get back into the human world and they have to go through and comb through like the ether of the internet, to get back to the TikTok trend that they did seconds and go back to their human selves.

And that's the film. Period.

Brandon Nick: Oh, okay. What time to start? What are you calling it? 

Imani Celeste: We calling it, we're calling it, the Adventures of Kiki and Max. Period. I'm like, you gonna figure it out?

Brandon Nick: I live for the adventures of Kiki and Max. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much Imani, for this being on Film festival Friends. Is there anything that you want to say before you go? Anything that you wanna leave? Anything that's on your spirit or your heart right now.

Imani Celeste: I just wanna thank you again for giving the space to yap. I had so much fun. You're an incredible filmmaker.

Brandon Nick: Thank you.

Imani Celeste: Go check out Brandon's work. But also again, community is everything. So make sure you connect with people, become friends with people, 'cause these are gonna be the people that ride out for you when you make it big or whatever project you need help on.

Make sure you check in with your community. Showcase your work. Don't be fearful, be fearless. And you gonna kill it. Just believe in yourself more than anyone else's 'cause no one could advocate for you like you could advocate for you. 

Brandon Nick: Tea. And shout out to the Black aunties.

Imani Celeste: Shout out to the black aunties.

Oh, just ask a black auntie to talk to you, and you will be okay. Everything will be okay. All you need is a good black auntie or two.