I know you probably thought I just threw this dude up on the blog for 'whatever' reason. No. I don't do that. He was put here because he has talent. Here is a little more proof and another insightful look at the man behind the movie clips/videos that I have been putting up.
Via www.delawareonline.com
Courtesy of Gentle Jones:
Patrons of Theater N, in Wilmington, and the Rehoboth Film Festival know that Ryan Phillippe is not the only local talent on the big screen.
Director Rennie Rox has released a new movie filmed entirely in Wilmington called "The Game of Death," a fictional crime drama based on the director's real-life experience in the city.
The film, which debuted at Theater N, was officially released this month.
Rennie chose his story because he feels it is relevant, considering the current climate of the city.
"The Wilmington homicide situation in the streets is out of control, the city is currently under, like, a terrorist siege. The majority of them go unsolved. This is where I live, I see the situation first-hand. Within the last two years I can count 10 people that I had a personal friendship with that were murdered in the streets in the city of Wilmington," Rennie told AllHipHop.com. "It had to be this film. It is my responsibility as a filmmaker to document this era of what's going on."
"The Game of Death" is a gritty tale that pits street level drug dealers against each other and the police.
The distinction between good guys and bad guys is blurred. There is a crooked cop, Lt. Smitty, played by Jimmy Wardell, who forces street hustlers to move his product. There is a sympathetic drug dealer, played by Clark Bar.
Det. Strickland, played by the director's brother Wize Dome, is prepared to go above the law to protect his hometown. Though the violence is underplayed, the perils of the drug game and its accompanying street shootings are clear throughout the film.
The dialogue is what drives the story, which is full of Wilmington-isms that faithfully capture our local dialect.
Shadiq Granville provides an excellent performance as Detective Brown, stealing scenes with well-timed facial expressions. The funniest moments in the film are captured in the streets, with the playful banter of killers hanging on the corner while they await their instructions.
Locals will recognize Brandywine Park, Little Italy and numerous locations scattered across Wilmington's Northside, as well landmarks such as Kelly's Logan House and Untouchables Barbershop in Elsmere.
Unsure of how to get permission to shoot a crime drama, complete with fake police, firearms and shoot-outs, Rennie and company shot the film without telling anyone what they were doing.
"Our scenes were so realistic that bystanders thought they were seeing something real, even with them seeing the camera right there. We were filming in Brandywine Park, dumping a 'dead' body, and people were driving by with eyes the size of 50-cent pieces saying 'Oh my God!' " Rennie said.
Jimmy "Jam" Wardell, who stars as the bad Lt. Smitty, recalled filming the climax, the murder of one of the film's main characters.
"They shot nine blanks and we filmed that, and every house up and down the streets turned their lights on, like dominoes! We still had to film him lying there from a few different angles so we were their for awhile and thought for sure the police would be there any minute asking what we were doing."
Rennie said the film is close to him because he is writing from his own experiences. "The movie is about karma, because what goes on in these streets comes back at you."
Over the past two years, Rennie has released a string of Delaware hip-hop DVDs, which feature scorching performances by hometown favorites like Antbadant, Shizz Nitty, Pretty Thugger, Pops and Bobby Dimes.
He is currently shooting music videos for Delaware artists and writing his next script to film for "The Game of Death" series. Rennie says they took a brief hiatus for the sake of one of the film's stars.
"Clark Bar was shot 10 times last year. Right now he is rehabilitating," he said.
Rennie has had his own setbacks growing up in Wilmington. "As a young teenager I fell into the fast money, the drug game. I ended up doing some crimes, robberies, I got sentenced to 10 years on a home invasion, served eight years on that. I came home and wasn't ready for my freedom. I got three more years on drug trafficking charges."
Since releasing the film, Rennie has partnered with Wilmington community leader Tyerin Griffin for a Stop the Violence movement."
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