‘Schemers’ Turns Independent Hustle Into a Crime Drama With Kevin K. Spence Behind the Blueprint

Independent film often begins with a simple question: what can a determined team build without a major studio behind it? For Schemers, that question is tied to Kevin K. Spence, whose public credits connect him to the film as its writer and, according to production listings, a producer or executive producer. The movie is credited to Spence Bros Studios and KPS Films & Media, placing the project within a small-scale production model built around developing, packaging and moving a feature toward audiences outside the traditional studio system.

Directed by Antwan Smith, Schemers follows a group of friends facing financial hardship who turn to cons and increasingly dangerous schemes. The film’s official synopsis keeps the focus on deception, pressure and the consequences of trying to create opportunity through illicit means, making it a crime drama with an entrepreneurial premise at its center. Rather than revealing the movie’s major turns, the setup suggests a story about how quickly survival tactics can become a larger, riskier operation.

The cast gives the project a recognizable entertainment-industry profile. Public listings name Omar Gooding, Fredro Starr, Trina, Safaree Samuels and Kent Jones among the performers, alongside Mecca Aka Grimo Marcelin, Brandi Troup, Paul Antoine, Lakenya Harden, Natalia Fernandez and others. Gooding is listed as Pops, Starr as Dro and Trina as Trina, while the ensemble includes characters such as Renee, John, Antoinette and Yasmin. Donna Lombardi is also credited as a producer in public film listings, and the project’s behind-the-camera team includes cinematographer Gerald Lee.

What makes Schemers notable within independent film is the way its credits show several different functions being handled across a compact creative network. Spence is publicly identified as the writer, while other sources credit him as a producer or executive producer; Smith directs; and crew members such as Racquel Lewis describe their work on the production as second assistant director and script supervisor. That kind of overlapping structure is common in independent filmmaking, where developing a script, assembling talent, coordinating production and finding a release platform are often part of the same entrepreneurial challenge.

The film’s release trail also illustrates the uneven visibility that can surround independently produced features. Tubi lists Schemers as a 2025, 73-minute, TV-MA crime drama, while Prime Video has carried a listing describing the film as a 2026, roughly 72-minute drama. Those listings do not establish a single definitive premiere date or distribution history, and the public pages identify different production or studio information. The safest conclusion is that Schemers has reached commercial streaming outlets, but its exact release chronology and current availability should be confirmed directly with Spence Bros Studios or the film’s authorized representatives.

For Spence, Schemers appears to represent a larger creative role than a single writing credit. The available public record connects him to KPS Films & Media and to Spence Bros Studios, but it does not yet provide enough independently verified information to map a complete filmography or establish a broader career narrative. Still, the project offers a clear snapshot of the independent producer’s balancing act: turn an original crime story into a producible feature, attract a cast with audience recognition, and push the finished movie into the streaming marketplace. That process—not only the schemes inside the screenplay—is the story behind Schemers.

EDITORIAL VERIFICATION NOTE: Public listings verify the film title, director, writer credit for Kevin K. Spence, major cast members, the crime-drama premise and streaming listings. Producer credits vary by source: IMDbPro lists Fabricia Hanson and Donna Lombardi as producers, Plex identifies Kevin K. Spence as writer/executive producer, and Racquel Lewis’s portfolio identifies him as producer. Tubi lists a 2025 release and Prime Video lists 2026, so the definitive release date, distribution chronology, Spence Bros Studios company history, and any broader Spence filmography require direct confirmation. No trustworthy direct editorial image was identified.