“Reverse” producer Mizzion Smith (left) and writer Jermaine Collins work out details in the short film during a meeting earlier this year.
By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN — The new short film “Reverse,” filmed partly at Henry Ford College, is set to make its debut Nov. 15 at the Boll Family YMCA in Detroit with a HFC alumni as the producer.
Mizzion Smith, 35, was born and raised in Detroit, but attended HFC and has worked at Coattail Entertainment Studios for six years.
“The (HFC) staff was gracious enough to allow me to come back home and film a portion of this great film,” Smith said.
One of those staff members Smith reached out to is current HFC Public Relations Specialist Kurt Anthony Krug, who was Smith’s journalism professor nine years ago.
“I was a student that he saw a lot of potential in in class,” Smith said. “I’ve stayed in communication with him throughout the years and send what I was doing or working on. Kurt was instrumental in my first book and has been supportive in everything else.”
Smith’s book, “In the Mind of a Writer: Book of Poetry” is filled with poetry which, oddly enough, is the style of writing Krug would tell Smith he was using instead of news style while writing papers.
“One of my favorite things about Kurt is his sense of humor and I admire his career outside of being a professor, in terms of being a columnist and the people he’s interviewed in the industry,” Smith said.
When the film opportunity came along for Smith, he shared it with Krug who automatically shared information on using the campus to film helping in the production process.
The pair have kept in touch via social media and email over the years with their most recent discussion being the “Reverse” film.
“Michael was one of several enthusiastic students who made teaching that journalism class a pleasure,” Krug said. “He was a talented photographer before the class even began, which was impressive. I believe he even had his own photography business at the time, if memory serves.”
Krug also recalled Smith’s rich knowledge of film history and music, which they spoke about together at length.
“He was a good writer and he got better by the time the class ended,” Krug said. “Very happy for him and his success; he certainly has earned it and he deserves it. I’m proud to have been part of his journey.”
The film was put together by the studio after writer Jermaine Collins brought the script to the team in early April. Filming took place at HFC and in Detroit over the course of three days in June.
Jezar Riches served as director and Roe Dayzon as director of photography for the project. What started as a 31-minute film, will now be developed into a mini-series with the film serving as the first episode.
“Reverse” drops viewers into a world where the male population has suffered a catastrophic decline due to a gender specific disease, found in male testosterone, according to the synopsis.
“The story begins five years after the illness has hit, causing the female population to firmly take the mantle of power, in government and business throughout the world,” the synopsis also said.
Tickets for the film are available for $12 on Eventbrite. The screening will be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 15 at the Boll Family YMCA, 1401 Broadway in Detroit.
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected])