This particular short film “How Could You” from 4LetterFilms was originally part of an online panel discussion within our Crownn Records/WorthJourney family.

The thing of it is, we were either stranded or chose to remain where we were at the start of the Covid19- pandemic. Either way, we all had travel restrictions and this was quite unusual for those involved in this in-house panel discussion. Especially during the spring as we normally prepare for our summer travel jaunts.

Philip Ailon was in Athens, Greece complaining that there was thus far no tourist for the upcoming season. James E. Lane was in Fort Pierce, Florida, dealing with not only the preparation of the pandemic but the indescribable atmosphere in America. I (Jerome Fitts), was in between Santo Domingo and Boca Chica missing my love ones in Europa. There were no flights and I was basically stranded in paradise. We were all moaning about the pandemic and how it had altered our normal routine and plans.

I went to my hotel balcony speaking to James and noticed three kids the first hour or so, then maybe ten kids congregating in the rubbish below. My first thought was; “You have to be kidding me?” I proceeded to tell James this, as he barely made it out some 5 days prior and he laughed. Then I laughed. Philp in another message laughed. The mutual laughter came with a shared message of “maybe they are looking for a mask?”

Soon afterwards, I picked up both the companies cameras Sony Raw and Nikon 70D and started filming. After we reviewed the film, there certainly wasn’t any laughter, but a dead silence of embarrassment between all of us. All of a sudden our biggest problems didn’t exist. We knew that our worst days could quite possibly be these kids finer days.

“How Could You” was born. This isn’t a laughing matter. These kids live in this rubbish bin. This isn’t about race, religion and especially politics of who can tell their story first. This reality and is their reality.

The point of this film is: How could we complain when we know someone has it worse than we do? The characters of this film do not complain. They are making the best of what they have and are grateful for their existence on a daily bases. Are we? Maybe they are better humans than we are.

So before you go and post a complaint or ask for “prayers up” then stare into that mirror while taking a photo of yourself pleading for others to like and share- then complain when you recieve rude responses- think of these kids that are at our door steps.

Wink,

Jerome, James and Philip