When Timothy Mark Davis, producing artistic director of New City Players theater company, made his first film, “Thank You, Places!,” he quickly realized what many filmmakers know all too well—the realities of independent filmmaking mean wearing a lot of hats.
“I was still figuring things out,” says Davis, whose 2024 film is about a group of friends trying to make a film to save their theater company during a pandemic.
“One minute, I’m directing, the next minute I’m acting, and then I’m producing, all while trying to stay within budget.”
But it wasn’t just the nature of indie filmmaking that pushed him to take on so many roles—it was also the impact of COVID-19, which became the inspiration for his film.
“As a theater guy, I never imagined myself in film,” says Davis. “But when the pandemic hit, I realized the importance of adaptability. Theaters shut down, and I had to figure out a new way to tell stories. Film gave me that outlet.”
Filmmaker Edson Jean, whose first micro-budget film “Ludi” premiered in 2021, about a nurse chasing the American Dream in Miami’s Little Haiti, had a similar experience.
“When COVID hit, I couldn’t rely on the usual resources I had. I had to take charge and wear multiple hats to get things done,” says Jean, who starred in his second feature film, “Know Me,” which premiered at Slamdance in Los Angeles earlier this year and at the Miami Film Festival this past April.
As filmmakers creating movies on a shoestring budget, they realized that they’ve become “multi-hyphenate filmmakers” – writing the script, directing, producing, scouting locations. You name it, they do it.
“A lot of times, it comes from being strapped for resources,” says Jean. “If I can act in the thing I’m writing and directing, that’s less outsourcing. When you’re strapped for cash, it’s easier—and you don’t have to pay yourself.”
After learning the ropes themselves, they want to pass on their experiences to others through the Multi-Hyphenate Filmmaker Workshop on Monday, May 26 at Savor Cinema. It marks Davis’s second filmmaking workshop—last May, he led a session focused on screenwriting. This year’s workshop will explore what it really takes to wear multiple hats—like writer, director, producer, editor and even lead actor—on a single project.
While both Davis and Jean got their start as actors, filmmaking challenged them to step into new roles to bring their visions to life.
“Acting was my love—and still is—but I didn’t see enough Haitian or Haitian American stories being told,” says Jean. “That’s what made me pick up the pen and put on all these other hats.”
For Davis, filmmaking offered a different kind of creative freedom.
“I was very much a theater guy,” says Davis of his early career. “I had a whole life in the theater before I ever picked up a camera. But I wanted to create stories that weren’t just confined to the stage.”
The pair are upfront that having to juggle so many responsibilities when making a movie comes with challenges.
“Each role on a film set is its own profession—so taking on more than one means you need a strategy, not just passion,” says Davis.
Davis says that the workshop will address how to make everything work.
“What’s often missing in the conversation is how to manage all those roles. It’s not just about wearing a bunch of hats—it’s about wearing them well,” says Davis.
For Jean, the multi-hyphenate experience has become essential, particularly as an indie filmmaker working with limited budgets.
“I realized that to get my stories made, I had to step into roles that I never imagined I’d take on. And as the projects grew, so did my understanding of how to juggle those roles without losing the heart of what I was trying to say.”
IF YOU GO
WHAT: The Multi-hyphenate Filmmaker Workshop
WHERE: Savor Cinema, 503 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale
WHEN: 1 to 6 p.m., Monday, May 26
TICKETS: $20
INFORMATION: fliff.com
