FILM & VIDEO PRODUCTION

"Ben" 2007 (re-visit edit)

This short true story is about a life changing event that left me at a crossroads in my life. Events can shape who we are, whether tragic or miraculous. I have been fortunate enough to have experienced events that allowed me to grow and make better choices. Not perfect, but better.

​

Ben was an African-American who was adopted by a very loving Caucasian family in a small town in northeast Ohio called North Canton. At the time, the city of North Canton was predominantly white. Throughout his teen years Ben was just a normal kid playing football, hanging out with friends and listening to rock music. As he started to grow into a man, he started to struggle more and more with his identity. At the age of 17 he found his adoption papers and learned of his true origin.

I was with him when he showed me the papers. We snuck into his parents bedroom and he uncovered them deeply hidden in the back of their closet. I can remember him reading it to me. Ben was a crack baby given up by a struggling mother who was a heavy addict. One of the parts he read to me said "Martez was extremely affected by the drug abuse from his mother, his eyes were yellow and sensitive to light". This is very consistent with babies that have been exposed to heavy drug use while in the womb. That was the day I learned of his birth name. Martez Horner. I used both names in my film in honor of him.

After learning of his origin story he slowly started to change, hanging with the wrong crowd, doing harder drugs, committing petty crimes, and started idolizing gangstas and rappers. It was his way of rebelling and at the same time trying to establish an identity that he felt he lost or never had in the first place. He was hell bent on finding his real mom and wanted to learn if he had any blood siblings. 

​

My story takes place when I was 17yrs old and Ben (Martez) was 18yrs old. Ben had just turned 18. Ben was an amazing young man who looked out for me, stuck up for me, and saved me from a lot of terrible situations.

His rebellious decisions ultimately led him to one fatal night where he and some of his crew decided to rob a cab driver for some quick cash. They call the cab and while he and a partner ride in the cab, the crew would be in the get away car behind them. Sadly, the night ended very differently. Countless lives were forever changed after that muggy May night in 1996. 

​

My ultimate goal with this short is to use it to help acquire the funding for a full length feature documentary involving all of the details of this life changing story. 

​

Runtime: 21:19 | Rated R

​

​