Latest news with #Tenzman
Perth Now
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Stormzy felt 'challenged' by Big Man role
Stormzy found it difficult to "totally separate" himself from his Big Man character. The 31-year-old star plays a rapper in his first lead role, and Stormzy admits that he struggled to distance himself from his movie character. The award-wining star - who plays Tenzman in the new film - told BBC Newsbeat: "It was really tough if I'm honest. "It felt like I'm playing a rapper but I am a rapper, it's tough to totally separate." Big Man is the first release from Stormzy's #MerkyFilm production company, and the rapper has revealed his long-term ambition for the enterprise. He shared: "What we've tried to do at Merky, whether it's music, sports, whatever, we do we just want to stand in our truth, tell our stories, but also not from the same perspective that it's always been told from. "Even being black British, it's such a nuanced experience – you've got the black experience, you've got the British experience, and then you've got the black British experience. "We want to tell it from our perspective which is nuanced, it's brilliant, it's different, it's not always the same, it's not a monolith." Stormzy felt "challenged" while making the movie, but he still enjoyed the creative process. The Vossi Bop hitmaker said: "It was really tough but it was a challenge I was so honoured to be a part of. "I like to be challenged, I like to be a bit uncomfortable so I love it." Stormzy previously explained that his acting debut was "all about the joy, spirit and fearless energy of youth". The rapper also hopes that the 24-minute short film will serve as a source of inspiration for aspiring stars. He said: "I hope you love our first project, Big Man, as much as we loved making it. 'For me, it's all about the joy, spirit and fearless energy of youth – that feeling like life is one big adventure and the world's your playground. "I hope it inspires you to dream bigger, live louder, and hold on to that unapologetic energy that comes with being young."
BBC News
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Stormzy: Big Man role was tough to separate from real me
Stormzy says playing a rapper in his first lead role made it hard to separate himself for the Mike stars as Tenzman in Big Man - the first release from the grime star's production company #MerkyFilm and his first lead at the film's premiere, he tells BBC Newsbeat: "It was really tough if I'm honest."It felt like I'm playing a rapper but I am a rapper, it's tough to totally separate." #MerkyFilm follows Stormzy's other projects like #MerkyBooks and #MerkyFC which have aimed to elevate black British voices and talent."In every single area that we've tried to infiltrate we've said, 'if this is the status quo, we want to try and do things a little bit different'," he says moving into film has been a dream of his for a long time - as for why he's waited until now, he says he can't describe it."I just know why it's important in general," he says. This year marks 10 years since actors started boycotting the biggest event in the film world, The Oscars, over criticism about a lack of then, campaigns like #OscarsSoWhite have seen calls grow louder for improved representation on screen."What we've tried to do at Merky, whether it's music, sports, whatever, we do we just want to stand in our truth, tell our stories, but also not from the same perspective that it's always been told from," Stormzy says. "Even being black British, it's such a nuanced experience – you've got the black experience, you've got the British experience, and then you've got the black British experience. "We want to tell it from our perspective which is nuanced, it's brilliant, it's different, it's not always the same, it's not a monolith." 'A challenge I was honoured to be part of' One of Stormzy's co-stars, 15-year-old Klevis Brahja, tells Newsbeat how he was scouted for the film on the street."I never knew I wanted to do acting and then out of nowhere I'm in auditions," he says."It's crazy to be near someone like Stormzy and to have an opportunity like this. A lot of people dream for this and we're the lucky ones, it's amazing."Stormzy also worked with Oscar-winning director Aneil Karia, known for projects including The Long Goodbye and Surge, on Big Man, which was shot entirely on a phone."It was really tough but it was a challenge I was so honoured to be a part of," Stormzy says."I like to be challenged, I like to be a bit uncomfortable so I love it." Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.
