( ENSPIRE Entertaiment ) “Quik Money” Hits Tubi With a Huge Success in Views Thanks to Brandon Lee’s Partnership With Ron Elliot Jr. and Dennis Reed II
ENSPIRE Contributor: Martin Draus
The recently rising star known as Brandon Lee has just dropped a movie that has made big strides in popularity. He is an executive producer on the film “Quik Money” which has been the #1 film on Tubi with over 10 million streams in its first month. The film is a hilarious comedy that follows a hustler who starts a tax business to avoid trouble from his past. The story is loosely based on Brandon Lee’s experience owning a tax office before he became a true businessman.
Brandon Lee is most known for his film endeavors, but he is also a successful real estate entrepreneur. His dive into the medium of films began with his good friend Ron Elliot Jr. who needed funding for his project “Die Willie Die”. Thanks to Lee’s financial support, the film was finished, and it became a success. But this was not the end of film production for Lee, as soon he desired to produce a film based on his experience in the tax industry. Elliot helped Lee’s dream become a reality by introducing him to producer Denis Reed II, who assisted in the production of “Quik Money”.
Brandon Lee and Ron Elliot Jr. were very close friends before they combined efforts to create Elliot’s project “Die Willie Did” and later “Quik Money.” “I and Ron are practically brothers. I met Ron when I was dating his wife’s sister.” Lee can be somewhat antisocial and Ron is the same, so it took a while for them to start talking, but it was a strong friendship in the making. “Once we started talking, we never stopped. We ended up working out together a few days of the week and he eventually became one of my best friends.” Lee taught Elliot real estate and he became a solid real estate investor. “He even helped coach my team and Michigan Real Estate Association with one of my idols, Wendy Patton, until he gave it up to pursue film.
Lee grew up in the music business with many people in his family being musicians. He’s also originally from New Orleans where most people could play instruments. Lee started out working with many popular musicians at the beginning of his career. “I’ve worked with Lil Boosie, Pimp C of UGK, Boo of the group Boo & Gotti, Young Berg aka Hit Maker, 38 Spesh, Fabo, Young Booke, Lil LA of Trillville, Montell Jordan, and several gospel artists. I have had music placed in Rupaul’s Netflix series, ABC Grown-ish, and others.”
Later in Lee’s life, he jumped back into real estate and finance and things started taking off for him. “I stopped pursuing music as hard and focused on what was making me the money.” But a couple of years ago, Lee decided he wanted to get back into his artistic side, but instead of trying to sing, rap, or sign an artist, he partnered with his friend Ron on their first Project, “Die Willie Die.” “I was an executive producer and financial consultant and I also produced a few pieces of music in the film. After that, I caught the film bug and wanted to do “Quik Money,” which is a story loosely based on my time in the tax industry.” Lee wasn’t planning on actually acting in the film, he was more focused on executive producing, co-writing, and producing a lot of the music. But, Ron thought he would do a great job as the lawyer in the film. “I tapped into all of the great lawyers that I have been around in my life and gave it a try. My team thought that I was a natural, so I decided to keep doing it.”
Brandon Lee has acted on three more projects since then. “Hold It Now,” which is a funny family movie starring Ron Elliott Jr and his family, where Lee plays Bubba, a crazy army guy who works out and drinks beer and plays with knives. “I co-executive produced “Street Legal” with Dennis Reed, starring Benzino and the beautiful and talented Aye Redd, amongst so many other greats in the DR 2 camp (LeMastor, Hydro, Chyna, Ebony Tates, Marrietta Elliott, Robyn Rose, Royce Reed, K Deezy, Hakeem Sharif and more).” Lee played a police officer and he also played a sharp-dressing attorney in Street Legal which is a 6 episode series starring the DR2 family again. “I’m starring in a project with my brother and IG Reel star and rapper Superstar Peezy. We are shooting this film in August and still doing some final casting so stay tuned for that.”
Before Lee joined the film industry, he used to manage and date an actress who he used to take to auditions and help her read for auditions if she needed a male voice. “After a while, producers and directors would ask me if I wanted to be in the movie. Or, after they found out I was in finance, they would ask me if I wanted to invest in the projects.” A casting director from OWN told Lee that he would be a great executive in film and television because he came from doing major business deals and lived the life that many people love to see, such as traveling the world, dressing nice, and driving flashy cars. “He offered for me and her to pitch a reality show, but I wasn’t interested.” But less than a year after Lee and the actress went their separate ways, he started making movies.
