From Howe Street to Accra: My Adventures Working on the Groundbreaking Film Coming to Africa

By Frank James IV

From Howe Street to Accra is a fun, fast paced story of the behind the scenes making of the film Coming to Africa. The book details how an inexperienced journalist wound up being an assistant director on a motion picture. The book also talks about the obstacles that the US based crew had to overcome working in a foreign country. The book also depicts the mental trials a born loner has to overcome to reinvent himself and break out of the prison of his own mind.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Apr 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9781728358802

Frank James IV

Frank James IV is a free spirited individual who lives in the Mid-South area of the USA. Mr. James has worked in television, written for online magazines and Midwestern newspapers. Mr. James teaches British Literature to high school seniors to pass the time when not writing or enjoying life. Mr. James other works include the novels: No Sellout! 10 Years in the Life of a Black Man and Too Perfect.

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© 2020 Frank James IV. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 04/14/2020

ISBN: 978-1-7283-5881-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-5880-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020906535

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Epilogue

"I AM the blood of the pharaohs, the spear bearer, the

elephant biter,

the everlasting conquer. I AM the original

power of Blackness, the strength example

of our people as a whole…

-Professor X, The Overseer – Earth Bound

…ask him his dream, what does it

mean he wouldn’t know.

Can’t be like the rest is the most he’ll confess,

but the time is running out and there’s no happiness…

-Curtis Mayfield – Super Fly

Here we go dear reader. I spent a few weeks in Ghana working on a feature film that is coming out with Director Extraordinaire Anwar Jamison. I had met Anwar about two years or so before and he was also the person I trusted to edit the few video jobs I had coming in. Anwar is a professor and also from Howe Street in Racine, WI. I am an Original Howe Street Playa. After we touched base and started working together we developed a kind of respect and comradery for each other. Anwar was my sister’s friend and I actually knew his older sister and brother. It was working on Anwar’s short film for Indie Memphis he mentioned a bigger project. I told him If he needed me I would assist in any way I could. My motto is, Somebody’s got to make it. With this in mind I decided to help Anwar any way I could. I called us The Howe Street Connection when we’d discuss projects he was editing for me. Well Anwar called my bluff and informed me in summer 2019 he was doing a film and it the majority of shooting would be in Ghana Africa, in the city of Accra. The following is my description of what I observed and experienced in Africa. My trip to Accra enabled me to grow as a man in all aspects. It was in Accra that I understood a few key lessons about myself that I never picked up in the USA. I also was able to vibe with some uncut blackness that took me to another level in my thinking. I saw many things and met many wonderful people. Here are my experiences on the continent people call the Mother Land during The Year of the Return…

Prologue

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Well all right! Star Child citizens of the universe recording angels. We have come to claim the Pyramids…

Star Child – The Mothership Connection – Parliament

*

In 2018 I assisted Anwar Jamison on shooting a short film he was doing for Indie Memphis, U Just Have 2 Be. The short film was an excerpt of a project Anwar had mentioned in a secretive way about going to Africa. Anwar had grown up on the same street I did in a small town called Racine, WI. Howe Street, where the players are born. Let me correct that statement. I was born in Racine but I grew up in Detroit. The Motor City shaped and molded me into a man, but I digress. After the short film was finished Anwar must have kept working on getting the major project funded. I always told him, I’m down Bro and I got my passport. Well in June of 2019 I saw a post from Anwar on Instagram saying he was going forward with the project. I congratulated him on Instagram for putting work in. Well a few days later as I was shopping for a washer and dryer Anwar called me and as I congratulated him he cut me off, WE going to Accra, Ghana. I want you to be AD, assistant director. What could I say but I got my passport." That was the beginning of my trek to Africa.

We were leaving the first week of July and it was around the third week of June so time was of essence. I had to get shots and get things in order because being the swinging bachelor I am, there would be no one at my house. Anwar called a few days later and said we were leaving on July 2nd and would not be back until July 20th. With this in mind I really needed to make some plans. I was working on with setting up someone to shoot through every once and awhile to check on the house when I realized I had to get some shots to go to Ghana. I told Anwar and he said he would cover the cost I thanked him but told him to put the cost on my final payment. I worked two jobs so I could cover this while he arranged other things. The shots turned out to be my biggest obstacle, but not for the reason you may believe.

I found out that the Yellow