All I've Got & Then Some
A day in the life of a stand-up comedian living in his car and dating a girl who lives two cars behind him. We follow comic Rasheed over the course of a day as he tries to make it to his first paid gig while avoiding disastrous mishaps and moonlighting as a ride-share driver.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Tehben Dean and Writer/Director/Producer Rasheed Stephens
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
In early 2023, we were finally gearing up to shoot the feature biopic, East Point, about an inspirational maverick high school teacher in Atlanta, GA. However, talks of the SAG AFTRA strike threatened to derail the project.
When the strike was announced I called Rasheed with an idea. When he picked up the phone, I said, "Hey, remember the idea you had for a web series? I think we should turn that concept into a film and just go shoot it." Rasheed almost dropped his phone. "No way man! I was literally thinking the exact same thing yesterday, honest to God."
If there was ever a sign from the universe, that was it. It was clearly time to create our own opportunity; time to just make it happen. We got together the next day and after a whirlwind of planning and help from our amazing network, we went into production two weeks later and shot the film over the course of seven days.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Imagine having the best time in your life while watching a movie that makes you laugh, smile and ultimately feel inspired all at the same time. It’s a story about perseverance that we believe everyone can relate to.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Our film is a very personal story based on Rasheed’s real experience in Los Angeles. It’s a story about overcoming challenges and never giving up on a dream. A theme that is universally relatable, but especially for artists in Hollywood.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The film developed very organically and honestly ended up very similar to how we envisioned it.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The response has really been amazing. Raw, real, and reminiscent of Sean Baker's Tangerine are some of the compliments we have received. The best feedback is from people who’ve said they felt transported like they were right there sharing Rasheed’s experience while watching the film.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
During the cast and crew screening, we got a lot of unexpected laughs. We hadn't realized until that point just how many comedic elements were in the film.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Exposure. We want to share our story with the broadest audience possible.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We need them all! We are premiering at Slamdance very soon and it takes a collective effort to succeed.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
We hope it connects with people emotionally and inspires them to never give up.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
When is enough, enough?
Would you like to add anything else?
Remember to make every day the best day of your life!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
We have a biopic titled East Point shooting soon and several other projects in the works.
Interview: January 2024
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
All I've Got & Then Some
A day in the life of a stand-up comedian living in his car and dating a girl who lives two cars behind him. We follow comic Rasheed over the course of a day as he tries to make it to his first paid gig while avoiding disastrous mishaps and moonlighting as a ride-share driver.
Length: 1:20:00
Director: Tehben Dean and Rasheed Stephens
Producer: Rasheed Stephens, Tehben Dean and Amaka Onwuta
Writer: Tehben Dean and Rasheed Stephens
About the writer, director and producer:
RASHEED STEPHENS and TEHBEN DEAN have both spent the last decade cultivating their talents and pursuing a dream to tell stories that connect people all over the world. As co-writers and directors, All I’ve Got & Then Some is our first collaborative effort at a feature film and we can’t wait for the next one.
Key cast: Rasheed Stephens (Rasheed), Avise Parsons (Rose), Naiya Armour (Doll), Armie Hicks Jr (Armie), Chuck Constant (Lenny aka Lenard), Boo Kapone (Boo), Gleń "Big Baby" Davis (Bruce)
Looking for: distributors, journalists, film festival directors, nuyers
Instagram: @allivegotandthensome
Hashtags used: #allivegotandthensome #slamdance24
Website: allivegotandthensome.com
Other: IMDb
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
Slamdance Film Festival/Park City Utah - 1/20/24 5:15PM and 1/25/24 2:30PM