Family Values
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Film Overview

Directed By: Derek "Pretty Boy" Dow View Official Website	Release Date: 2007-12-10 Running Time: 2:00 Content Rating: PG14 (Parental Guidance)	Media Format: NTSC-DVD Aspect Ratio: 4:3 Audio Language(s): English
Genres: Drama >> Coming of Age Influences: Menace to Society // Soul Food // Baby Boy

Synopsis

3 men. 3 demons. 1 set of values. Family Values (Love Above All
Productions’ first full-length feature film) takes you into the lives of the Hill
family. One year ago, Ares Hill (Derek Dow) and his older brother,
Théoden “Theo” Hill (Ramon Anthony), were made orphans when their
mother died. To prevent them from becoming wards of the state, their
cousin, Achilles (Roderick Haygood), agrees to move in and take on the
role of guardian. The only problem is Achilles isn’t necessarily equipped to
handle the issues that the Hill brothers are facing, and in many ways they
actually parent and protect him from his own crises – a responsibility the
Hill brothers often resent, especially Ares. Violent streaks, addiction, and
doubts of self-identity dwell within as they each try to move on from their
losses and find their place in the world. Throughout all the chaos of the Hill
family, one thing remains true…what happens in the Hill house stays in the
Hill house. See what happens as 3 young men grow into true manhood…finding their footing…and their Family Values

