Frey Hoffman

Director, Cinematographer, Producer

Frey Hoffman has been active in audiovisual communications since childhood. His professional career began with Shakespeare in Santa Fe as Master Electrician and Lighting Operator. This experience prompted him to further his studies in the visual arts. After studying Digital Graphic Design at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Filmmaking at Chicago Filmmakers, he went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Film and Video, with a concentration in Cinematography, from Columbia College.

Since that time he has produced and directed for E! Network, Big 10 Network, Prevent Child Abuse America, Screen Actors Guild Foundation, and numerous arts/entertainment and educational entities, Fortune 500 businesses and public interest groups.

His work as a cinematographer has been written about in American Cinematographer and seen on MTV, MTV 2, VH1, BET, E!, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Discovery Channel, Discovery Health Channel, PBS and multiple documentaries and music videos.

He has lensed videos for the Grammy Award Winning song “Jesus Walks” by Kanye West, “Wouldn’t You Like To Ride” by Malik Yusef for the “Coach Carter” soundtrack, Warner Brothers recording artist Cruna, Laurieann Gibson’s “Addictive” and Sa-Ra’s “Feel The Bass” featuring Talib Kweli and Erykah Badu.

For the past five years he has enjoyed an association with the Community Television Network that has brought him into schools across the city of Chicago working with high school students as a mentor and documentarian.

Hollywood Jerome is his first narrative short and a culmination of his aesthetic and professional work. It is the recipient of a $100,000 in-kind grant from IFP Midwest with sponsors including Panavision, Kodak, Entertainment Partners and Directors Guild of America. In its short time on the festival circuit it has won awards in every region of the United States.

Malik Yusef

Actor, Writer, Narrator, Producer

Malik Yusef is one of the country’s premiere spoken word artists. The Chicago-based poet lyrically blends melodies with words that express his wisdom, love and pain over a backdrop of jazz, hip-hop and neo-soul instrumentals. His prose allows listeners to enter a world of style that is esoteric and true.

Malik got his first big break when the director of “Love Jones” recruited him to train actor Larenz Tate for his starring role. Malik has since made numerous appearances on WGN, ABC, BET and CBS. His performance of “I Spit…” on HBO’s “Def Poetry Jam” garnered him an Emmy Award.

Malik’s poetic prose has been featured in promotional compilations for ASCAP, Sprite, Coca-Cola, General Motors, Chrysler, Verizon, Miller Brewing Company and Nike - in addition to his numerous inclusions on underground mix tapes by some of the hottest DJs in the country. Malik has also guest-starred on several artists’ albums: Carl Thomas, Common, Channel Live, and saxophonist Mike Phillips. His own highly anticipated debut album is titled “The Great Chicago Fire…A Cold Day in Hell.” He was featured on Kanye West’s Grammy Award winning album, “Late Registration,” and performed on his international “Touch the Sky Tour.”