Daily Mirror
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
New Big Man movie shows just how good your iPhone really is, watch it free today
The latest movie to be shot on iPhone launches tonight and proves what you can do with the smart device in your pocket. It might look like a big-budget blockbuster movie, but the latest short film arriving on YouTube has been filmed entirely on an iPhone. Big Man, which stars R&B legend Stormzy, tells the fictional story of Tenzman, a world-weary musician, and the two bright, mischievous kids who come into his life by chance. Directed by Academy Award-winner Aneil Karia, the mini flick has used the iPhone 16 Pro's triple-lens snapper to capture the action rather than a high-end production rig. "I've never shot an entire piece of narrative filmmaking on an iPhone before, and it's been a really invigorating process," Karia explained. "It's much smaller than the traditional cameras used for television, film, or music videos, and the lightness and flexibility that comes with that is boundless in a sense. I like trying to strive for an intimacy with characters, and sometimes a big camera is not particularly conducive for that. So it's been huge, being in smaller spaces, being lower key for the actors.' Big Man will go live at 8 pm tonight on YouTube, but you can watch the trailer here before its official release. Considering it's been filmed on a phone, it looks good enough for the cinema, and that might have something to do with the upgrades found on the latest models from Apple. The iPhone 16 Pro now features the ability to capture cinematic slow-motion scenes with 4K 120 fps. This is then able to add a more dynamic quality to the shot. There's also the clever Cinematic mode, which is able to add a blurred background and foreground effect to what's being filmed, plus the 16 Pro now gets improved low-light capabilities. Speaking about the process of movie making on a phone, Director of Photography, Stuart Bentley, said: 'Traditionally, filmmaking was the reserve of a small section of people and you couldn't access it. "It felt completely impenetrable to me as a young kid. And I think now people have this amazing camera in their pocket, and it's like everybody can do it. If you're hungry and passionate about cinema, there's no reason you can't make an amazing film. "Do it all on an iPhone, it's all there for you. "I guess ultimately what's been really interesting is it's a super versatile camera with all these different kind of tools. You can use Cinematic mode so you get that shallow depth of field, and it automatically pulls focus to follow the action. You can shoot 120 frames per second at 4K, which is obviously insane. It's got an incredible dynamic range. It can handle dark, low-light environments in a really amazing way, and shooting with Apple LOG gives you even more options in post. "We're pushing the camera to the very limits of what it's capable of, and we've found it to be really resilient. This isn't the first time things have been shot on an iPhone. Back in 2023, Apple revealed that its entire 30-minute MacBook keynote had been shot entirely on an iPhone 15 Pro. If you want to watch the Big Man movie, it will be available on Apple's YouTube page from 8pm tonight, June 18th.
Forbes
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
New Shot On iPhone Movie, ‘Big Man,' Starring Stormzy, Debuts This Week
Michael Omari, better known as music icon Stormzy, takes on his first lead acting role in 'Big Man,' a short movie directed by Academy Award Winner Aneil Karia. It was entirely shot on iPhone 16 Pro. Stormzy in Big Man Merky The film is about Tenzman, a musician who's seen better days, who has a chance encounter with two teenagers. The film is the first from Stormzy's Merky Films. Omari talked about it on Instagram: 'This is something we've been working on behind the scenes for a long time: a platform for bold, authentic and powerful British storytelling. A home for original and unexpected art. It's a natural extension of everything we do at #Merky — telling our stories, shining a light on real voices and creating space for those who deserve to be seen and heard. I'm proud to share our very first official production: Big Man, produced in partnership with Apple — out on June 18th. A short film directed by the legendary Aneil Karia,' he said. This is not the first movie shot on iPhone — I'm sure your camera roll has several masterpieces of your own — and it's becoming an increasingly popular way to shoot. But as an official Shot on iPhone piece, this is the first that has been made in the U.K., as well as the first lead role by Stormzy. Directors love the way that something as small and light as an iPhone can be used, especially for dramas, where the director of photography can get up close to actors without the disorienting effect that a full-size Hollywood camera can cause. With an iPhone, directors say they can find performances that are intensely naturalistic and simple. The director of this movie commented that "It's much smaller than the traditional cameras... the lightness and flexibility that comes with that is boundless," he said. The film lasts 24 minutes and will be available to watch on YouTube from 8 p.m. U.K. time.
Metro
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Stormzy set to make film debut with major career move
Stormzy has officially unveiled #Merky Films, the latest addition to his creative empire. The launch is his entry into the world of film and visual storytelling, expanding the #Merky brand (which already includes #Merky Books, #Merky Foundation, and #Merky FC). To kick off the venture, Stormzy is debuting Big Man, a short film produced in association with Apple and shot entirely on iPhone 16 Pro. Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Aneil Karia, the film stars Stormzy in his first-ever lead acting role. Klevis Brahja, 15, will also be making his acting debut in the film after being street-cast for the film. Some fans may recognise Jaydon Eastman, 14, from The Lion King, Matilda, and MJ The Musical on the West End, who is also starring in the new project. Premiering on YouTube at 8:00pm BST on June 18, 2025, the film follows the story of Tenzman, a retired rap star whose life takes an unexpected turn after he meets two spirited boys, Klevis and Tyrell. Their unlikely friendship rekindles Tenzman's passion for music, leading him down new avenues of discovery. The film explores themes of rediscovery, gratitude, and the enduring power of connection. More Trending '#Merky Films is something I've been dreaming about for ages,' said Stormzy. 'It's a space for powerful British stories and fresh, unexpected art. I hope Big Man inspires people to dream bigger and live louder.' The new media venture aims to spotlight new voices and bold narratives within British cinema and TV, and its upcoming slate includes a drama series, a biopic, documentaries, a new animation project, and a mockumentary. In an Instagram post about the project, Stormzy wrote: 'I hope you love Big Man as much as we loved making it. It captures the joy, the spirit and the fearless energy of youth and I hope it inspires you to dream big.' Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'Stupid' Apple Pay prank plagues commuters on London Tube MORE: Warning issued to anyone with an iPhone over urgent security upgrade MORE: WhatsApp will stop working on a range of phones this month – is yours on the list?