Cast

Ares Hill: Derek "Pretty Boy" Dow | bio
Derek Dow (Ares Hill) contributes his initial interest in
entrainment to his older cousin, Terrell Dyson. When Terrell first
began modeling, Derek with wide eyes decided to follow suit.
After a slew of promotional projects, Derek decided to broaden his
horizons, and try acting. After landing his first role in the
independent short, Grit Operatic, he was hooked. His next
projects included What’s Real, Chickenhead Bound, Party Line,
The Movie, Cerebral Inferno, Inside Out, FassyTails, and others. Derek loved films so much, he
soon began making them…no like he began physically making movies – writing, filming,
directing, everything. He ends this with the statement, “Enjoy my movie…and buy it!”
Theoden Hill: Ramon Anthony | bio
Ramon Anthony (Théoden Hill) has always had two loves:
sports and acting. However playing athletics throughout high
school and college kept him from focusing on his acting career.
After a short college basketball career, he decided to study acting
professionally. He studied under a professional acting coach for
two years, and eventually landed a role in Ali starring Will Smith.
He then landed roles in the feature length film Perilous Ties. After
Family Values is released, he can also be seen starring in A Familiar Deceit, which is to be
released in early 2007.
Achilles Hill: Roderick “Ibn” Haygood, Jr. | bio
Roderick “Ibn” Haygood, Jr. (Achilles Hill) was born In
Chicago, Illinois and started acting in the second grade when he
moved to Knoxville, Tennessee. His first role ever was “Oz” in
The Wizard of Oz. He came back to his roots in Chicago, where
he attended Chicago State University and majored in
Communications with a minor in Theatre. After doing several
theatre productions and being trained by the likes of Jim Moody
(The Last Dragon) and Larry Leon Hamlin, he began acting more
frequently, performing Off-Broadway four times, at the National Black Theatre Festival in
Winston Salem, NC, and appearing on Good Morning America with the hit plays It Happened at
Eli Whitney (Shaheem) and By A Black Hand (The Force). He also starred as Herb Kent in Old
School Memories 2: The Herb Kent Story. While doing theatre, Roderick knew he also wanted
to do film, and thus added to his credits Willow: The Tennessee Story (Willow), A Letter Home
(Derrick), Inside Out (Principal), and Detained (Wally).
Nicole: Quinette Monique Doggett | bio
Quinette Monique (Nicole) is a Chicago native that has made her way
from local stages to feature films. The University of Chicago graduate
began her stage career at the age of 8, starring in school plays and local
theatre productions. Some of her works include The Vagina Monologues,
The Courage of Mandy Kate Brown, The Good Times are Killing Me, Mid
Summer Night’s Dream, For Colored Girls Who have Considered Suicide
When the Rainbow isn’t Enough, and countless others. More recently,
Quinette costarred alongside Lance Reddick (of HBO’s “The Wire”) and
senior actor Austin Pendleton, in the Universal picture, Bad City. In
addition to acting, Quinette has over 15 years of contemporary dance experience and is a proud
member of Full Effect Entertainment Theatrical Dance Company. Currently, Quinette resides in
Los Angeles, CA, where she is continuing her acting career.
Tamika: Lorren Cotten | bio
Lorren Cotton (Tamika) has not exactly had a direct path to
acting. A graduate from the University of Illinois, she set her
sights on Animal Science – oh yeah, see the parallel there? A
few years post college she rediscovered her first loves – acting,
writing, voice-over, and singing until everyone’s ears bled (the
latter is a joke, but not really). Since her revelation, Lorren has
been in various works including WORDS, Floss!, A White Hot
Black Comedy, Save the Last Dance for Me, and Boy Gets Girl.
Lorren has done a variety of commercials, industrial videos and voice-over for companies
including Firestone, McDonald’s, TCF Bank, Milwaukee Transportation Authority, Wellmark
BlueCross BlueShield, and DeVry University. She has also been featured in films Resurrection
Mary and Barbershop 2. Family Values is Lorren’s first major role in a full-length feature film.
Since then she has starred in Party Line, the Movie, and the television series Jimmy’s Place.
Her next step is to move to Los Angeles at the start of 2007 to pursue film and television fulltime.
She still loves animals…if you need any tips, give her a call!
Ian: Erez Shek | bio
Erez Shek (Ian) has been involved with professional theatre since
the age of 12. He has performed roles such as Linus in You’re a
Good Man Charlie Brown, Harlequin in Game of Love and
Chance, Edmund in Narnia, Jack in Into the Woods, Joe Crowell
JR. in Our Town, and Ralph in The Absence of Ralph. He went
crazy for the role of Ophelia in When Shakespeare’s Ladies Meet.
Most recently he has been seen as Launcelot Gobbo in Merchant
of Venice, and the lead in the Jeff Recommended, Stand-Up Tragedy. He can also be seen in
Split Pillow Productions’ film, Realization, as Murray. He is a company member of Red Tape
Theatre Company, and also helps people fall into their style by being a personal fashion
consultant. Erez is proud to be a part of Love Above All Productions’ memorable movie-making
experience! Check him out at www.erezshek.com. You know all this cuz that’s how he rolls.
JP: Isaiah E. Brooms | bio
Isaiah E. Brooms (JP) was born in the infamous Henry Horner
and Cabrini Green Housing Projects. Recognizing at a young
age that education was the only true way to find freedom from
what he most feared, Isaiah went on to a boarding school. At this
school, he was introduced to the world of performing arts. He
took on forms of expression to include music and singing.
However he found his true passion in performance. He received
formal training in acting at Bradley University (class of 2001), while also receiving his Teaching
Certificate and Communications minor. In conjunction with having taught for 3 years in the
Chicago Public School system, Isaiah has balanced a career in film and stage acting. His most
recent performances have been, The Serpent Woman with Tantalus Theatre, The Jungle Book
with Emerald City, Dog Jack with McDougal Films, Slide with Tantalus Theatre, Neighborhood
Watch with American Myth Theatre and is currently playing the in Chicagoland area lead singing
with The Tantaband.

