Your Stage : Poster by James Pappoe Jr

Hi James,

That sounds like a cool story. Is it a true story?

Regarding the logline, writing she is "forced to endure heart wrenching events" is superficial, tropey and weak - at least to me. I would also omit "Destined for greatness", too, for the same reasons. Was she brutalized by them? Tortured? Raped? And who is the "unexpected friend?" One of the militants? A local villager? I would say something like.....

"Kidnapped and brutalized by the (country name or militia name) militia, a young female refugee escapes with the aid of (exactly who), and rises to become the (association name) boxing champion."

I think that sounds better. I'd watch that if I saw that logline on my cable directory.

The pic doesn't quite convey that to me, either. It's way too generic, and non-impacting or reflective of someone being held against their will in a military camp, and has nothing to do with boxing, either.

Hope this helps!

Best fortunes to your in your creative endeavors, James, and stay safe!

At first glance I like the poster, but once I read that she fulfills her dream as an undisputed boxing champion I felt that the image of a girl striking a knockout blow, her fist caught mid-air, with the title "Princess" emblazoned above it, would certainly intrigue and compel any viewer to want to know more (especially a young, female movie-goer). Your heroine is clearly an overcomer, a fighter, a survivor...it should be the kind of poster young women want to buy and put up on their bedroom wall. I think you asked the question because you sensed it could be an even more potent image. I wish your project great success!

Thanks Bill. No it's not a true story. Some of the events that took place in the story I took from some friends I knew when I was living in Ghana, West Africa. They were refugees from Liberia who had some pretty eventful turns in their lives and wanted to share it with the world.

Thank you Julia. Makes sense.

You only requested feedback on the poster so I'll focus on that. First, what is your target audience? You're right, the photo you pick is very important. But your present pic looks anything but one which should accompany the title "Princess". Your heroine looks humiliated, defeated, groveling in the dust. It would be hard to imagine her as a feisty, determined, no-holds-barred fighter/survivor. Go on ESPN, check out pics of UFC girls. Soften that look with some feminine appeal, a POC version of a proud, confident Gal Gadot or Charlize Theron, but with broken shackles hanging from her wrists and turbaned militia bad guys chasing her.... one of them already-dispatched and eating dust beneath her feet.

For interesting contrasts, check out the two recent "Harriet Tubman" posters, both missing something. One shows her as a too plain, non-assertive, non-charismatic nobody. The other dresses her as a high-fashion model, ignoring her background and actual, real life role. Sometimes it's difficult to find a happy middle ground on films, just as it is with your "Princess" story.

How's this? Took it out of Google images. Just an idea until this gets picked up and I can create my own.

Y'all, I LOVE this shop talk! This is exactly the kind of conversation I love seeing, especially on the Your Stage Lounge. Also, James Pappoe Jr I love the updated picture because we can see that the movie is about boxing now. I just wish it had the color palette from the previous picture. I wonder what that would look like!

Hmm...I'm gonna play around with this now that you brought it up.