Led by director and entrepreneur Tylon “U-Savior” Washington, BW Moving Images (formerly BlackWaxx Studios) has produced dozens of movies, music videos, albums, and online segments, as well as played host to spoken word sessions, film premieres, and other community events in Jersey City for the past decade.

Originally founded in Brooklyn (and still maintaining a New York mailing address), U-Savior and studio president Iyanna Jones made the decision to move to Jersey City in 2001 after their landlord at the time decided to raise the rent three-fold. Like many who have made the migration west of the Hudson, Washington and Jones found they could maintain a much larger space for much less rent.

“Downtown Jersey City is very artsy, very progressive. There are a lot of artists and people connected to the industry out here,” Washington says. “We are very happy to be a part of this community, and not long after we moved we found that many of our friends had already moved out here as well.”

Since moving, BW has gone through some major creative changes that have resulted in the expansion of their business to a national and global scale. Washington’s long music career and beginnings as a DJ gave him contacts all over the nation, which has resulted in BW doing business in many American cities, including Chicago and Los Angeles. New creative prospects have taken the studio’s interests even further.

“Right now we’re in a transition where the focus is going from music to film,” Washington says. “We worked with director Melvin Van Peebles on his most recent film, Confessions of an Ex-Doofus-Itchy-Footed Mutha where I had a speaking role. We shot portions here at BlackWaxx which was very exciting and I said, ‘This is what I really want to do.’” BW is currently investigating film prospects in South Africa.

The studio already has one documentary under its belt, Washington’s award-winning film, Disappearing Voices: The Decline of Black Radio, which chronicles the seemingly calculated degradation and disappearance of black culture from the airwaves. They have at least two more documentaries in the works, Confessions of a Liberal Actor-vist, starring Jersey City actor and activist Erik-Anders Nilsson and A Strong Will, a film that will chronicle the life of boxer Wilfredo Benitez.

While the studio has largely found good fortune in Jersey City, it has also endured some costly setbacks. Last fall, heavy rainfall caused the ceiling of the back portion of BW’s studio space (the part that houses its production equipment) to leak. Water poured down the walls and flowed out of light sockets causing extensive damage to the studio’s equipment.

“We lost a lot of equipment and a few clients,” Washington explains. “When you lose clients like that they find a new home, so you don’t just lose the project, you lose the client and their future business. But you know, one door closes and another one opens.”

It took months to recover, but visiting the studio today, you would be hard-pressed to notice any damage.

Looking forward, BW will move towards achieving their ultimate goal: producing feature-length films. Two are already in the beginning stages of production, and Washington had three scripts in a drawer he had yet to review when we visited.

“We’re extremely happy to be getting out of the niche of documentaries,” he says. “People say, ‘Oh U-Savior, he can do documentaries, but that’s all he does.’ So we’re looking to move towards producing features.” As an aside, Washington mentioned that making a science fiction film is something he’s had on his mind for quite some time.

While the studio re-launched as BW Moving Images in January, what hasn’t changed is the activist role BW plays in the Jersey City community. When you review the studio’s diverse community portfolio — hosting Open Soul Sessions events, being involved with the Jersey City Peace Movement and screening Disappearing Voices at local cafes — you see a business concerned with more than just turning a profit. You see a group of community leaders doing something to make the world a better place.

“We want to be a part of a renaissance that says it’s cool to be smart,” Washington says. “It’s cool to be analytical, it’s cool to protest, and it’s cool to stand up for what you think is right and true. We’re a part of that, and we feel good about it.”

VIDEO EXTRAS:

Tour of the studio:

Extended Interview:

- Off-Duty Cop Involved in Car Crash Linked to Steroids Doc: The police officer involved in a seven-car crash that killed an elderly woman in Bayonne last weekend was among hundreds of law enforcement officers and firefighters who filled prescriptions for anabolic steroids with the aid of an unscrupulous Jersey City doctor. Police chief Tom Comey says the officer won’t be suspended until the investigation into the crash is complete.

