FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.—A future state of the art motion picture sound stage in Fort Lauderdale’s Fat Arts Village was unveiled on Nov. 19. The project is worth over $10 million, according to Michael Pendleton, CEO of New Faces of Hollywood Alliance (NFOH).
NFOH in association with the KDA Foundation support the project. They kicked off what they call their Youth Empowerment/ Entertainment Initiative with a free panel of celebrity speakers, featuring Isaiah Washington, Cylk Cozart, Patrick Lowe, Gary Reid, Dr. Bob Arnot, Tim Grover, Michael Trammel and Gregory Griffith. Helping young people enter the entertainment industry is part of the reason for building the sound stage.
Pendleton said in an email interview, “This project will incorporate an apprenticeship program that will also provide entry level jobs upon completion.”
New Faces of Hollywood is positioning their facilities as a one-stop shop for independent filmmakers and TV production community. The partners of NFOH unveiled their plans at a reception in Fort. Lauderdale, Florida, at the future studio site.
“Our significant industry experience, coupled with our rigorous quantitative and qualitative analysis, has afforded us the opportunity to create a new international mini-major movie and TV, production and distribution entity with production outreach satellites through our satellite offices in Vegas, Los Angeles, Sao Paulo, NYC, Dubai, Cape Town, New Delhi, Singapore and Toronto,” wrote Pendleton after the event. “NFOH Collective possesses a well calculated plan that will successfully deliver cutting edge quality entertainment products with a level of competitive distinction in film, TV, music, video game design and technology and animation.”
Pendleton said his theater experience includes The Colored Museum, Dreamgirls, Fences, A Soldier’s Play, Stand-up Tragedy, Marry Me a Little, Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery, Medea, and The Wiz.
The sound stage will include a 45 feet ceiling, motorized lighting and sound rigging system, film production facilities, film editing suites, root top special event space, 80 seat cinema, 4 educational training centers, film production support space which include dressing rooms, make up and green room. The TV studios will have a 7,800 square feet television sound stage, fully loaded ARRI and RED camera operating systems, TV production facilities, a production truck, and TV support space including dressing rooms, makeup and green rooms.
NFOH is also allied with IPO Real Medical Group and its “Help Haiti Drink” initiative. IPO Real Medical Group sells a small, inexpensive water purification device. It’s a simple way for anyone to remove harmful elements from drinking water instantly. When anyone buys the device, the company sends one to a person in Haiti. Beloved Haitian human rights activist and singer Carole Demesmin performed.
“We can’t supply everyone in Haiti with our new technology but the children deserve a chance. I couldn’t sleep at night knowing that I have the means to make a difference for few a families. IPO Real Medical Group is about closing the gap between cutting edge discoveries and reaching those who can benefit from it,” said Isiah Sistrunk, Chairman of Advisory Board and Executive Investment Administrator of IPO Real Medical Group in an email. “Partnering with NFOH is a major step in that direction and we are fortunate to have met these gentlemen, and to also be able to play a role in their brilliant endeavor. I’m bringing all our resources to bear on this initiative and challenging corporate sponsors and others to help move this forward.”
The KDA Foundation Board of Directors of educators, entertainers, professional and college athletes and local community leaders coordinate support programs for schools and communities in South Florida and beyond. Their mission is to help inner city students become successful students-athletes, find a college and or a career, and give back to their home communities when they become successful adults.
