Features » Central Valley Today

Prison Blues

By KSEE Sales
January 11, 2013 Updated Jan 11, 2013 at 12:50 PM PDT

 

Family, life, love, and loss, all can relate to, right? An Edison High School graduate is using one Fresno man's painful life experiences and putting them on the big screen for all to learn from and gain hope. Jeff Mccray, is the director of Prison Blues tell us when we can catch the premiere of his short-film. The movie is about everyday of some people, chronic homelessness, unemployment, alcohol and drug abuse, spousal abuse, gangs, crime, incarceration, and jail/prison overcrowding, education, positive parenting, and a pride of community.

 

Prison Blues storyline is that of Fresnan Leroy Jenkins, a black man freshly released from prison. Comedically, he shares his painful life experiences with Jermaine Jefferson, a close friend since childhood. Returning home to Fresno, into a struggling economy where a return to a life of crime seems to be the only way to survive. Battling baby mama drama, Parole Officer pressured, and the challenges of finding and keeping a job makes life on the inside seem easy. Messages of hope are intertwined in the madness.

 

Jeff McCray has written, directed and produced four other short films, "No Money No Sense", "A Teenage Love", "Sixteen to Life", and "Don't Pass me By". He has also written, directed, and produced three music videos, starred in four plays, "Hamlet", "Lady or the Tiger", "The Outsiders", "Family Reunion" and starred in a TV show for two seasons "Through Our Eyes" on Public Broadcasting Station. McCray was also featured in a National D.A.R.E. commercial. Jeff McCray has most recently been featured in Fresno Chaffee Zoo's News "sea Lion Cove" TV commercial. Special training was received from a Spike Lee lecture at USC on digital filmmaking, DeVore Studios in Fresno and numerous directing and acting classes and workshops in Los Angeles and the Fresno area.

 

Prison Blues Red Carpet Premiere

Saturday, January 19th

Historic Crest Theatre

1170 Broadway Plaza in Fresno

General Admission: $11

Tickets: facebook.com/PrisonBluesAShortFilm

(Q&A session with the director will follow the movie)

Prison Blues The Party

Saturday, Jan. 19th

8pm-12am

Downtown Holiday Inn Skyroom Lounge

1055 Van Ness Ave. in Fresno

$30 per person, $50 per couple

For Tickets Email: prisonbluesmoviepremiere@yahoo.com

 

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