When most people think about the combination of Black folks and horror films they think of the stereotypical “first to die” trope (one that is too true), and then depending on your generation, ‘Candyman,’ ‘Blacula,’ or even the TV series ‘True Blood.’ Though a shift is occurring through the continual work of the ladies on the Graveyard Shift Sisters website, initial thoughts certainly do not bend to Black people actually working to make horror films. But then you’d be wrong there too.
‘The Dark Rite’ is a supernatural thriller by director Richard LeMay (‘Naked As We Came’) about a family of witches who descend upon a small town. In the vein of ‘Rosemary’s Baby,’ the film begins as a thriller, and slowly moves into a world of inescapable horror. Dark in tone but not a “Black” film (the only Black characters involved are actor Justiin Davis (‘Boardwalk Empire’) as the 4th lead, with Chester Jones III (‘Hey Diddle Diddle,’ ‘Parallels’) and Margaret Laurena Kemp (‘Children of God’) in smaller roles) the film is however produced by a Black female team.
Assembled to make “The Dark Rite’ happen, not by race but by skill, were three talented women – producer Trevite A. Willis, co-producer Nicole Sylvester, and line producer Stephanie Dawson – who have all made their mark on the industry and are steadily climbing further.
Trevite A. Willis has produced award-winning short and feature films including the Bahamian drama ‘Children of God,’ which aired on Showtime and had theatrical releases in the USA, United Kingdom and The Netherlands. She previously produced the romantic comedy, “What a Man Wouldn’t Do for a Woman”, and the Black gay coming-of-age, “Blueprint”, a film festival favorite. Willis also produced the DGA Best Student Film – African American Award winning “Uncle Killa,” which was selected as an HBO finalist at the American Black Film Festival, and picked up by HBO.
Nicole Sylvester, a Detroit-native, made a name for herself as a coordinator for independent and studio productions such as ‘8 Mile,’ ‘Hard Ball,’ ‘*61,’ and at Jeff Daniels’ company Purple Rose Films where she was Distribution Coordinator for the feature ‘Super Sucker.’ She soon began producing and directing her own films – shorts ‘The Stop’ and ‘Minor Blues,’ and her feature film directorial debut ‘Layla’s Girl,’ a heartwarming film co-starring Richard Gant (‘Men of A Certain Age’)’ about one woman’s journey toward peace and healing after the death of her estranged mother. ‘Layla’s Girl,’ played at several film festivals. Nicole also produced Pete Chatmon’s web series ‘Queen Hussy,’ a raunchy mock reality show comedy based in 1974, and she is currently developing the feature ‘Maya and Her…Lover?’ which focuses on a woman who finds herself pushed beyond her limits when she begins an affair with a much younger man.
Stephanie Dawson worked in the IT world before transitioning into video and film production. She started EclectionMedia in 2006 to create short form videos for private clients and under that banner produced several short films including ‘Not Another Heist Movie’ (2009), ’A Little Bit of More’ (2010), and most recently ‘Hypothetically,’ currently in the festival circuit. She also produced independent web series ‘Death’s Door’ (2011) and ‘Scout & Maggie’ (2014).Additionally, Stephanie works as a freelance production coordinator, production manager and line producer for various mediums, with credits on ‘Kelly & Cal’ (IFC Films 2014), ‘Jamie Marks is Dead’ (2014), and ‘Beneath’ (Chiller Films, 2014). Stephanie has also assisted independent producers such as Laurie Parker, Joyce Pierpoline, and director Alison MacLean. In her spare time, Dawson writes film reviews for the lifestyle blog LimitéMagazine.com.
Check out the trailer for ‘The Dark Rite’ below, and if you haven’t already, start to follow the work of these three talented Black women:
