The Origin Story

Thoughts Become Things is the second collaborative project between myself, Stephan Johnstone, and my good friend Marquedelle (Marq) Rodriguez, one of Bermuda’s top directors, cinematographers, and editors. I am a spoken word artist and the founder of SJD World Ltd, a design studio based in the heart of Bermuda.

Our first film collaboration, Bermudian Poet, premiered online on February 18, 2023. That short film was based on one of my original spoken word pieces and brought to life through Marq’s vision. After its release, we were inspired to create a second short film using another one of my poems, Thoughts Become Things.

This new film explores the rich heritage of the Bermudian Gombey, a vibrant and integral part of our cultural identity. As we began our research and developed the storyboard, we reached out to local cultural torchbearers, community leaders, and all six active Gombey troupes on the island at the time.

Through many deep and meaningful conversations about Bermudian culture and the evolution of the Gombey tradition, every person and organization we spoke with not only encouraged us to tell this story but also helped guide our process. That collaborative spirit has been at the heart of this project, making it a true community effort.

We collaborated with some of Bermuda’s top creatives, including musician and producer Derek G and award-winning photographer Jayde Gibbons, who helped enhance our storytelling with original music and powerful visuals. Their contributions were instrumental in bringing this vision to life.

Over the course of this two-year journey, the project has grown far beyond a single short film. We have since developed a full 12-track soundtrack, Thoughts Become Things (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), capturing the emotional and cultural layers of the story through music and spoken word. We also produced a mini-documentary titled Decoding Thoughts, which takes viewers behind the scenes, exploring the origins of the film and featuring conversations with the creatives, musicians, and Gombey captains who brought this story to life.

This journey has not been easy, but we have felt guided by our ancestors every step of the way. I feel deeply honored to help present our culture through this film and look forward to sharing it with audiences around the world.

Thoughts Become Things is not just a film; it is a celebration of our heritage, a tribute to the spirit of our community, and an artistic collaboration that bridges generations.

– Stephan Johnstone