- Film Tax Credits: The owner of Jersey City-based film production company Blinky Productions bemoans last week’s recommendation by the state Economic Development Authority to end the state tax credits given to film and digital media companies. MORE from the Record.

- 10 Years for Weapons Charges: A 22-year-old Jersey City man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for weapons offenses after being acquitted in December of the cold-blooded, execution-style murder of a man shot in the back of the head in 2008.

- Spelling Bee: An 8th-grader from St. Nicholas School in Jersey City won the Jersey Journal‘s 52nd annual Hudson County Spelling Bee.

Today’s Best Bets:

- Thomas Chatterton Williams, the author of Losing My Cool, will give the Jerry Weiss Center for Children’s and Young Adult Literature Lecture at NJCU (5 pm). The very worthy benefit Women Rocking Change, for Dress for Success Hudson County, will be held at Maritime Parc (6:30 pm). And jazz pianist Kenny Werner plays a free concert as part of NJCU’s Great Performers series (6 pm).

In Statewide News:

- Labor Rally: Bemoaning what some called a nationwide attack on the middle class, poncho-clad public workers flooded Trenton Friday in a show of support for employees in Wisconsin, where Gov. Scott Walker has called for an end to collective bargaining. The rally, organized by the state AFL-CIO, reportedly attracted a crowd of about 3,100. Gov. Christie, meanwhile, says he supports what the Wisconsin governor is doing, although he has no plans to try to end collective bargaining here in New Jersey.

- Medicaid Cuts: Few of the cuts proposed by Gov. Christie in his state budget are as important, or as uncertain, as his plan to slash projected spending on Medicaid services for the poor by as much as $550 million. Gannett’s Michael Symons takes a closer look.

- Public Worker Retirements: More than 20,000 police officers, firefighters, teachers and other public employees put in their retirement papers last year as momentum was building for sweeping health and pension reform in Trenton; a 60 percent jump from 2009 retirements and the highest in at least a decade.

- ARC Tunnel: Four months after Gov. Christie scotched plans for the trans-Hudson ARC tunnel, state officials are scrambling to reclaim at least part of $161.9 million paid in advance to the project’s insurers.

- Christie on ‘Face the Nation’: Gov. Christie discussed Sarah Palin, presidential politics and unions yesterday on Face the Nation. MORE from the Asbury Park Press.

- Consumer Protection Bill: The Assembly recently passed legislation that would allow them to file complaints with officials or in court, even if they waived that right in acquiring goods and services.

- Unemployment Fund: New Jersey should phase in over three years tax hikes on employers to restore the financial stability of the fund that pays unemployment benefits, a task force convened by Gov. Christie reported Friday.

- From Wachovia to Wells Fargo: New Jersey’s former Wachovia branches have been transformed into Wells Fargo locations, following the merger of the two banks two years ago.

- Transportation Plan: Hudson County Freeholder Chairman Bill O’Dea says he plans to introduce a resolution at this week’s freeholder session supporting Gov. Christie’s five-year transportation capital projects plan, which has been heavily criticized by planning and transportation experts. Meanwhile, newly released information about the ARC tunnel project shows taxpayers paid a steep price for a real estate quest, largely in Hudson County, that yielded, at best, mixed results.

- Recall Progress: The group leading a recall effort against Mayor Jerramiah Healy and Council President Peter Brennan are facing two upcoming February deadlines: February 20 to turn in enough signatures to force a recall of Healy, and February 28 for Brennan.

- Hit-and-Run Victim Dies: The 56-year-old owner of a Greek social club in Jersey City died Saturday from injuries he received in a hit-and-run crash the day after Christmas.

- Film Tax Credits: The Assembly is due to vote this week on plans to reinstate and expand New Jersey’s tax credit program for film and digital media production. The Christie administration last year suspended the $15 million program, which forced at least one major TV show (Law & Order: SVU) to leave Hudson County for NYC.

