Sugar, a darkly compelling drama written, directed and starring Alyssa Brayboy, is set to screen at three prestigious film festivals this fall:
- Imagine This Women’s International Film Festival in New York City, September 19-29
- SNAP! Fest in Brussels, Belgium, October 17-20
- Micheaux Film Festival in Los Angeles, October 21-27
Produced alongside Elisa Vazquez and Jillian Stewart, Brayboy’s short film delves into the gritty and complex lives of three sex workers, exploring their unique relationships and the harsh realities they face. The film offers a raw, unfiltered look into their daily struggles and the personas they adopt to navigate their world.
It’s Star/Producer/Director Alyssa Brayboy sat down to discuss the noise Sugar is generating at Film Fests around the world, the difficulties of being an African American Female wearing multiple Hats. Buttons, her production company with partner Elisa Vasquez, watching yourself on screen at the World Famous Chinese Theater in Hollywood, and much more, enjoy. Watch the trailer for Sugar at Vimeo.com, and find Alyssa Brayboy on IG @alyssabrayboy and @buttons.studio.
Alyssa Brayboy
Sherman Wayze:Interview
Gavyn Glass: editor
Sherman Wayze: Can you tell me about the screening of Sugar at the Chinese Theater?
Alyssa Brayboy: It turned out beautiful, better than I had anticipated. We had a great turnout. My business partner, Elisa Vasquez, and I walked the carpet. We did some great interviews We had a Q&A after the screening.
Sherman Wayze: How did seeing your movie at the Chinese theater feel? Seeing yourself on the Big Screen.
Alyssa Brayboy: Seeing it on the big screen in front of a crowd of strangers, I forgot it was mine. I sat back and thought, “Oh, that was dope,” and then remembered, “Baby girl, you made that.” It was very surreal.
Sherman Wayze: Did you watch it from a technical perspective?
Alyssa Brayboy: This time, I allowed myself to sit back and enjoy what my team and I created. Typically, I watch it from a technical standpoint, but this time, I watched it as a viewer.
Sherman Wayze: You directed and starred in it, correct? How difficult was it to direct yourself?
Alyssa Brayboy: This time it wasn’t as difficult as some past projects. I set my team up to allow me to not wear the director’s hat as much on the day of shooting for my scenes. I handed things over to my cinematographer and producer, trusting them to execute while I stayed in character.
Sherman Wayze: Can you give us some background on the story?
Alyssa Brayboy: Sugar is the proof of concept for a series we have in development. The series explores the sex work industry and its nuances and misconceptions from different vantage points. We follow various sex workers who end up in forced friendships. We meet Allura, a street-based sex worker, and her sister, who is more of an escort and sugar baby; Dante, a male sex worker, and Yenny, who is new to sex work.
Sherman Wayze: Are you approaching it from a dramatic perspective?
Alyssa Brayboy: Both. The story comes from my personal experience with sex work and escorting. It’s about human connection, feeling safe and seen. While I love the series from a dramatic standpoint, it’s more of an educational piece to show people that sex work is so much more than what they think. I want to be part of destigmatizing and decriminalizing sex work, using my art and activism hand-in-hand.
Sherman Wayze: What is the biggest misconception about sex work?
Alyssa Brayboy: I believe people think it’s about sex, but it’s actually companionship work. It’s human connection.
Sherman Wayze: How long did it take you to develop Sugar and get it ready to shoot?
Alyssa Brayboy: I’ve been writing Sugar for about two years. I had already written a draft of the pilot when I decided to film something. It took me about six months to write that draft. Then it took another three to six months to actually start shooting.
Sherman Wayze: Were there any specific areas you tried to avoid because they might be interpreted wrong?
Alyssa Brayboy: I’m trying to find a balance between being authentic and avoiding unnecessary violence or stereotypes. I want to show that sex workers can have happy endings too, in a real way. I’m focused on showing choice and advocating for it, while also creating an authentic story.
Sherman Wayze: In dating situations, are men intimidated because of your work?
Alyssa Brayboy: It runs the gamut. For most men, it’s an ownership thing. They don’t want to share. Some feel inadequate about their experience level. Others worry about being seen as a “trick” or that I’m trying to take advantage of them. It’s changed how I date because I’m used to men who treat spending time with me as a privilege.
Sherman Wayze: Do you prefer fucking or making love?
Alyssa Brayboy: That’s a beautiful question! If I get to choose, I want both in the same session. I like to flow back and forth because I believe within lovemaking there is fucking. Ultimately, I prefer lovemaking because the exchange we’re doing with our bodies is love, even if the way we do it sometimes changes.
Sherman Wayze: Can you tell me about Buttons, your production company?
Alyssa Brayboy: Buttons is the production company I founded with Elisa Vasquez. We like to push people’s buttons and get them comfortable being uncomfortable. We highlight underrepresented talent and voices in front of and behind the camera. Our stories focus on taboo topics to educate and create conversations. Right now we’re focused on sex work, but we’re also interested in immigration, social class systems, and women’s rights.
Sherman Wayze: Do you have an OnlyFans account?
Alyssa Brayboy: I’m thinking about it. I had one for a moment but didn’t like the direction it was going. When I do it again, I want to do it in a way that’s on brand for myself and Buttons. I want it to be more sensual and erotic, boudoir style, strip teases, and dances, but still leave something to the imagination. I’m curating that and trying to find the right photographers and filmmakers to do it differently.
Sherman Wayze: But it won’t be something you feel you have to do for the money?
Alyssa Brayboy: I want to take my time with it. I need to build it out, but I really want it to be more sensual and erotic and boudoir and, you know, strip teases and dances, but implied and just still leaving something for the imagination, like that sexy, classy dirty. If you are just phoning it in, that’s not an experience. That’s not what I do. And I’m not the one for you. And I’m very particular about bringing on new clients. And so it’s like, no, it’s mutually beneficial. I’m going to enjoy the sex that I’m having too. Thank you very much.
Sherman Wayze: Tell me more about the industry from your perspective as a producer.
Alyssa Brayboy: I was at the American Black Film Festival and got into some parties meeting individuals that I legitimately didn’t know who they were. But there were a few people who I was planning to meet. Like Charles D. King, he created, founded, and runs Stay Macro, a production company, and M88, which, and a whole bunch of other things. He’s so smart, such an amazing leader, great things for the black and brown community. And I’m like, he’s right here, and I have nothing to say.
Sherman Wayze: You’re always gonna do shit some people are gonna like, some people are gonna hate. And you’re gonna be misunderstood.
Alyssa Brayboy: That’s when you become successful.
Sherman Wayze: Thank you Alyssa, please be sure to check out Sugar
Watch the trailer for Sugar at Vimeo.com, and find Alyssa Brayboy on IG @alyssabrayboy and @buttons.studio.
ABOUT ALYSSA BRAYBOY:
Alyssa Brayboy is a Los Angeles-based actress, producer, writer, entrepreneur and SheEO/Founder of Buttons, a Black and Latina female-owned production company that gives prominence to the personal narratives and traditions of underrepresented and diverse voices through the power of film.
Brayboy launched her acting career in 2014 with parts in productions such as Already Lucky, 30 Nights and 2018’s The Mix and Serve, a TV series that she also produced. She has since created, directed and written several films, shorts and series, including the upcoming short film Shadow Self, a collaboration with director Jesse Randall (with whom she worked on his series The Safety Plan) about how COVID-19’s lockdowns impacted the mental health of queer women of color.
She was also nominated for Best Comedic Performance in 2021’s Best of NFMLA Awards for her role in The Safety Plan, Maverick Movie Awards’ Best Supporting Actress nominee for her role in Already Lucky and won Best Supporting Actress at the Silicon Beach Film Festival for her role in Coyote.
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