Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer A. Davis.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Well, I was born and raised here in southern California, Orange County to be exact, and I never left! My family is actually from the Midwest. I’ve always been a writer, really, since I could hold a pencil in my hand. I eventually progressed into writing skits and plays for my church’s youth group when I was about fourteen, and I would direct them as well. I also loved choir and theater and loved being on stage, so looking back, it makes sense this was direction I went.
I originally went to college to become a children’s music teacher and think of music as my second heart; however, after getting back in touch with a childhood friend of mine who was a background actor for TV shows, it made me realize that maybe Hollywood wasn’t as far of a reach as I thought. If he could do it, maybe I could too? And then my niece and nephews came from out of state to visit, and one of my nephews said, “Can we make a movie?” just out of the blue! So, I wrote a story, and for the next three days, we filmed a movie. It took me two weeks to teach myself how to edit and finish this movie, pulling my hair out at the same time, and as I sat back and watched it, everything clicked. I walked to the kitchen, looked at my parents, and said, “I want to make movies.” And they said… “Okay!”. They have been my absolute supporters ever since.
So, I changed my major to Film. Music is still a huge part of my life, and I’ve written an original song for every film I’ve made, but once that Filmmaker’s light bulb turned on in my head, I never looked back. I got my AA degree in Radio, TV & Film at Fullerton College, then I went on to California State University, Fullerton to complete my BA in Cinema & Television Arts with an emphasis in Directing and Producing, and finally my Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting, also from CSUF. I just graduated last year in 2023 and it was an absolutely wonderful experience! For several years, I have been making Independent Films, and one of my most recent films, The Dinner Party, has won several awards, including Best Director, Best Screenplay, and even Best Original Song!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. I’ve had a lot of people tell me that filmmaking is just a hobby, or I’m crazy for doing this, or I should get a practical job; however, I’m a big believer in if something is worth it to you, you keep moving forward no matter what. You know what’s in your own heart, and you have to follow it.
It’s also difficult being an Indie Filmmaker because you don’t have the funding from a studio, so you rely on fundraising, favors, and trading work. But I am very, very blessed to know some amazing people who have given us locations for free, given us meals, volunteered their time, and so on because they love the art of filmmaking. So, we have been able to create some really amazing films on very limited budgets without sacrificing the quality. Quality is of the utmost importance because we’re signing our name on something to put out there, and we want that film to represent us well.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am very heavily influenced by 90s television and film, specifically Goosebumps, but I also watched a lot of Twilight Zone and lawyer shows like Columbo and Matlock. The main theme throughout those shows was that something (usually bad) happened, and someone had to figure out what that was, who did it, and why. That’s what gave me my love for Mystery: it’s my primary genre I write in. I’ve written in all genres, even horror! But Mystery by far is my favorite. I slowly transitioned that into Mystery Thriller as I got older because I like the suspense. I like to write things that intertwine an emotional aspect throughout as well because I like the audience walking away feeling something, an emotional connection, even if it scares them. Think of A Quiet Place, where, yes, it’s terrifying, but that film is really about a father’s undying love for his children. That’s the type of films that I write, and that’s what I’m known for.
Every time I make a movie, I always say it’s my favorite movie I’ve ever made! I think we should all feel that way because we should be proud of our work; however, my greatest achievement to date is my short film The Dinner Party because I had no idea how well-received it would be in the festival circuit. It shocked us all, winning a ton of awards, and it was the first film I ever sent to festivals! So, we are very, very proud of it! Also, because 90% of the cast and crew were women, and that’s something mostly unheard of in filmmaking. My newest short film Cemetery Games is about to be submitted to festivals this Spring and that entire film only had one adult in it, the rest of the six actors were between the ages of 10 and 15, and we had an absolutely wonderful time filming it! I have high hopes for it at the festivals as well! I’m also in the middle of writing my next short film that we will be filming this summer, entitled Shadows Within, which will have at least ten teens in it, so I am really excited about getting that one into production! There’s a lot of people who don’t necessarily like working with teenagers, but I think it’s the best! I think of myself as a kid at heart, so I love it!
I also want to mention that I have one major rule on my set… everyone must be kind to each other. Every time I tell someone that, they chuckle, but it’s the truth; it’s a requirement. I’ve been on too many sets where people yell and disrespect each other, and my producer, Keilee Bentley, and I want our set to be a safe place for creatives. We’ve always had a wonderful time because of it!
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I have to say going back to Iowa to visit our family, specifically my grandparents. They passed away when I was really young, and although the memories I have of them are few, they are very strong. My Grandpa Burkhardt wore overalls and glasses, and he’d take me to a little place to get a “pepsi” (a Pepsi), and I’d hold his hand the whole way. I made crafts with my Grandma Burkhardt in her sewing room and picked snap peas from her garden. I also loved her lion stuffed animal, Parker, so she gave him to me. I still have him till this day, and he’s my most favorite thing that I own. When we’d visit my Grandma Davis, she’d let my brother and I lie on her bed and call a number where a lady read children’s stories over the phone, and we’d share the phone and listen to the stories, and my Grandpa Davis loved to read and gave us bookmarks he made himself. It’s a mixture of different memories, but they are my favorite, and I’m grateful that they are so ingrained in my mind.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://davisindependent.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davisindependentproductions
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavisIndependentProductions
- Other: https://letterboxd.com/davisindepndent/
Image Credits
Photos by Jamie Minamide, Khoi Nguyen and Clancy Sprague
