The Heartbeat
Amira “Hope” Blake
Ambitious, sharp and deeply resilient — she entered the industry determined to succeed without losing herself. She must decide if she will play the game, break it, or rebuild it for the next generation.
← All projects · Original feature screenplay · Psychological dramaThe
The
Other Side
You don't lose yourself all at once.
“The most dangerous part of the other side isn’t what it reveals about the world — it’s what it reveals about us.”
01 / Logline
The cost of
access.
When ambitious music executive Amira Blake lands the career opportunity she's worked for, she enters the orbit of a powerful music mogul whose influence has made him nearly untouchable. But as the people closest to him begin unraveling under the weight of what they've chosen to ignore, Amira is forced to confront what staying in his world is turning her into — and everyone must answer the question at the center of his empire.
What would you tolerate if the person hurting you was also making your dreams come true?
02 / The story
You lose yourself
in pieces.
Amira Blake is stepping into everything she prayed for: access, opportunity, proximity to power. But the closer she gets to the world of powerful music mogul Adrian Locke, the more she realizes that success in this industry isn't just about talent. It's about what you're willing to overlook.
What starts as ambition slowly becomes something else. As the people closest to Adrian begin unraveling under the weight of the choices they've made, Amira finds herself confronting the same question in her own life. She sees the red flags. She understands the cost. And still, walking away from the opportunity she has worked for feels almost impossible.
You don't lose yourself all at once. You lose yourself in pieces.
The power of choice.
Not the big moments — the small ones you justify. Because every choice doesn't just move your life forward. It trains you.
To stay.
The compromise that feels survivable.
To adjust.
The standard that quietly moves.
To become.
The person the room asked for.
Eventually, those choices don't just shape your path. They shape who you are.
03 / Main characters
The center.
The Antagonist
Adrian Locke
To the public, the gold standard of leadership — polished, powerful, charming. Behind the boardroom doors, the embodiment of corruption. For Amira, he is the face of the system she must survive.
The Conscience
Aislin “Ace”
Amira's best friend and grounding force. Bold, outspoken and discerning — she sees the red flags long before Amira is ready to acknowledge them.
The Mentor
Terrance James
The first person to take a chance on Amira. A rare example of integrity — yet even his steady faith is tested when principles collide with pressure.
The orbit.
Who keeps the empire running
Muse & Menace
Mercedes Knight
A legend whose voice defined an era. To the world, a woman with a heart of gold. To those inside, unpredictable and brilliant — and tied closely to Adrian.
The Cautionary Tale
Khalil / K. Stone
Once a celebrated musician, reinvented as an executive. Survival came at a cost — and as he navigates compromise after compromise, he begins to spiral. A mirror of what Amira could become.
The Protector
Junior
A company driver who becomes an unexpected protector. One of the few people who genuinely cares about Amira's wellbeing, willing to risk his job to keep her safe.
04 / Tone & visual style
The world looks holy.
Until the truth appears.
The daytime world
Clean, polished, inspirational. Lighting that sells perfection and brand image. Smooth dolly moves, wide symmetry. Award shows, lobbies, corporate offices. Warm highlights, controlled flares.
The nighttime world
Moody, dark, claustrophobic. Realism that closes in around her. Handheld, tight coverage. Studio backrooms, 3 AM sessions, car rides. LED hues, deep shadow, emotional suffocation.
05 / Creative comps
In good company.
2014 · Feature
Beyond the Lights
Fame, ownership and the cost of becoming the product.
2016–2020 · OWN
Greenleaf
Faith, family and the institution that protects itself.
2022– · Hulu
Reasonable Doubt
A Black woman navigating power, ethics and appetite.
It's the ambition of Beyond the Lights meeting the institutional tension of Greenleaf — told with the moral chess of Reasonable Doubt.
06 / Team & cast
Who is building it.
Creator / Writer / Producer
Khayla Batts
A marketing strategist and creative executive with over a decade across entertainment, media and live experiences. She has led 50+ campaigns, worked on Grammy Award–winning projects, managed $3M+ in experiential initiatives, raised $4M in sponsorship campaigns, and built movie marketing campaigns that reached 5M viewers in a single weekend.
Producer · Emmy Award Winner
LaMonique Hamilton
Emmy-winning producer, writer and founder of Centre Creative Company. She won her first Emmy at the 68th annual New York Emmy Awards for the dark comedy Hot Angry Mom, capping nearly two decades of work across multimedia, journalism and political communications. Author of Shift: Essays of a Woman in Progress.
Director
Avery Henley
A director, editor and camera operator with a modern, image-forward approach. Founder of Henley Productions, with credits including work with Jonathan McReynolds, Rick Ross, Wiz Khalifa and Dierks Bentley, plus recent BET and CMT premieres.
Cast · Junior
Miles Stroter
An actor, producer and entrepreneur with over a decade in the industry. Credits include HBO's Insecure, Chicago Fire, BET's The Quad, CBS's S.W.A.T. and Starz's BMF, plus the films Dutch, Dutch II and After Shocks. He holds writing and producing credits including projects for Netflix's Strong Black Lead.
Cast · Aislin
Loren Lott
An actress and singer who first captured national audiences as a Top 16 finalist on American Idol. She starred as Ana Hamilton on CBS's The Young and the Restless and as Lucy Conrad in The Porter, with credits including BET's Tales, The Quad, Powers and The Game.
Support pathways
How this project creates opportunity.
Film production
Set operations
BTS media
Campaign strategy
Event production
Music production
Discuss commercial film sponsorship →Support workforce development →Support mental health programming →NC economic impact partnership →Community screening & cultural engagement →
The film is in development; production dates are not guaranteed. Community programming tied to the film — screenings, moderated conversations, workforce learning — is planned as separately funded charitable activity, distinct from commercial production financing.