- Port Authority Cops Scandal: Two top Port Authority cops are reportedly resigning, after The New York Post reported that one of them arranged for an officer to chauffeur his college-age daughter from Kennedy Airport to New Jersey and the other falsely denied knowing about it.

- New 911 System: Work is to begin immediately on Hudson County’s new 911 system and the $750,000 County Regional Call Center operated by the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office is expected to be operational in 30 days.

- JC Moving Company Questioned: Two women say Jersey City moving company United Relocation Vanlines is holding their possessions hostage until they pay bogus charges that quickly ballooned.

- New Tutoring Center: The House of the Lord Church is now hosting The Reverend Dr. Herbert D. Daughtry Learning Center, which will hold classes on Saturdays and is named for the civil rights activist and former Jersey City resident.

- Cabbie Found Not Guilty: A Jersey City cab driver has been found not guilty of allegations he locked a 77-year-old passenger in his cab after refusing to accept the man’s senior discount fare.

- Grove Street Bicycles: The Downtown Jersey City bike shop’s donation program recently donated over 60 refurbished bikes to Good Goes Around, a nonprofit organization that works with the Community Foodbank of New Jersey to distribute the donated bikes to needy children around North Jersey.

- JC Man Sentenced in Rape Case: A 30-year-old Jersey City man has been sentenced to five years in prison for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman in a Tonnelle Avenue motel, where a prostitute reportedly saw what was happening and called police.

- Death Ruled ‘Suspicious’: Officials have now classified the death of a 48-year-old Jersey City man whose bruised body was found next to his bed Friday evening as “suspicious.”

Today’s Best Bets:

- The Latin America-Caribbean Solidarity Committee of the International Action Center and the Jersey City Peace Movement host a free screening of the documentary Quien Dijo Miedo, about the 2009 coup in Honduras, at NJ Action 21 (6:30 pm). And the weekly comedy open mic show is at Bar Majestic (7 pm).

In Statewide News:

- Pension System Reform: In a proposal released Friday, Democratic legislative leaders called for a fundamental restructuring of the state’s pension system, modeling it after private sector funds. The idea, not yet written in bill form, would give public employee unions more say in how their pensions are administered while making workers give concessions.

- Christie’s State of the State: The governor’s first State of the State address is scheduled for Tuesday, and in advance he is talking to news organizations about what he plans to discuss. He tells the Asbury Park Press that his speech will focus more on his accomplishments thus far than on laying out any grand plans for the next 12 months, and he tells the Wall Street Journal that those plans moving forward aren’t going to be much of a change; instead he plans to “stay the course” and “double down.” He tells the Record that means focusing on fixing the state’s underfunded pension system, further changing the educational system and continuing to address the state’s budget problems.

- Job Creation: Gov. Christie on Friday signed a bill expanding one of New Jersey’s tax-credit bills for businesses, the Business Retention and Relocation Assistance Grant (BRRAG) program, which awards corporate business tax credits to companies that show they are thinking about leaving the state. The program previously granted a one-time maximum of $1,500 for each job, but the revision enables companies to receive nine times as much. However, the governor doesn’t seem quite as enthusiastic about a set of Democrat-sponsored job-creation bills making its way through the state legislature.

- Cutting Medicaid? Gov. Christie is one of 29 Republican governors asking the Obama administration and Congress to be allowed to cut deeper into Medicaid, the health-care program for the poor. MORE from Bloomberg News.

- Unemployment: Gov. Christie conditionally vetoed a bill last week that seeks to penalize employers who will not hire unemployed people.

- Steroids & Cops: A state assemblyman will unveil legislation today requiring law enforcement officers and firefighters who fill prescriptions for anabolic steroids or human growth hormone to undergo fitness-for-duty evaluations.

- Horticulture: New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher has announced that the state’s horticulture industry ranks eighth in the nation for gross sales of horticulture crops, with $347.6 million in sales in 2009.

- Bedbugs: Board of Education officials have confirmed another bedbug problem, at School 23 on Romaine Avenue. Officials say they cannot fully exterminate the building as long as school is in session.

