Jan 16

Jan 16 Fashion Gxd Magazine - Visionary Creators Spotlight: Video Director, Samuel Preston IV

Written By: Samanatha Cee

In 2022, Fox News headlines announced The Culture of Baltimore's popular music and dance scene will be now on the big screen in cinematic short films, video director Samuel Preston IV is here to tell us all about it. It was the news that woke many residents of Baltimore, Maryland to not just positive news that the city needed after a 333 homicide count of the year in the city, but it was also the latest short film on the city’s rich culture of Baltimore club scenes after the 2020 release of Artist land Productions Dark City Beneath the Beat Documentary or the 2022 release of The Br8eak Media release of More than Hype Documentary. The Baltimore Club Experience became the short film directed by Samuel Preston IV which was also co-created by Black leaf production filmmaker Tyrell Boyd.

The Baltimore Club Experience became one of the most consistently discussed Baltimore Club projects on television to date making headlines on Fox News, WJZ News, WBAL-11 News, Wamar Channel 2 News, The CW Network, and many more televised stations. It was Samuel’s return to the Baltimore club scene after taking time away for technology school, acting, and fashion.

Baltimore x New York Love & Pain of Fame is the highly anticipated short dance film from creators Samuel Preston IV & Tyrell Boyd. The short dance film explores the highs and lows of the artistry of the dancers of the Baltimore dance scene and New York flexing dance scene during their journey to stardom. Baltimore, the city well known for popularizing house music into the 130 beats per minute genre of Club music. New York, the city that never sleeps, is well known for its groundbreaking Hip-Hop revolution and popping, locking, breaking, flexing, bone-breaking street dances.

Hey Sammie, we are so excited to interview you today. Congratulations on all of your success during 2022 and throughout your career. What have been some of the most exciting moments of 2022 for you?

Sammie: When it comes to the fashion community, I continued to model for Novia Men (Men collection for Fashion Nova), Block Boy Apparel which were brands featured in the February 2022 Vocal Media. I returned to runway modeling for designer Earl Bannister’s latest collection. The BoohooMan Clothing Co. model shoot came spring of 2022. I also had the opportunity to model with a horse for the first time. It was certainly a learning experience and one of the best fashion moments for me that year.

Being a Creator or managing a brand, you have to create marketing plans unless you have a team aligned to do the work for your company or product. When launching a series of short films, my most accomplished moment came, when working the LED of Baltimore (Biggest Billboard in Baltimore) for the film’s first Billboard. I filed under the Local Businesses/Nonprofits Program bringing the billboard promotion to no cost for a consecutive ten days before reviewing Orange Barrel Media, sales approach to the marketing plan budget.

Radio One, home of 92Q radio station, even required a 501c3 for nonprofit companies to interview / ad placement on air, thank you Howard Mazer. Some of my biggest moments came with many knowledgeable lessons and my marketing approaches grew in 2022.

We understand that you soon will be on the Sherri Shepherd show. How awesome! How did that come about and when can we tune in?

Sammie: The Baltimore Club Experience, and Baltimore x New York Love & Pain of Fame were my two first short films as a video director. Within 5 months the two projects were aired and promoted on all local broadcasts. I remember when working on the second project my creative partner Tyrell Boyd said I want bigger and better, I just want better. I couldn’t do anything more than agree but I wanted to stress the fact that if we cover the local broadcast networks it sets up the opportunities for national cable network shows, interviews, or deals.

On December 28th, 2022, just three days after releasing my short dance film on the Baltimore & New York dance cultures I received an invite to Sherri’s tv show for January 2023. I was very excited! It is the great Sherri Shepherd from The View show. She’s a comedian and author, and it is an honor to be on her new talk show.

I’m still pursuing the opportunity to be Jennifer Hudson's show I love JHud (Laughs). The tv show rule is a dress code, no matter if you are a guest appearance or an audience member, you have to come fashionable as the Sherri show is a fashion-forward presentation. Now of course, that’s me! Sammie, is known for being a fashionable person very much different from others and one thing I learned is being a creative but even more when modeling is hone it, own it, and make it yours.

I want to connect with the viewers by discussing the culture, and the short films, and most importantly connect with the talk show host, I always feel you can learn so much about life through a simple conversation with someone.

