A Filmmaker Grows in Brooklyn

Writer and Filmmaker Dominga Martin moved to Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, from Atlanta, Georgia, two weeks before the Twin Towers fell on 9/11.  

“That was my welcome to New York,” said Martin, who is originally from Boston. “Everyone was looking for me that day, because I was just getting settled, and no one could get through to me… I’m getting chills talking about it now…  

“But when my family and friends finally got a hold of me, they were all asking, ‘Do you still want to stay in New York?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah! I’m here now!’” she said laughing.  

And she doesn’t regret staying for a single moment. Because it is here, in Brooklyn, where she has fostered her greatest creative inspiration. And it is here, in Brooklyn, where she has made just the right connections to prepare for the launch of her first feature-length film, “My First Loves.”  

“My First Loves” is a romantic comedy about a young woman named Starla who gets cold feet before her wedding day because of her sudden back-to-back encounters with her ex-boyfriends— her “first loves” from high school, college and adulthood— all of which make Starla question the fate of her wedding.  

Martin is quick to point out that the actual story is not based off her life. Nor are the characters drawn from any of her ex’s. But she admits the idea sprung from a personal encounter she had with a little ole’ insidious thing known as… Facebook:  

“I was a late Facebook adopter, and as soon as I joined, suddenly ex-boyfriends started finding me,” said Martin. “And I thought, So what happens if you’re engaged and this happens? That’s how the basic storyline was born.”  

Martin describes the film as fresh, funny and “with a dash of drama.” She’s most excited about working with veteran producer Monty Ross, who also produced Spike Lee’s first seven films and Vanessa Simmons (the daughter of Reverend Run, of Run DMC), who Martin has casted to play the leading role of Starla.  

Although Martin says her original plan was to use the lead role as an opportunity to introduce a new actor, that all changed the moment she met Simmons at an event she was covering as a freelance journalist.  

“The moment I saw her, I thought, ‘Oh my god, she looks like my character,’” said Martin. “So I started talking to her. And she agreed to read the script, and she’s been attached to it for the past year. She’s fresh, there’s nobody I’ve run into that can play that role and pull it off like she can.”  

Some may call it luck to be working with one of the most respected producers in the industry and one of the most trendy personalities/actresses in the business. But Martin will quickly tell you how luck has little to do with anything. She has paid (and is still paying) her dues…  

Over the past twelve years, Martin has written close to 20 screenplays and produced three short films, and all of her projects up to this point have been self-financed, self-distributed and self-promoted through her production company, House of Ming.  

“I’ve tried to go the Hollywood way, which is to pitch to studios, who then pick it up and finance it,” she said. “But the game of filmmaking has changed in the same way that music has: They want you to have a fully packaged, finished product before they will pick it up for distribution.”   And currently, for My First Loves, Martin is still fundraising to begin production.

She launched an Indiegogo campaign in March. But, she said, “I’m more excited about the off-line fundraising events, which have been more successful than the online events such as Indiegogo.”  

Her next planned event is a big party in early June, where she has secured a surprise celebrity guest DJ. And following that is an intimate 75-seat dinner. All of the events, she said, include creative, movie-inspired themes that give participants an idea of what to expect from the movie.  

“Brooklyn has such great character and the artistic inspiration that surrounds you reminds me in a lot of ways of Boston-- It’s very fresh, has a lot of attitude and a lot of style,” said Martin. “With My First Loves, I want to tap into that energy, do things in a non-traditional way.”  

“I want to bring back that nostalgic feeling of what it was like when we used to get excited to go to the movies.”  

To watch the My First Loves pitch video, go here. To follow the progress of and participate in the My First Loves fundraising events, like its Facebook page or follow the movie on Twitter.