Five young men experience life changing police brutality at the hands of the Los Angeles Police Department. Hear the first hand account of their encounter.
Filmmaker Dr. Wayne C. Byrd II available to screen project and facilitate discussion in person.
View credits at IMDB (A Night at the Marina)!
Life On Mars
“Life on Mars” chronicles the chaotic daily life of an impressionable young hip hop prodigy caught in between two opposing worlds and on the edge of creating, dominating and changing the sound of a generation.
Lamar “Mars” Edwards is the superflossy, superfly, supercool musical master of 4 instruments, and at only 21 years old, is already an accomplished phenom within the music industry.
From his stunner shades at night to a Maybach Benz during the day, he oozes the seductively surreal life of Hollywood superstars. Signed to Warryn Campbell’s My Block Records, Lamar has created hits for Kanye West, Jay Z, Nicole S, Chris Brown, Mary Mary, Snoop Dog, and the list goes on. His current production partner is platinum selling rap superstar T.I.. He’s the keyboard player in the band 1500 or Nothin and has performed live with artists like P. Diddy, Ruben Studdard, and Bobby Valentino. Oh yeah, and last but not least, he’s also a Preacher’s Kid who was kicked out of his strict home at 17 for choosing to pursue his musical dreams. Church is his foundation, but hip hop is his future.
Forced to grow up fast but incredibly influenced by the people around him, for better and for worse, Lamar constantly fights an internal battle not to lose himself in an industry known for destroying the souls of even its biggest winners.
A tri coastal jet setter, he lives the hectic life of 10 successful men everyday. There’s never enough time to sleep much less play. His checks are large, but with the exception of the necessary $65,000 bling, his living is extremely meager. The never ending task to make his money last is harder than hustling up the next big gig, to keep him eating top ramen noodles on the floor mattress in his unfurnished and lonely studio apartment.
Swimming in an industry full of back biting crabs, fake friends, and real enemies, Lamar surrounds himself with a select few. Larrance Dopson is his partner in crime and an up and coming production guru in his own right. Coupled with Lamar’s four feisty female confidants, the Ivey Sisters, Lamar’s life is long intoxicated Saturday night studio sessions, followed by early morning Sunday service with a hard hangover and his judgmental church family.
And even though in both worlds, money hungry women come to him a dime a dozen, the one he really wants all the money in the world could never buy. Beautiful Joi Starr has vocally coached and written for the best in the business including Brandy, has toured the world performing with Kanye West, and is Lamar’s equal in every way.
Together they make beautiful music but once the songs fade, the setbacks begin. She’s his artist, the baby sister of his boss, his spiritual conscience, his best friend, and a blossoming songstress with enough interest but little time to follow up on the pair’s growing attraction. Lamar is determined to do whatever it will take to make her his. From declined credit cards to disastrous dates, will the two ever get their rhythm right long enough to make the magic last beyond the music they make together?
While trying his best to make a major impact on Joi, and poised to make the next major mark in the world of hip‐hop, Lamar is finding out that what you put out, is not always what you get back. Focused on completing his first compilation CD and DVD the process is full of drama, frustration, tension, highs and lows, but Lamar is completely committed to making sure this project is his biggest hit yet.
Because for a kid who seems to have already done it all, where he has already been, is absolutely nothing compared to where he is going. Lamar’s ultimate goal is to have his fellow music producers like Pharrel, Timberland, Dre and even Kanye bow down ‘cause there’s a new kid in town.
That is if he can make it there without crashing first. Get ready to see a star in the making and witness the journey of a lifetime. Get ready, to personally experience…Life, on Mars.