David Wadley

David Wadley is the writer, producer, and director of the black action movie Dark Angels (1998), available on multiple streaming services, including Tubi, Prime Video, and Apple TV. In Dark Angels (1998), a pregnant woman's physically abusive husband demands that she get an abortion. Their world is full of sex, drugs, money, and power, with violence an ever-present threat. On the mean streets of Atlanta, the expectant mother finds that only spiritual awareness and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse can help her escape the madness. Wadley produces and edits YouTube videos featuring R&B slow jams and old school remixes as The Price Bandit. Throughout the YouTube Black Voices Fund initiative (2020-2023), He created over 250 videos and started the hashtag #YouTubeBlackOldSchool. Wadley has worked for Warner Bros. Studios, Sony Pictures, and MGM Studios. He has been a Motion Picture Editors Guild, IATSE Local 700 member for over 20 years and was Supervising Sound Editor on Soul Plane (2004). Wadley worked as a production assistant on the Hollywood sets of movies produced by Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Robert De Niro, and Melvin Van Peebles. Wadley wrote, produced, and released "Batman Theme" (1984), an electro cover of the opening theme song from the classic T.V. series "Batman" (1966), shortly after graduating from St. Peter Chanel in Ohio. Watching "Batman" (1966) as a child, Wadley was inspired to produce and release an updated musical recording of the iconic "Batman Theme" in 1984. Five years later, Prince paid homage to Wadley's earlier recording when he released "Batdance" (1989) by using structural elements similar to Wadley's cover of the "Batman Theme." Prince, mirroring Wadley's earlier recording, included a surreal intro, spoken dialogue, a lead guitar solo in the middle of the song, synthesized background vocals of the lyric "Batman," and a conclusive explosion followed by a single word to end the song abruptly; Prince saying "Stop," while Wadley finished his previous version with the phrase, "Hey." Wadley made the Dean's List as a freshman at Morehouse College. Ernest Tidyman, a journalist and Oscar-winning screenwriter of The French Connection (1971), Shaft (1971), and High Plains Drifter (1973), encouraged him to study film production on the East Coast. Wadley supported himself with jobs at The NY Hilton, The Plaza Hotel, and The Waldorf Astoria, where he interacted with frequent hotel patrons Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, and Jesse Jackson. As a student at Hunter College, he interned in Harlem's 15th Congressional District under Representative Charles Rangel. Historically, Wadley is the first student invited to participate as a guest panelist on the regionally televised "City of N.Y. Internship Forum." He discussed "Race Relations in America" with local politicians and noted political scientist Dr. Marilyn Gittell. Intrigued by his studies relating to the Civil Rights Movement, Wadley arranged private, face-to-face discussions with both Coretta Scott King and Betty Shabazz, the widows of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. He also worked nights as a runner for Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen, and Katz; the law firm that orchestrated Bank of America's purchase of Merrill Lynch for $50 billion, as well as the hostile takeover of the RJR Nabisco empire which served as the subject of the bestselling novel and film, Barbarians at the Gate (1993). Wadley's desire to work in the film industry eventually led him to the West Coast, where he landed positions at Panavision and Technicolor. The former Firefighter/EMT also worked as a Production Assistant on several films produced by Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Robert De Niro, and blaxploitation pioneer Melvin Van Peebles. Wadley worked on Panther (1995), Tales from the Hood (1995), To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (1995), and Minority Report (2002). These films allowed him to work with noted actors such as Angela Bassett, Tom Cruise, Robin Williams, Patrick Swayze, Chris Rock, and Wesley Snipes. Wadley then wrote, produced, and directed a feature film entitled Dark Angels (1998) for Stray Filmworks/Maverick Entertainment. Following the release of Dark Angels (1998), he wrote several feature-length screenplays, including "Always and Forever," "Yang," and "Notorious." As a Postproduction Supervisor at Sony Pictures Studios, he worked on the international versions of television programs such as The King of Queens (1998), The Steve Harvey Show (1996), Just Shoot Me! (1997), and Dawson's Creek (1998). Wadley also served in a similar capacity for Warner Bros. Studios, where he assisted the M&E Supervisor on more than a dozen television programs, including ER (1994), The West Wing (1999), Third Watch (1999), Smallville (2001), Gilmore Girls (2000), The Bernie Mac Show (2001), The Drew Carey Show (1995), Friends (1994), and the feature films Training Day (2001), Scooby-Doo (2002), and White Oleander (2002). While at Warner Bros., he also edited sound effects for Where's Angelo? (2003) and supervised the postproduction sound crew on Condemned (2002), which went on to win Best Short Film at the Ankara International Film Festival. Wadley then started his own company and supervised postproduction sound teams on several projects produced by the American Film Institute, as well as MGM's Soul Plane (2004), which showcased Kevin Hart in his first starring role, and featured Oscar winner Mo'Nique, Sofía Vergara, and Snoop Dogg. Soul Plane (2004) is historically noted as the first motion picture to utilize Eastman Kodak Co.'s new method of storing the soundtrack on a thin layer of cyan dye in the film instead of a magnetic or optical track. The creators of the hip hop/electro songs "Batman Theme" (1984) by David Wadley, "The Riddler" (1995) by Method Man (produced by RZA), "Batman and Robin" (2002) by Snoop Dogg, and "GATman And Robbin" (2005) by 50 Cent, all worked together on Soul Plane (2004). Snoop Dogg and Method Man co-starred in the feature film, while the other three worked behind the scenes; David Wadley supervising the postproduction sound crew, RZA providing musical accompaniment as the Film Composer, and 50 Cent contributing his single "In Da Club" (co-written and produced by Dr. Dre) to the Soul Plane (2004) motion picture soundtrack, which was nominated for Best Rap Song at The 46th Annual Grammy Awards (2004). Immediately following the film's release, Wadley flew to Hong Kong and the Philippines, where he met with chairpersons and studio executives of Viva Films, Star Cinema Productions, and Regal Films. He returned to the United States with the task of restoring both sound and picture on three Filipino classics, Sinasamba kita (1982), Bakit bughaw ang langit? (1981), and P.S. I Love You (1981), for both television and DVD release. Wadley later worked in Nevada for several years at Caesars Palace, MGM Grand and joined the Surveillance Division of Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in November of 2006, several days before Prince opened his nightclub, Club 3121, in the lower level of the Rio to present nightly performances for patrons. Wadley noticed an overall lack of cultural activities on the gambling strip leading him to create a film society club that offered monthly screenings of restored 35mm film prints such as West Side Story (1961) and Raging Bull (1980). This innovative film series was presented at the Regal Cinemas Theater in Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa. He also visited elementary schools and senior citizen groups to promote appreciation for classic films and invite residents to the screenings. In 2008, Wadley secured a position with the U.S. federal government during the transfer of Executive Branch control from President George W. Bush to President Barack Obama. In addition to performing his duties as a public servant with the U.S. government, he created a website, All Women Are Beautiful (AWAB), to provide public service information related to cultural diversity and inner beauty. Wadley utilized AWAB to assist in the preproduction, fundraising, and promotion of a film project, which inspired the film's producers to acknowledge him with "Special Thanks" in the closing credits of The Invisible War (2012), an investigative documentary about the epidemic of rape within the U.S. military. Two days after watching this groundbreaking film, former CIA Director and U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta directed military commanders to hand over all sexual assault investigations to a higher-ranking colonel and announced that each branch of the United States Armed Forces would establish a Special Victims Unit. The Invisible War (2012) received a nomination for Best Documentary Feature at The Oscars (2013) (T.V.). It was lauded by advocates, lawmakers, and journalists for its influence on government policies to reduce the prevalence of rape in the U.S. Armed Forces. Wadley produced and edited the official videos for his earlier recordings, "Batman Theme" (Remastered) and "Batman Theme" (Extended Version), in 2019. The reissue, originally recorded and mixed at an Ohio recording studio in 1984, became an instant hit over three decades later when digital distribution made the song available for the first time to millions of new fans in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin American countries. In August 2020, as millions of citizens worldwide marched through the streets to protest the long history of systemic racism impacting African Americans, David Wadley and Jason Horns discussed the possibility of working together on a thought-provoking project that would speak to current events. Soon after that, Jason and his younger brother, Jesse (better known as Tha J-Squad), unleashed an expertly crafted remix of Wadley's "Batman Theme," which included samples from interviews of both Wadley and Eartha Kitt (Catwoman) commenting on the status of race relations in America. The recording was mastered by multiple Grammy Award winner Peter Doell, Chief Mastering Engineer at Aftermaster Audio Labs, who has previously collaborated with Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Elton John, Kurupt, and many other legendary artists. Wadley produced and edited the official music video for the song's new remix. In 2020, the popularity of David Wadley's YouTube page caught the eye of a marketing executive affiliated with Macy's Department Store. He was contacted and asked if he wanted to promote the historic company's merchandise online. Wadley then created YouTube videos for Macy's, followed by other large retail clients.