BLACK BUTTERFLIES DOCUMENTARY
.png)
Black Butterflies beams a light on the injustices of the for-profit prison industry; specifically, how the criminal justice machine manipulates Black women. A wrongfully incarcerated filmmaker exposes the systematic oppression of an unjust system that rips matriarchs from the cocoon of their family ecosystem, inflicting generational trauma.
As an independent production, there are so many expenses that go into making a documentary. Here's just a sample of the expenses we are looking to cover: Location fees, Travel, Equipment Rentals, Craft Services, Marketing Materials, Festival Submission and much more.
MEET THE TEAM
Starling Thomas
Co-Director/Writer
Starling Thomas is a formerly wrongfully incarcerated woman of color from Dallas, Texas, whose storytelling shines a light on the struggles faced by Black Americans. Her award-winning short film Harvest screened at multiple festivals, including the San Francisco Black Film Festival and the Denton Black Film Festival. Starling has worked as a writer for season 2 of the Emmy-nominated show #WASHED and was a semi-finalist in the Unique Voices Screenplay Competition. She has an MFA in screenwriting at Regent University and sits on the board of the Dallas Film Alliance, where she teaches screenwriting and production to children in underserved communities. Beyond filmmaking, Starling is the Communications Director for The LOHM, an organization led by justice-impacted women, advocating for criminal justice reform. Her lived experience, powerful storytelling, and unwavering commitment to justice make her the perfect person to direct Black Butterflies.
Jerod B Couch
Co-Director/Producer
I’m a paragraph. Double click me or click Edit Text, it's easy.
Jerod Couch is a 4x regional Emmy Winner and 15x nominee from Dallas, TX. As a Director, Producer, and Writer, he has completed two seasons of the Daytime Emmy-nominated dramedy #WASHED, winning "Best of Fest: Audience Choice" at the Hip Hop Film Festival and earning a "Best Comedy" nomination at the Indie Series Awards. Jerod has worked at ESPN, led creative projects for Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers, and has been featured in Inc Magazine, USA Today, and Sports Illustrated. With degrees in Radio-TV-Film and an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin, Jerod brings a wealth of experience in storytelling and production to Black Butterflies.
James Doe
Jamarrio Plair-Washington
Director of Photography
I’m a paragraph. Double click me or click Edit Text, it's easy.
Jamarrio Plair-Washington began his career in Valdosta, GA, where he filmed, directed, and edited the high school football show In the Game. After moving to Dallas, he worked in the camera department on feature films, including Jerico (2016), Sparrow Creek (2017), and Run Hide Fight (2019).
Currently the Director of Photography for #WASHED, Jamarrio collaborates on short films and web series projects, using his keen eye for visual storytelling to create cinematic, impactful work. His versatile experience and deep understanding of narrative filmmaking are essential in bringing Black Butterflies to life with striking visuals and emotional depth.