A Week That Tried to Break Us — But Didn’t

About That Time
Jul 30
3 min read

Updated: Aug 1

Xavier McBath (Costume Designer) gives last looks to Colin Brown (Jay) before a take.

We just wrapped 12 shoot days on About That Time. And let me tell you — this past week was the kind of week that tests everything: your spirit, your stamina, your savings.

What started as a scene gone wrong — or incredibly right, if you ask our director — left an unexpected mark on the location. Ironically, it looked so good on camera, it felt like divine production design. (Don’t worry, it was fully repaired by our team.)

Then, fire marshals arrived at one of our main locations and told us we could no longer shoot in part of the building. The other side was still okay to occupy and film in — but only if our permits were in order. Ones we were told we had… suddenly weren’t enough.

Director Jonathan Kemp and Cinematographer Samuel Jones pin front of a no trespassing notice after a visit from the fire marshal.

Two days later, police showed up — and this time, they shut

the entire location down. We were told we couldn’t occupy any part of the property. The fire marshal’s guidance hadn’t been properly communicated. We were out. No backup. No warning.

This led to a full day running around Suffolk — City Hall, Parks and Rec, everywhere — just trying to sort it out.

And in one of the most beautiful turns of the week, a few of our cast members offered up the Airbnb we had rented for them as a backup filming location. We reached out to the owner — and they were all for it. That one moment of generosity and alignment helped us regain our footing.

Then the thunderstorms came, forcing us to shut down mid-shoot, tear down gear, and strike a full set design we had just built.

Director Jonathan Kemp gives the team a pep talk after filming was halted due to a severe thunderstorm.

And yet? We’re still standing. Still shooting. Still fighting to finish this film. Amid all this chaos, the crew kept pushing. One actor couldn’t make it to set due to unforeseen circumstances, and our casting director stepped into the role without hesitation. That’s the kind of team this is — all in.

We’ve now filmed in four locations across Suffolk and Chesapeake. We’ve pulled off 7 straight days of shooting — in heat, in crisis, in community — and what we captured is nothing short of magic. We're taking a short breath and prepping to return August 2 for our final 5–6 shoot days.

But here’s the truth: we need help.

We've already poured over $28,000 into this production — out of pocket, through favors, in-kind support, and sheer will. Our crowdfunding campaign has raised $6,375 so far. But to finish this film right, we need to raise $33,625 more to reach our $40,000 crowdfunding goal.

That funding goes toward:

Bringing cast back for reshoots
Extended gear and location rentals
Crew compensation
Set rebuilds and emergency pivots

This film isn’t just a story. It’s our proof of concept — for a new kind of system, rooted in Black ownership, creative freedom, and infrastructure that lasts beyond one project.

If you’ve been following along and wondering if now’s the time to give — it is.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign — this is it. And if you’ve already given — thank you. We’re still here because of you.

Let’s finish strong. Let’s finish together.

Support the campaign → givebutter.com/aboutthattime

Shoutout to a few of our partners who have stepped in to make this project happen: