Ron and Don Brodie, twin brothers and first-generation Jamericans raised in Washington, D.C., grew up making family visits to Jamaica. Driver Radio: Jamaica is inspired by the road trips they used to take there as children and captures the Brodies returning to the island where they find a rapidly changing way of life. In this four-episode series, Ron and Don join both old school and new school taxi drivers to retrace favorite family routes while sharing off-the-beaten-path stories through the lens of the country’s vibrant taxi culture. Along the way, the brothers reconnect with their roots and explore what it means to straddle two identities.
The Filmmakers
Ron Brodie is a Jamaican-raised culture junkie hailing from the Nation’s Capital, Washington DC. Having obtained his BA in Film and Television from Howard University, Ron currently resides and works in New York City. Ron says, "telling the stories that mainstream media ignores is my moral obligation." Over the years Ron has had the pleasure of serving as a narrative artist and director in New York’s creative advertising industry. Ron's portfolio is made up of a diverse line of commercials, music videos, and branded content. In addition to commercials, Ron’s also directed a full-length skate film called We Out Here as an homage to New York’s black skate community. As a filmmaker, Ron strives to share untold and underrepresented stories.
Don Brodie was born and raised in Washington, D.C. He resides in New York City as a photographer and filmmaker. He imagines his editorial work as a means of recording time, creating narratives, and evoking thought. Not limited to reality, this work deals in concepts that are often evolving into bigger pictures and continuously striving to do so with an in-depth and thought-provoking perspective.
Executive Producers Sally Jo Fifer Lois Vossen Ron Brodie Don Brodie Jason Hightower
Cast Credits Driver Deh Ah Town - Casweyne “Casper” Palmer The Dancehall Professor - Orville “Xpressionz” Hall Dancer - Danielle Allen Dancer - Shanice Welsh Dancer - Stacey Ann Lacey Dancer - Shamoie Jones Dancer - Kavaughn Scott Party Specialist - Marcus “Birdimus” Bird The Mayor of Gut River - Wilbert Allen Driver Deh Ah Country - Padre Senior Driver Deh Ah Country - TamesHack "Tommy" Senior Driver Deh Ah Country - Chadwick Senior Electronic Tech aka The “Driver” - Orville “Villa” Leopold Grant Friend & Business Owner - Marlese Anderson Fisherman - Jason HoggArtiste - Tanice Morrison Driver Deh Ah Town - Dean Martin Driver Deh Ah Town - Stacy Ann Latty Driver Deh Ah Town - Clayton Henderson Car Wash Specialist - Wilfred Nelson Car Salesperson - Monique Dyer Cole Lot Attendant - Norman Holding Father “Pop’s” - Donald Brodie Sr. Mother “Muma” - Lorna Brodie Driver #1 - Rohan “Junior Bigz” Matthews Bus Conductor Deh Ah Town - Bubba Rural Bus Driver - Richard “Richie Ranks” Angel 1st Cousin - David Cooke 1st Cousin - Leanne Cooke-Popkin
VP of Production Royd Chung
Producers Sarah Manley Arizona Newsum
Supervising Producer Pamela Torno
Director of Photography Carlos Medina Michael Cooke
Production Coordinators Tsehai Scott Pierre Coleman
Associate Producer Susan Cohen
Camera Operator Asha McHail
Grip & AC Michael “Tingle” Tingling
Production Sound Mixer Delroy Johnson
Production Assistant Noah Levy
BTS Photographer Marcus Bird
Transportation Donald Robinson Glendon Newell Marlon McIntyre
Post Production Producer Sohee Sohn
Editors Jason Tongen Ron Brodie
Graphics Designers Julie Koong Don Brodie
Music Supervision & Sound Mix Willard Hill
Colorist Pierre “Dutty” Vannier
Transcriber Bobbi Jeanne Misick
Music “Bad Minded People” by Dubby Brodie & The Reggae Rocks “Downtown” by Willard Hill “Dragon” by Russell Carter II “Cutlass” by Randy Smith “Life Is So Hard” by Empress “Top Top” by Abie One “Aliko” by Abie One “Long Hair Frere” by Willard Hill “Russian Summer” by Bless The Mad “Villa Riddim” by Willard Hill “17-Skelter” by Randy Smith “Ra’s Lament” by Bless The Mad “Tasty Dreams” by Dale E. James “Love Me” by Bless The Mad "Caribbean Boy” (Acapella) by Tanice Soul Child Morrison
”Mama’s Land” by Bless The Mad “Love Is Love” by Colby Cecca “Willard's Song” by Willard Hill “Grimy Strings” by Michael Scott “Choose to be Happy” by Abie One “When Angels Come” by Willard Hill “I Pledge My Heart”, The Jamaica National School Song (Acapella) by Michael “Tingle” Tingling “Linvals Dub” by Randy Smith “Journey” (Acapella) by Richie Ranks “Golden Child” by Abie One “Westenera” by Dale E. James “Eros Falling” Dale E. James “Let You Love Me” by Willard Hill
Production Counsel Hoskins Dieuvil PC
DRIVER RADIO: JAMAICA is a co-production of MUNDARK INC and INDEPENDENT TELEVISION SERVICE (ITVS), with funding provided by the CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING (CPB)
This program was produced by MUNDARK INC, which is solely responsible for its content.