Story of the streets done in the streets - 'Red Amber Green' produces on limited budget

No formal training in acting, writing, directing or producing, but 22-year-old Christopher Byfield is getting ready to release his film called Red Amber Green.

Byfield, who co-hosts In The Dance on TVJ, said he got the idea for the short film after witnessing street boys in action at the stop lights. He said he observed one young man hopping on to different vans and enjoying himself until the light changed to red and his attitude changed with it.

"With the light on green, dem a enjoy themselves but when it reach red, dem change dem facial expression and start beg," he told The Sunday Gleaner.

In Red Amber Green, Byfield tells the story of three Jamaican teenage boys (played by Adrian Wright, Byfield and Damarah Danni) struggling to make ends meet on the difficult streets of Kingston, Jamaica. They make a living primarily as vehicle window washers and juice vendors at the stop lights.

Byfield explained that while the short was not a documentary, it was an authentic Jamaican film. According to the budding film-maker, the project started out as something fun but blossomed into a lot more.

"Primarily, this film was just supposed to be a fun thing but it got bigger than us. The more the film delayed, the more progress it made. Da film ya grow by itself," he said.

He added that he didn't plan to act in the movie but the 'big name' actors he asked to fill the roles were not available. Not deterred, Byfield said he cast his cousin Danni and friend Wright to play the roles. Without any real experience or training, he wrote, directed and produced the film. He said he even taught himself how to edit but luckily he got Winston Wilkins to do it for him. Help also came from Simeon Hedge who was the director of photography.

in-born talent

"No formal training in acting, directing or producing. It's just a natural in-born thing. Being on set mi just siddung and watch the top directors," Byfield said, noting that he plans to get formal training in all aspects of film-making.

Byfield has done acting before though, copping roles in The Blackburns of Royal Palm Estate and Secret 21, the latter still to be released. He has also appeared in music videos for Brick and Lace, Denyque, Courtney John, Ms Triniti, and Timeka Marshall and commercials for Bigga, Red Label Wine and another for Anti Drunk Driving.

He did a bit of directing for a webisode called Konfu Dread and a five-minute long film called What I Am. What I Became. What I Remained that was made in 24 hours and shown at the Reggae Film Festival in Kingston.

With nothing close to a budget for Red Amber Green, Byfield said he was hell-bent on completing his project.

"I thought to myself if I pull through doing this film, I know that I can do a next one even better. The little funds I had I used to buy some juice and squeegees. The little that I had, I made it possible," Byfield said.

"The film is really independent, very raw, very gorilla. No make-up. The man dem really inna di hot sun a act out the film. Why people complain bout what a man have weh him nuh waan give you? Do it yourself, simple thing."

Although there was no funding, Byfield said he had a lot of fun doing his short film.

"It wasn't difficult. It was fun. It was new and I was just excited to know what I will be gaining from the film. I was just laughing throughout the whole day. Everybody looked forward to filming," he said.

Based on the good experience he got from this film, he said he already has plans of doing other projects.

"I have so many films in my head, so many ideas. I plan on releasing good quality short films," he told The Sunday Gleaner.

Byfield will be releasing Red Amber Green after he does the necessary promotional work, though last Thursday, he did a special viewing of the short film at a National Library of Jamaica seminar.