Exclusive: Tribeca ‘21 - Talking With Writers Denzel Whitaker, John Trefry On ‘5150’ Series
During the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival one of the projects selected for inclusion in the 2021 Tribeca Fest’s Creators Market, a private industry pitch opportunity for select emerging creators, was ‘5150’.
5150 is envisioned as an hourlong series which explores the often-public clash between celebrity obsession, cancel culture and the challenges of racial justice. It is co-written by Denzel Whitaker (Black Panther, The Great Debaters) and 4WT Media founder John Trefry, and stars Emmy Award nominee Jovan Adepo (Watchmen’s “Hooded Justice”). A 17-minute short to introduce the series was executive-produced by NAACP Award-winner David Oyelowo.
Adepo stars as Celeb, a globally idolized actor known for his strong political views and increasingly erratic behavior, who is forcibly confined to a mysterious institution after an apparent mental break. As he is increasingly ostracized from a public that once loved him, he must wrestle with his own sanity and his place in America as a public figure while facing a shadowy cabal known as “THEY,” which holds the ultimate blackmail over him.
Whitaker is best known for his acting roles in films such as The Great Debaters, Marvel’s Black Panther, The Purge (TV series), RZA's Cut Throat City, and many more. In 2011, Denzel stepped behind the camera to direct short films, commercials, music videos and has been developing on both sides of the camera since.
John Trefry is a filmmaker with extensive narrative and documentary credits and having films compete multiple times at prestigious festivals including SXSW, Tribeca and dozens more. John has a proven track record marketing and distributing his work for audiences around the world with partners like HBO Max. John founded the award-winning production company 4WT Media in 2012 and has a passion for storytelling that creates social change.
BlackFilmandTV.com’s Wilson Morales recently spoke with Whitaker and Trefry on 5150 and what they hope to accomplish if picked up for series.