- Steroids & Cops: Jersey City Police Officers’ Benevolent Association (POBA) president Jerry DeCicco says the union could support a random steroid-testing policy if the POBA played a role in the policy’s development. DiCicco had previously said the union would challenge any such policy based on health care privacy laws and constitutionality issues.

- Alleged Copper Thief Caught: A 48-year-old Jersey City man has been charged with stealing copper pipes from at least two churches, a housing development and the roof of a supermarket. The man was caught as he tried to steal pipes from the Extra Supermarket at the MLK Hub Thursday night.

- Film & TV Shoots: NJ Spotlight has an in-depth look at a bill being considered in Trenton that would restore and extend the the state’s film and TV tax incentive program; when the tax incentive was frozen this past summer, some shows left Hudson County to shoot in NYC.

- Hudson River PCBs: The Environmental Protection Agency has set more stringent requirements for General Electric in the next phase of the company’s cleanup of the upper Hudson River. The agency will require GE to dredge PCB-contaminated sediment more effectively during the rest of the cleanup than in the first phase, and allow less “capping;” GE has 30 days to decide whether it will accept or challenge the EPA order.

- Manufacturing Jobs: Hudson County, like the rest of New Jersey, has seen a huge decline in its manufacturing sector over the past few decades. Now some lawmakers are searching for ways to reverse the decline and revitalize the state’s industrial base.

- Eliu Rivera: The Hudson County freeholder tells the Reporter he wants to run for his seat again to ensure that it stays in the hands of the Hispanic community. “We already lost the sheriff’s office, we almost lost Mariano Vega’s seat, and I don’t want to see the freeholder’s seat lost,” he says.

- NJCU Theft: The husband of a former New Jersey City University office manager has pleaded guilty in federal court to being the ringleader in the theft of more than $500,000 from the school’s Student Government Organization.

- Illegal Cigarettes: Three Hudson County men, including the owner of a Jersey City grocery store, have been arrested for their alleged roles in a black market cigarette ring.

- Palisade Wine & Liquor Reopens: Palisade Wine & Liquor in the Heights has reopened after a December 13 floor in its building.

In Statewide News:

- New Education Chief: Christopher Cerf is “a nationally known school administrator who drove some of New York City’s most controversial education policies,” the Times reports, saying Cerf’s appointment by Gov. Christie “signals the governor’s continued intent to upend the educational establishment and put his stamp on the state’s schools.” MORE on Cerf from NJ Spotlight, the Ledger and the Wall Street Journal.

- NJ Backs Out of Greenhouse Gas Pact: New Jersey and two other states have reneged on a promise to dedicate millions of dollars to reduce carbon emissions and promote green energy, choosing instead to divert substantial funds to saving their budgets.

- NJ Could Lose House Seat: The U.S. Census Bureau will release state population figures Tuesday that experts predict could cost New Jersey one of its 13 seats in the House of Representatives, which could trigger one of the most contentious congressional redistricting battles in state history.

- NJN: Gov. Christie signed legislation Friday that paves the way for the transition of the state-run New Jersey Network into a private independent entity. The governor suspended the planned layoffs of 130 NJN staffers, saying the actions will allow for “New Jersey-focused programming to continue uninterrupted” as a transition is completed. MORE from the Asbury Park Press.

- The Debt Hole: New Jersey’s debt burden, which increased by nearly 700 percent during the last two decades, grew only 3 percent during the last budget year.

- Atlantic City: State legislators are considering a bill that would deregulate the gaming industry in Atlantic City.

- Church/State: A state Superior Court judge has ruled that Point Pleasant Beach will have to cease its practice of allowing individual borough council members to say a prayer before meetings.

- Defense Contractor Pleads Guilty: A New Jersey-based defense contractor has pleaded guilty to defrauding the government by selling the military car and tractor trailer parts that did not meet federal standards.