We also would love to hear more about the latest film project you’re working on. What can you tell us about it?

Sammie: Baltimore x New Love & Pain of Fame short film was so important. My roots came from these two cities: South Bronx, New York and then I grew up in East Baltimore. As a kid, I saw breakdancing for the first time in New York all because I wandered off at the family reunion in the direction of this crowd, and the music. It was Hip-hop at its finest and I was sold! Then while growing up in East Baltimore I heard Club music for the first time and the rest was history.

When working on the music score for the project, I had the producers take these New York artists' songs and create a Baltimore club twist on it to tell stories like how Mo Money Mo Problems gives off imagery of the everyday struggles that Dj Dizzy produced. Also, I was having a creative rant with producer Raymond Starks about what tv show represents the world's everyday struggles, and what people connect with?? Good Times! and he did that wonderfully.

My favorite Dj Kyngray on the project is the remix of Jay-z ain’t no love in the heart of the city. Torri Brown, the owner of The Spotlight in Columbia was a huge help, the spotlight is a beautiful creative space. I ran over time within my budget during the filming and Torri respectfully said get everything you need for this project. Tyrell did a great job during the editing process, that’s my creative partner. I listen to him, and respect his opinions while coming to a mutual understanding of what is good for the project and what is not good.

Communication is important with anything whether it’s your personal relationships or those relationships within your career and I had one dancer that didn’t confirm she was going to be a part of the project before filming day, and showed up and performed then later said alright am still getting paid, so when? Now, readers, a TV executive or producer would say thank you for coming but you didn’t confirm with us to be on the call sheet, trust me! I’ve been on tv shows and the fashion is barely any different. So I just ask for respect and good communication from the people I work with.

Any other projects you’re working on this year?

Sammie: Yes, I’m planning two projects currently while still marketing my latest short film. In 2022, I got into MMA Training and I love boxing! (laughs) Stephon “The surgeon” Morris is the first Baltimore Boxer fight I attended and wrote an article on during my time as a writer in 2015 and my passion for the sport is how I connected with Tyrell Boyd when I created the Media Express which was an interviewing series in 2017.

My next two short films will be the third installment of the Baltimore club short film series entitled The House of Legends this spring 2023, and I’m working on a boxing project for this Summer of 2023. The city of Baltimore truly has a lot of talent in it, but we lack support from our city leaders who can give us funding and lead our youth in better directions for the arts and sports of choice for a great career pursuit.

What do you want 2023 to look like for you?

Sammie: This 2023 year, I want to flourish more in my career journey with Information Technology that’s really important to me this year. As a creator I feel very liberated going on fourteen years in an entertainment business setting regardless of its Baltimore club culture, being a writer, or a model in the fashion industry. I’ve learned that I enjoy styling looks these days more than I do modeling the looks, and now a film director with two short films, and every project gets better and better. In 2022 I got out of my contract with Westhaven Management. I created every project, styled nearly every model shoot, and paid the bills for each thing I did. This is liberation while having an amazing network of other leaders, creators, and business friends I am connected with plus an amazing support system. This is a world where we have to fight for opportunities but our fight leaves others inspired to get up and join us, it’s not easy but the results are rewarding and peaceful.

As someone who has experience in the modeling and fashion industry, what advice would you have for fashion lovers in 2023?

Sammie: Come into the industry with an open mind, Don’t be afraid to give your own creative twist in model shoots. Please hone your modeling marketing packages such as comp cards, portfolios, and resumes. Practice your model walk, and keep in mind not every runway show will look for the same walk or look as the previous experience/opportunity.

Take criticism as valuable, education, a textbook, and advice to keep you growing. Have a model bag, and remember black is your dress code for auditions. It helps the designers or consultants see your look better. Review your contracts and make sure you understand them, and your network is your net worth.

It’s important to still be creative because when the work gets slow for you through the seasons, you have to be able to reinvent yourself or create your next opportunity and show people how hungry you are.

What else would you like to share with our readers?

Sammie: 2023–2024 is just a career-driven time for me, I’m looking to create more potential projects to be broadcasted on television and eventually start my own IT business remotely.

I’m still single, and hoping to get to the point of having a good partner in my life and come 2024 I plan on starting the adoption process to become a parent, I would love to father a daughter.

Keep up to date: @sammiethelegend