Hampton University Scripps Howard School of Journalism Students and Professors featured in New Movie May 3
HAMPTON, Va. (April 19, 2019) - Two students and two professors from Hampton University’s Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications are key members of the cast and crew of a new movie.
“Mother of a Day” – written, directed and produced by Butch Maier, a Scripps assistant professor of journalism – will be revealed in exclusive sneak previews next month on campus. The movie will be shown five times Friday, May 3, in the HU Student Center Theater.
Shot in Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach with a Hampton Roads cast and crew, “Mother of a Day” is a family-friendly comedic tale about a man who does the unthinkable:
He forgets Mother’s Day!
Also surprising:
The movie’s cast is primarily black, and Maier is white.
“I made it this way because there are not enough positive movies about African American families,” Maier said.
Actress Daryle-Kennedy Edwards, a Scripps journalism major who graduated in December, makes an appearance in “Mother of a Day.” She agrees with Maier.
“It is extremely important to portray African Americans in films because it helps depict us in different lights, compared to most films that have been produced where black people have been represented poorly or are nowhere to be found in the film,” Edwards said. “I’ve always been driven to act and see my face on the big screen. I am more than excited for this opportunity.”
Timia Whitsey, a Scripps journalism major who graduates next month, served as a production assistant for the movie.
Dr. Francis McDonald, a former Scripps assistant dean who retired after filming was completed last year, portrays Charles Dunbar, the main character’s father-in-law.
The movie stars Lamont Ferguson as Ben Wilson, a good man in a bad situation. He has one hour to sneak out of his house and find gifts for the four moms in his life – wife Mary (Shanadiah Nicole), daughter Abby (Jasmine Chandler), mama Ruth (Michelle Highsmith) and mother-in-law Mother Dunbar (Karen M. Bryson) – or face their wrath.
“I wanted to make this movie because it’s a family movie,” said Ferguson, a stand-up comedian who lives in Portsmouth. “And it’s time to get back to the family tradition of going to the movies.”
Back at the family home in “Mother of a Day,” Anthony (Malachi DeWitt) imitates Ben to cover for his dad. To complicate matters, Ben’s sister (Shelby Johnson) sees him hug a woman, he keeps running into two policemen (Ron Bianchi and Elwood Scales III) at the wrong times … and he’s running out of time!
“I wanted to be in ‘Mother of a Day’ because it is a clean, wholesome family comedy that encourages the togetherness of family,” Johnson said.
For students looking for a study break and faculty looking for a grading break, sneak previews of “Mother of a Day” will be shown in the HU Student Center Theater at 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 p.m. on Friday, May 3.
Tickets are $5 ($6.17 including fee) and must be purchased before the show date at motherofaday.brownpapertickets.com.
The movie premieres at The Naro in Norfolk at 11 a.m., Saturday, May 4. The cast and crew will participate in a Q&A after the show. Tickets are available directly from Maier or at the box office in Ghent.
For those in North Carolina, the movie will play at East Park Cinema in Clinton at 7 p.m., Monday, May 6. Tickets are available at eastparkcinema5.com.
The Virginia Beach premiere will be at Beach Cinema Alehouse at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 8. Tickets are available at beachcinemaalehouse.com.
The movie’s trailer can be seen here:
“This movie allows families to enjoy a movie free from violence, foul language and negative energy,” Bryson said. “The positive, loving, funny and emotional scenes draw people to each scene. … It's such a family-friendly movie that I hope it’s well-received and the first of many!”
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