Executive producers: Herb Hamsher, Jonathan Stoller,
and William DosÈ, James Bolton
Original Score Composed by Kid Loco for the love of
Rachida
Cinematography by Sarah Levy
CAST (lead actors)
Nick -- Ruben Bansie-Snellman
Jesse -- Pepper Fajans
Bravo to James Bolton the writer, producer, and
director who is the driving force behind Other Voices
Film’s Fund, a fund created to assist independent
filmmakers in producing and distributing their work.
The advisory board includes Parker Posey, John
Cameron Mitchell, Craig Chester, and Judith Light,
among others. We need more people helping fund
independent films.
“Graffiti Artist”
A film by James Bolton
Photo by Basil Childers © Mettray Reformatory Pictures
as something they should think about.
My main problem with this film was inconsistencies in the storyline.
I like the way the film started out with just the artist going around and how he was always looking
for a place to do his artwork, and not a word was spoken. I think when the two young men met
was when the story really started kind of taking a wrong turn, there was no lead-in to the lives of
these two young men.
When we first see Nick he is living in an apartment, a few frames later he is sleeping on the
street. So one has to think where did he get the money to live in the apartment or was it a friends
place (that was never explained). Since the young man had no money, no job, how did he buy
his pot?
artist and why they do it might have been a better story and
not add the entanglement brought in when the two young
men met. We learn why Jesse does the tagging, but Nick is
more complex. He has issues that maybe a lead-in to his life
might explain why he was an angry young man.
It seemed odd that Nick could get away with stealing so
many cans of spray paint at a hardware store. I would think
the store would have been suspicious of why Nick was in
the store (wearing a backpack too) and then watch him.
When Jesse told Nick he could pay for things, Nick still stole
food. Maybe that was Nick’s main problem in his life…he
liked to take chances. Jesse had a mother funding his
expenses and just liked doing different things.
Experimenting with various factions in life that is what I got
from him. I do not want to give away the story, as I am sure
it will be out there in other film festivals.
Photo by Basil Childers © Mettray Reformatory Pictures
more than that. The ending message seemed to get
lost in the entanglement between the two young men.
Overall, James Bolton, for such a young man, has a
good career in filmmaking. Not only the photography
was good, but also the plot did have good points.
Also, his actors were excellent, especially Ruben
Bansie-Snellman. This young cast and director/writer
have a good start in the world of independent films.
Photo by Basil Childers © Mettray Reformatory Pictures
