Film Independent’s Fiscal Sponsorship program opens the door to nonprofit funding for independent filmmakers and media artists. Donate today and help bring Morning to life.

Logline

At the repast following his father’s funeral, Noah Butler grapples with the complex nature of his grief, and familial bonds, after the surprise arrival of his estranged uncle.

Synopsis

Noah has gathered with his family for the repast following the funeral of his father, Kenneth. Along with his sister, Sherri, and his mother Sonya, each navigates the complicated crevasses of their grief. Sonya enduring the loss of her husband while managing the emotions of her two children; Sherri searching for joy to balance her sadness; Noah struggling with deep despair while fighting the latent rage he doesn’t know where to place. Noah, feeling untethered, becomes unnerved by the ominous tone he hears coming from the sky. When Kenneth’s estranged brother, whom the family hasn’t seen in years, arrives unexpectedly, Noah finds a target for his anger, and wades into a conflict that began before Noah was even born, even as his uncle grapples with that fraught family history and his own regret about what he’s now lost.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Ryan T. Lipscomb – Writer/Director
Ryan T. Lipscomb is a writer and director from Atlanta, Georgia and a graduate of Howard University and The University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts where he received an MFA in film production and earned accolades for writing and directing his USC Thesis Film Bruise. Ryan has developed projects for HBO, John Legend’s Get Lifted, and is currently in development on Jerry, a feature film based on the true-life Jerry Joseph basketball scandal. Adapted from a GQ article by Michael J. Mooney, Jerry will be directed by Fishing Without Nets director, and Sundance Grand Directing Award Winner, Cutter Hodierne.

Ryan has also worked in television on Damon Lindelof’s Watchmen for HBO, Ryan Murphy’s Impeachment: American Crime Story for FX, Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof’s Mrs. Davis for Peacock, and Kenya Barris’s upcoming series based on the life of Richard Pryor.

Jamari Perry – Producer
Jamari Perry is an Emmy Award winning filmmaker from the Bay Area, CA. Her films focus on popular culture and community empowerment. She has produced and directed several works of various genres including web interactives, documentary, media campaigns, and narrative films. Jamari teaches at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts as an adjunct professor, and as the founder of Hush Harbor Media, has produced several award-winning films, including an Emmy winning web interactive for PBS Frontline that examined a federal effort to investigate more than 150 cold cases that date back to the civil rights era.

Corlandos Scott – Producer
Corlandos Scott’s focus and career objectives have always revolved around storytelling. After focusing on entertainment law while attending the University of Michigan Law School, he took a position in the legal department of the Producers Guild of America helping producers bring their vision to the big and small screens. In addition to having served as production legal on a number of feature films, Corlandos produced the slasher/thriller Hayride 2. As a filmmaker, Corlandos is dedicated to giving voice to stories that not only showcase diversity, but also drive conversation and add to the zeitgeist in a meaningful way.

Ruben Contreras – Cinematographer
Ruben Contreras has served as cinematographer on projects that have received numerous awards including a CLIO Award, and Best Series and Best Documentary at Tribeca X. Ruben earned his MFA from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts where he received The Edward and Mildred Troutner Award for Cinematography and was the recipient of the American Society of Cinematographers Vision Award where he studied under Larry Fong, ASC, Antonio Riestra, ASC and Shelly Johnson, ASC. Ruben has served as an educator in The Academy Museum’s “The Promise Workshops” and at Outlast Arts and Education Film Camp at Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.

Sandra B. Rodriguez – Production Designer
Sandra B. Rodriguez is a Mexican-American born in Jalisco, Mexico and was the production designer on the Sundance-financed short film: Wolves, which went on to win various awards at film festivals. Most recently, Sandra has production designed Lucha Noir, a short from McDonald’s Spotlight Dorado which proceeded to become the first-ever grand prize winner for the program. In tandem, she has been working with Film Independent’s Project Involve short film The Words of Cayetano set for release this year. She earned her MFA in Production Design from the American Film Institute Conservatory.

Make a donation to Morning

Contact

For inquiries, please contact fiscalsponsorship@filmindependent.org.