- Film/TV Tax Credit Hearing: A hearing on the fallout from the proposed loss of New Jersey’s film production tax credit — which lets production companies offset their state corporate business or gross income taxes with a 20 percent credit on certain production costs — took place in Secaucus yesterday. Industry representatives say the loss of the program will negatively impact the number of shoots that happen in Jersey City and elsewhere in the state (although, as an NBC rep pointed out, Mercy would have left the state anyway … since it was canceled.)

- Cops Looking for Alleged Groper: Jersey City police are looking for a man who has allegedly been grabbing young children and kissing them in several incidents over the past few weeks in Leonard Gordon Park in the Heights.

- Medical Center Opening ‘Balance Center’: The Jersey City Medical Center is opening “The Balance Center,” which will provide state-of-the-art diagnostic testing and treatment to patients with a range of different medical conditions that cause balance problems, later this month.

Today’s Best Bets:

- Three very worthy fundraisers top the agenda this evening. The Jersey City Free Public Library’s “Hot Times at the Fiesta,” at O’Haras Downtown, will raise money for the purchase of security cameras throughout the library system (5:30 pm). Uptown, the Jersey City Episcopal Community Development Corporation (JCECDC) is hosting a “Meet and Greet” event — featuring food, drink, entertainment and raffles — at the Hudson County Community College Culinary Center (5:30 pm). The funds raised will go to the JCECDC’s homeless drop-in center. Last, but not least, is the annual “Betting on a Cure” benefit at the Hyatt, which features all sorts of card games in addition to food, drinks and entertainment, all to raise money for the New Jersey Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (7 pm). Meanwhile, the 18th annual Spring Show by the Hudson Artists of NJ has its opening reception tonight at City Hall (6 pm).

In Statewide News:

- Affordable Housing Tops the Agenda: As the Senate prepares to vote this afternoon on a controversial bill changing the way the state provides affordable housing, Gov. Christie will also address the issue in a town-hall meeting today.

- Christie Endorses Offshore Wind Agreement: Gov. Christie has signed on to a memorandum of understanding with the federal government and other East Coast governors to promote the development of offshore wind power.

- New High Court Ruling: The state Supreme Court has ruled that family members of defendants do not have an automatic right to speak during sentencings.

- Coalition Fighting Regulations Bill: A coalition of 76 labor, health and environmental groups have signed a petition asking legislators to kill a bill that would prevent New Jersey state agencies from adopting safety, conservation and health standards that are tougher than federal regulations.

- Dems Plan to Put Budget-Cutting Votes on GOP: Democrats in the legislature say they are prepared to supply the votes needed to pass Gov. Christie’s $29.3 billion budget before the end of the month. But they’re planning to insist that Republicans initiate the bills that cut programs for the poor and disabled.

- A New Judicial Advisory Panel: Gov. Christie has named a new state advisory panel on the judiciary, making good a promise to swiftly replace a group that quit in protest last week.

- NJ Seeking Federal Health Aid: The Christie administration has quietly parted company with most Republican governors to submit a proposal for one of the key early provisions of federal health-care reform. The state would like to receive a portion of the $5 billion “high-risk” pool created to help people with pre-existing medical conditions who have been unable to get insurance for six months or more; New Jersey’s share is estimated at $141 million.

- Lautenberg Finishes Chemo Treatments: Sen. Frank Lautenberg says he feels “terrific” after finishing his last chemotherapy treatment, but he won’t know until later this month if his cancer is gone.

Shooting under the Pulaski Skyway/Photo courtesy of Evolving Productions

Actor and producer Robert Capelli Jr. is best known for his comedic work with the likes of Artie Lange in Waltzing Anna, and Danny Aiello in 2003′s Mail Order Bride. But the lifelong Hoboken resident’s newest film is a hardened look at corruption on New York City streets (even though it was shot in Jersey City).

Starring Busta Rhymes, Tom Berenger, and the late Jersey City boxing legend Arturo Gatti, most of Breaking Point was shot right here in Chilltown — and it might just mirror the city’s recent political distortion.

