Writers Bashir Salahuddin and Diallo Riddle from NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, co-wrote, starred in and produced an impressive short comedy film about the gentrification of New York city and ironically titled it All Access. Access being the thing that displaced lower income families often do not have once 'rich hipsters' move into their neighborhood.
The highly intelligent and somewhat sarcastic comedy is told through the drama of a struggling Public Access station. Raymundo "Ray" Hull played by Salahuddin, is brought in as the station's savvy new director and from thereon the revitalization begins. Ray, a conservative unsympathetic character cancels several shows, sacks employees and turns everything upside down in an attempt to increase ratings and restructure the network.
The dichotomy of status and power is apparent when Ray calls employees into his office and one by one cancels their respective shows. We see a glimpse of the canceled shows through short side splitting vignettes-shows such as Brotherbey's -- a black auction show -- and The Black Name Spelling Bee.
The star with the highest ratings for the Public Access station is the only one that Ray doesn't fire, Charlie "Pep" Peppercorn played by Riddle. Angry at the changes and the loss of his colleagues, Pep becomes entangled in a battle to save the station from the unsympathetic suit whose has forced the revitalization. Despite the potential limitations of status quo, the cultural significance of being restructured or corporatized causes emotional turmoil at the station. Pep goes rogue and stages a fundraising campaign with the original crew and its supporters. They get on air, locking Ray in his office and raise a whopping $76 -- well up until Dave needs his $5 back, which drops the raise to $71.
The comedy is 'Riddled' with serious undertones. Salahuddin and Riddle do a great job of exploring a real topic in a lighthearted comedic way. The writers are currently on tour with the short comedy.
For more information please contact producer Felicia Gordon at fmgordon@aol.com