Brandon Lee was inspired to pursue a film career by a couple of big names in the industry. “Tyler Perry, of course. He’s from my hometown of New Orleans and he is a creative genius in film, business, and real estate. Dennis Reed, because he came from the streets like me and turned his life experiences into an empire with indie hits like “First Lady 1 2 and 3″, “Indictment,” “I Declare War” and the list goes on.” Reed helped Lee get to where he is now in the business, and where he’s going, making Lee forever grateful.
Lee also was inspired by Master P, because he’s from Lee’s town, and he quietly made millions in film independently with his own money back when people weren’t doing that. Lee was even inspired by Ice Cube, “I mean, he made “Friday,” which I still watch.” All of these guys that went from music to movies showed Lee that he could do that too, even if he wasn’t famous in music. Lee found that being on beat with music helped him with being on beat with writing and acting. “I look up to the late, great John Singleton, and of course the amazing Spike Lee. I need to do some research and find out if we are related. Spike what’s up cousin.”
Brandon Lee believed that a movie about the tax business would be a hit because no one ever did it. “They have done movies about killing, robbing, the stock market, but never the tax game.” Lee made millions of dollars in the game at a young age, and his story is very common, but nobody talks about it. “I’ve seen an episode on American Greed on the topic, but never was a feature film made about it.”
Lee’s recent success with his movie “Quik Money” can be attributed to many factors in production and design. Dennis Reed is a proven hit maker and helping the production of the movie was a great benefit. The movie is based on a real story with writing from Ron Elliot and Brandon Lee who were both professional writers by this point. The final factor of success was the actors who were chosen for their talent and fit into perfect roles for their characters. “I went over budget with hiring so many great actors, but I was like, oh well, this may be the first and last movie I do from start to finish, so I may as well go all in.”
The production of “Quik Money” was a very smooth operation for all the producers involved. “Dennis and Sonia held my hand and guided me through everything.” They helped secure locations, actors, and distribution through homestead entertainment, and came up with the budget and all the contracts. “I feel like I went through executive producer college at DR2 productions, and that made everything, because now I know how to do a film from start to finish, thanks to my teachers.”
“Quik Money” features some of the hottest artists on the independent film scene (Don Brumfield, Jamal Woodard, Crystal Da Doll, Chyna, Ciera Angelia, Ro Spit, Michael Lee, Montreal Diggs, Treal Lee, Jade Judo, Grace Sol, Quentin sharpe, Cierra Collins, Superstar Peezy and many more). The film is a huge success thanks to Dennis Reed II, DR2 Productions, Ron Elliott, Sonia Renee, Carl Weyant, and Homestead Entertainment. “We recently won best screenplay at the BIFFA film festival and we are currently nominated for multiple awards in upcoming festivals.” The film exploded on Tubi with over 20 million streams, and over 30 million views on TikTok and counting. With success so grand, Brandon Lee knows he chose the right career path.
Brandon Lee plans to continue his work in the movie industry while working in the business industry as well. “I’m producing multiple films right now under Brandon Lee Films. I’m making great relationships in the industry, and putting together a solid team of financial partners to help me acquire, develop and fund projects with other indie filmmakers around the country.” Lee has multiple projects in the works with Dennis Reed, Ron Elliott and up and coming filmmakers in places such as Houston and Dallas, TX, Charlotte NC, Jackson Mississippi, and Baton Rouge, La. “I’m planning on continuing to contribute to the Detroit film community because they have been so real with me, and I plan on expanding deeply in the Atlanta scene.” With Tyler Perry acquiring BET, Lee hints at seeing some Brandon Lee Films projects over there in the future. “I’m speaking that into existence. You will see Brandon Lee’s Films on BET soon. It’s just destined to happen.”
Brandon Lee’s career in film production has just begun and is far from ending. “Quik Money” was the start of Lee’s huge success as he expands in the coming year, and Lee will showcase more of his projects soon. His popularity will continue to grow, as he continues to inspire many more who dream to become film producers just like him.
Related Articles: Actress/Producer Elise Luthman On Life in Hollywood, New Indie Film: Crescent Gang