“It’s a really cold and dark movie,” says Capelli, who produced and stars in the movie, “a real New York gritty type of cinema.” Following five different story lines, Breaking Point is reminiscent of Martin Scorcese’s The Departed, but “much darker and more violent,” the actor says.

Costing a cool $3.5 million to shoot, the movie, previously known as Order of Redemption, looks a lot more expensive than the price tag.

“The look of it is just amazing,” Capelli says. “It looks like a $10-million movie. It’s funny because a lot of people don’t know what to expect from an independent movie, but they were pleasantly surprised.”

Before being released last week on DVD by Lions Gate, the movie had a limited run in theaters across the U.S., from L.A. to Chicago to Florida, bringing a little piece of Jersey City to the rest of the country.

“There’s a great scene that was shot right on Route 440,” Capelli says. “It almost works as a character.”

A Rapper, a Boxer and an Actor Walk into a Bar

The independent movie attracted some pretty substantial names, with stars like Tom Berenger and Busta Rhymes and legendary Jersey City boxer Arturo Gatti playing big roles. While that’s nothing new to Capelli, an up-and-coming actor who has worked with Hollywood starlets like Emmanuelle Chriqui and Croatian bombshell Ivana Milicevic, he still admits to being a bit awed by the star power.

“We were waiting for a scene change, and it was me, Arturo, Busta, and Tom Berenger in the car,” Capelli says, reminiscing about of one of his favorite moments on set. “Everybody took five, but we just sat in the car talking. To have all these incredible individuals who are on top of their games just shooting the shit was a great moment for me.”

He adds: “The actors were really amazing. Busta Rhymes was a complete gentleman on set, and the perfect fit for the part.”

Busta’s onscreen performance of that role — a dangerous hit man — leaves movie-goers with a single certain emotion.

“You wind up really hating Busta at the end,” Capelli says. “But, when you see a character in a movie and you hate him because he’s just such a dick, than that guy is a really great actor.”

Working with Gatti, a longtime friend who was found dead in a hotel room in Brazil in July, was particularly memorable for Capelli.

“I knew Arturo for almost 10 years,” he says. “He was so excited to be on set. I mean, he’s been through so much as a boxer, you wouldn’t think that he would be so excited. But he loved it.”

Waltzing with Artie

Breaking Point is not Capelli’s first time shooting in Jersey City. Capelli starred in the 2006 romantic comedy Waltzing Anna, starring Chriqui and Artie Lange, which was shot at the old Jersey City Medical Center.

“That was one of the better experiences of my life,” Capelli says. “Working with Emanuelle and Artie was a dream. It was a lot of fun coming to set every day.”

But the movie is more than just laughs. Capelli, who also co-wrote the film, dedicated the movie to his late grandfather.

“The movie really taught me a lot about the elderly,” he says. “Elderly people are older, but that doesn’t mean they’re out of the game, which is one thing we have to remember.”

With his production company Baxter Films having at least two new projects in the works, Capelli says he’ll keep shooting locally.

“I love shooting in Hudson County,” he says. “It’s just so nice when you can go home to your mother’s house for Sunday macaroni.”

For more on Breaking Point, visit the movie’s website.

The show will be shooting scenes at 8th and Erie Streets on Tuesday, April 7, between 6 am-6:30 pm. The shooting will create No Parking zones on the north side of 10th Street between Jersey Avenue and Brunswick Street (there is no parking there as-is, but a representative from the production company tells me it is a “precautionary” move); both sides of 8th Street between McWilliams Place and Erie Street; and both sides of Erie Street from 6th Street to Pavonia Avenue.

View Larger Map

The scenes they’ve chosen to shot at 8th and Erie “involve the aftermath of a traffic accident,” and thus there will also be sporadic traffic rerouting around that area on Tuesday as the crew will have to make “intermittent street closures.”

In a letter distributed to residents, the production company says it has made arrangements to secure the private parking lot at Erie and 10th Streets for that day. You can contact the Open 4 Business’ Location Department at 973-925-8157 to arrange a Parking Voucher for the day, or to obtain more information about filming.