The Prologue

The story of Brotha Monday Part 1

Beware when you're treading through the Everglades; Brotha Monday is sleeping. You may know this Congo-born shaman as Mokole, but we refer to him as conjure doctor Uncle Monday-- a shape-shifting kinfolk beloved by Seminole, hoodoo believers, the land, and anyone who dares to come in his way.

The Prologue Film

When you're in desperate need of a magickal cure, Brotha Monday can bestow a potent cure for your deepest desires: insomnia, wealth, and romance. At least that's what Johnny, the casanova of Amitville, thought when he met eyes with a velvet red lipstick, little black dress-painted, pickpocketing silhouette in the club after a long restless night.

On his quest to find Brotha Monday, Johnny must trek through an unmapped swamp on a promise that he can get his life back on track and far away from his summer fling, Barbie. But, as death haunts his adventure, Johnny has no choice but to pray that his disturbing visions and the collapsed world can surrender to the supernatural conjuring before it's too late. 

Filmmaker Jessica Thomas of Reel Legacies brings Zora Neale Hurston's The Complete Stories into the new era of southern gothic thrillers for her debut feature, The Prologue. She seamlessly blends hoodoo history with contemporary cinematographic storytelling exposing an uncanny reality where tales from the black diaspora collide with underground societal issues.

How Can I Help?

This new project can only be accomplished by everyone collectively.  The Prologue family is growing stronger every day. Together we can make a film we are all proud of! 

Here are two ways you can support The Prologue:

1) Please consider donating to our campaign. It all adds up, and any amount helps. 

2) Please share our campaign with your friends & on social media. We need to spread the word about The Prologue to EVERYONE! And I mean everyone you know, meeting at the coffee shop, or go to church alongside. Share it with the world! 

Fund Breakdown

If we exceed the target goal of $100k, it will set us up to create more content, increase the production value, employ more creatives, and set this project up to become a self-sustaining film. And who knows, we may even raise enough to make a sequel.

Bare-bones Goal: $100,000

Flex Goal: $150,000

Dream Goal: $200,000

Where’s the money going?

Your generous donations will bring The Prologue to life by helping us pay for:

• Locations & permits to film in Macon, Okefenokee Swamp Park and the orange grove.

• Props & costumes

• Set design to decorate the locations 

• Transportation and fuel, including van rentals to move equipment from location to location

• Hotels and lodging for cast and crew

• Feeding cast and crew for 12 days (including snacks & water)

• Equipment (camera, sound)

• To hire cast & crew

• Hiring a dialect coach to create authentic southern Florida accents

• Editing the film, including sound design, mixing, color correcting, and composing original music

• Transcription and captioning of the film to make it accessible for everyone

• Film festival submission fees to screen

• Airfare for a few key members of the team

• Printing pages of the script for production

• Expendables

• Sustainability and recycling

• Fundraiser campaign fees

• Marketing

Awesome, What Do I Get If I Donate?

We’ve conjured up beautiful rewards and experiences to allow those who back this film to connect with the spirit of The Prologue. 

A note about getting your reward: At the end of this campaign you’ll receive a survey from us asking if you want your gift. You have to respond to the survey and share your mailing address with us. (Otherwise, we have no idea where to send it.) We take reward fulfillment seriously and have a plan to ensure timely delivery.

Recurring donors will receive exclusive content from The Prologue crew including never-before-seen videos and images during Production and access to our monthly newsletter.

Risks and Challenges 

With a release date of early spring 2024, it is important to remember that delays happen and post-production can take a significant amount of time. We will not rush The Prologue so we can ensure the highest quality film and maximum entertainment. We don't anticipate any major changes, but should the unexpected pop up, we'll not only communicate any issues or delays, but will plan for every possible scenario. 

Meet The Crew!

We are a creative and charismatic bunch of filmmakers. We are a diverse collective with backgrounds spanning Alaska to Sweden. We all were drawn to the story of Brotha Monday and Johnny and began creating a cinematic experience. 

We first came together in October 2022 and have been working diligently to make The Prologue the best film of 2024. Learn more about us below. 

Hi, I'm Jessica!

Writer & Director

Inside Alaska mountains, the pacific northwest coast of Washington, and big skies in Montana. And Georgia peach orchards, Jessica found a camera and a passion for cinema before she could envision herself as a commercial videographer and first-time director. 

Although her career has launched her camera into the future underneath contemporary architecture designs with innovative thinkers, she cannot muster up the strength to abandon the first love she found at Montana State University– human-centered filmmaking. 

Jessica's background in sustainable filmmaking honors the stories of communities and their relationship to the land. She seamlessly connects viewers to nature through script writing inspired by anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston, Carlos Castenada, her close family and friends, and herself– a domestic and international traveler. 

Savon Butler

Writer/Researcher

Born in Washington and bred between southeast Alaskan mountain ranges, Savon graduated with a burning desire for writing, art, and environmental science from her local University of Alaska Southeast. But it wasn't enough to satisfy her itch to connect with the land deeply. 

While searching for writing gigs, Savon joined Cortiva Institute School of Massage, where she seamlessly flourished in research, writing, and bodywork opportunities– applying her passion for literature and natural sciences. Now, she serves as a writer and supportive hand for upcoming independent film projects supporting sustainability and connecting communities to the land.