Crew

Director: Derek "Pretty Boy" Dow | bio
Derek “Pretty Boy” Dow (Producer/Writer/Director/Director of
Photography) just simple and plain, wanted the spotlight. After
his little tryst with other independent films, and the runaround with
the auditions, castings, and practices, decided he wanted to cut
out the middle man. It served him even better when he changed
his major at Chicago State University from Computer Science to
Communications, Media, Arts & Theatre, because it gave him
something to actually study. He kicked down the film door with his independent short, What’s
Real, which 3 years later is still considered a Chicago State classic. His other creations include
Determination, Taken, Inside Out, and an excerpt from the feature short Cerebral Inferno.
Leaving no stone unturned, Derek worked as the Production Manager for the touring play By a
Black Hand, and had an opportunity to work and perform off-Broadway. Family Values is
Derek’s first feature length film, and what he refers to as his project of optimism. Everyone told
him he was in over his head due to funding and experience, but that only fueled his fire to
persevere. The result of his tenacity is what lies before you today. He lives by only one
motto…”There are no problems, only solutions.” Oh, and he also lives by “I’m my on franchise”,
yeah that one too.
Picture Editor: Roderick "IBN" Haygood | bio
Roderick A. Haygood, Jr. (Producer/Editor/Camera Operator) has
worked on numerous productions to date. He served as Multimedia
Technician and Lighting Designer for Ebony Fashion Fair Tour 2005-06,
the world’s largest traveling fashion show. His film credits include
Determination, which won Honorable Mention for the MTVU Best Film,
Executive Producer & Editor of A Letter Home, which was nominated for a
student Emmy, What’s Real, Inside Out, and Taken. Family Values is
Roderick’s biggest film project to date, and is just the start of what’s to
come.
Assistant Director: Tanika Brown | bio
Tanika “No Name” Brown enjoyed being creative even at a young age. But
it wasn’t until she attended Chicago State University that she her passion fully
flourished. Here she found her two favorite things – film and television
production. Tanika met Derek “Pretty Boy” Dow soon after, and hopped on
board the Love Above All Productions train. She hit the ground running,
instantly taking on various roles including Assistant Director, Location Scout,
Prop Mistress, Line Supervisor, and Grip. Tanika then went on to write and
direct Confessions of a Serial Killer, a short produced by Frazier Griffin of
CINEMAiD Productions. She admits, as much as she loves film, her heart belongs to television
directing. She loves the fast-paced, live interaction and adrenaline of the atmosphere. She
served as President of CSUTV for 2 years. Tanika is described by others (and by others, we
mean Derek) as a free spirit with cunning and sarcastic wit, who tries to enjoy the most out of
life.
Assistant Director: Tiffany Dotson | bio
Tiffany “Storm” Dotson fell in love with the idea of filmmaking
early on in her high school years, but she really didn’t get to
explore it until her sophomore year in college at Chicago State
University. It was here that she met her mentors, Derek “Pretty
Boy” Dow and Roderick “Ibn’ Haygood. Soon after, she became
a part of the Love Above All Productions family. Through her
new-found association, Tiffany acted as Assistant Director in
Determination and as well as Family Values, where she also served as a contributing story
writer. She is currently attending Columbia College, and plans to further her knowledge in
filmmaking. When asked what she plans to accomplish, she simply states, “To take the world
by storm!”

Bonus Features

Deleted & Extended Scenes
Theatrical Trailers
Cast Interviews
Outtakes
Scene Selections
TV Spots

Accolades

Festivals

Black Harvest International Festival of Film, Video, and TV

Press Reviews

Chicago Reader | show/hide snippet
Family Values Chicagoan Derek Dow wrote and directed this digital video about two teenage brothers struggling to find their places in life after their mother dies. Living with their older cousin, an alcoholic painter, the brothers each face a personal hurdle; one, a popular athlete, must deal with his confused sexuality, while the other, a charming troublemaker, confronts the consequences of his explosive temper. Dow takes some structural risks with the story, creating a lively pastiche before pulling the narrative threads together into a conventional and less interesting tale of moral uplift. Despite this cop-out and some significant technical limitations (especially in the sound and editing), this is a winning debut; Dow displays a real gift with actors, drawing fresh and natural performances from his excellent cast. 125 min. (Reece Pendleton) Dow and other members of the cast and crew will attend both screenings. Sat 8/25, 8:30 PM, and Thu 8/30, 8 PM.