“Damaged Goods” - 2019
Directed by Vincent Martell of VAM STUDIO.
Damaged Goods follows a group of four artists of color as they struggle with self-identity and survival in Chicago. The characters include Sanavi, a young creative professional played by Aashvi Patel; Caleb, a genderqueer club kid played by Chufue Yang; Marlo, a Black wellness social media influencer played by Abena Boamah; and Ezra, an aspiring artist played by Nosakhere Cash-O'Bannon. They face a range of issues throughout the series, such as dismantling a workplace "boys club," balancing nightlife while losing access to health insurance, finding one's own voice as the caretaker of the friend group, and dealing drugs to support artistic endeavors.
Press for “Damaged Goods”.
“As a Black, gay filmmaker from Chicago, Vincent Martell says he never saw himself properly represented in the characters he watched on TV, and he was tired of waiting for people in mainstream media to get it right.”
— PAPER MAGAZINE
“Seeing a community of women and queer folks of color create this amazing piece of content for the community sparked something in me,” he said. “It was my ah-ha moment that: Wait, maybe I can tell a story about my community and a few of my life experiences so that it can resonate. So it’s really based off true events that I and my other two co-writers, Zak Payne K.B. Woodson, experienced.”
— Chicago TribuneChicago Tribune
“Though these aren’t new or groundbreaking topics, seeing a POC-led cast fronting them is strangely long overdue. As a queer person of colour, it was important for Martell to authentically represent both of his communities, giving audiences a chance to see themselves at the forefront of the narrative.”