Victor Tyler

Director of Photography 

Victor Tyler, is a Nashville Based cinematographer, who has found his purpose in telling stories through art and culture. Ever since he was young he was always surrounded by art. From one grandad who was a wood craftsman, singer, trombone player  and the other who was a drawer and painter, Victor has always been surrounded with art. That led him to go to The University of Tennessee where he received his degree in art specializing in Graphic Design. He had a specific interest in identity, light, color, in the pieces he created, often relating design thinking, and concepts into his video practice.

Although Victor knew Design wasn't his passion he graduated and continued to shoot video and photo on the side, this passion and drive later allowed him to work for advertising companies creating long side companies like Nutribullet, Bowery, Organic Valley, Archer Roose and more. Through the years in advertising, Victor never gave up his freelance passion which led him to work with music  industry greats such as Rolling Stone, Isaiah Rashad, and Rick Ross.

Abril Rios

Casting Director/Social Media Manager

For Abril, being a creative spirit on set came naturally at the ripe age of 6– modeling for Ford and acting with Abrams Artists. But it wasn't until she grew older and wiser that she found inspiration for literature, culture, music, and film at South Korea's Yonsei University bachelor's of Comparative literature and Culture program.  

At university, Abril proudly dedicated her time to studying cinema, horror film genres, and film scores. And the potential to continue to find where she would fit inside the entertainment industry, working behind the screen in film production.

Andrew Gillespie

Associate Producer

Andrew Gillespie is an actor, writer, and filmmaker that does not shy away from artist opportunities that opened doors to HBO, Prime Video, Facebook Watch, Stonestreet Studios Productions, and several short films. 

Since graduating from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, he co-created, directed, wrote, produced, and starred in the limited comedy series Filthy Rich. In addition to his roles in God's Law and A Vigilantes Origin. 

In his ventures into post-production, he's found great joy with his roles as PA, producer, associate producer, script supervisor, and 2nd AC that challenge genre connection and uplift queer voices. In addition, his goal for total immersion into set life helped fuel campaigns for Jaguar, Prevnar, Disney, and Nintendo onto the ever-growing list of collaborations.

Alexa Jung

Associate Producer

From humble beginnings with a cheap children's camera growing up, Alexa enthralls herself in filmmaking, television, and all things behind the screen without hesitation. 

Studying video and television at Hofstra University helped her jam her foot into the entertainment industry's door despite the adversities of being an amateur in pre-production.  

However, she vigorously immersed herself in various student-run television shows creating live and pre-produced content weekly. 

She's produced a one-hour stand-up comedy competition highlighting amateur comedians from New York City. And a reality docu-series surrounding the struggles of Hofstra University basketball student-athletes. Alexa's efforts to support local filmmaking and editing has been nothing short of a blessing within her small town outside Philadelphia.

Jessica Keeney 

2nd Assistant Director

Growing out of her roots in Woodstock, Georgia, Jessica listened to the call inside for supporting dreams and being a catalyst for creativity. When she stepped foot into the role of an extra on season 2 of Stranger Things, she transcended previous notions of filmmaking. From there, she pursued a newfound passion for Media and Entertainment behind the camera. 

And with the support from her education at Kennesaw State University, her ability to build meaningful connections with fellow creatives on set led her to a Set PA role for a proof of concept. From there, she put everything she learned into practice– applying creative vision, a durable work ethic, and staff support. 

Although Jessica may be the Jane of all trades, she can dig her roots into permanent positions supporting any creative process with a smile. Jessica took the lessons of her experience from the bustling entertainment industry of Atlanta to the eclectic tapestry of Denver to share stories and elevate dreams.

Cynethia McClendon

Directors Assistant 

Emerging from the country suburbs of Warner Robins, Georgia, Cynethia let Christ lead her into a passion for acting, playwriting, storytelling, and podcast hosting. Although she thought she would always be ballet's best-class clown or musical prodigy, the University of California's Theatre Film and Digital Production program had other plans for her. 

Underneath everything she learned, from the history of drama and production to techniques that helped draw out her unique filmmaking voice, Cynethia found new inspiration and vision for her impact on the entertainment industry. 

Since graduation, Atlanta has been her home base for writing plays, designing costume themes, and serving as professional stage talent with YJB Talent, humbly testifying to her strengths in filmmaking and production. 

Johan Dahlof

Music Composer

Johan Dahlöf is a Swedish-born, now Los Angeles-based composer/film scorer passionate about all things music. Although a very versatile musician, Johan has primarily made his name as a cinematic orchestral composer drawing inspiration from film scorers like Alan Silvestri and classical composers like Vasily Kalinnikov. After studying music production and film scoring/composition at UCLA, Johan's gone on to write music for numerous features and short films, with the latest works being season II of the YouTube series" Love Undone" (coming January 2023) and the short film" As Above, So Below" (coming December 2022)

Charlotte Wang

Accountant, CPA

Charlotte is a certified public accountant with a history of accurately and efficiently supporting reporting and compliance of both public and private companies in the fashion and lifestyle space. 5+ years of experience in full circle bookkeeping, presenting budget and actual analysis to the management, providing financial reporting and tax compliance under time pressures. Expertise in liaising with vendors and individual contractors during photoshoots production to make sure projects go on according to plan and in accordance with rules and budgets. Previously worked for Anine Bing Corp and James Perse LLC brands.