Today we’d like to introduce you to Tivoli Silas
Hi Tivoli, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve been a storyteller for as long as I can remember, starting with creating stories in my head as a child, then writing down the titles and/or simple descriptions so I wouldn’t forget the basic premise. At the time, they were exclusively ideas for feature films and novels. Later, I wrote down plot summaries in detail, first by having my mom transcribe them and then by typing them myself. Then in middle school, I started to gain an interest in acting, but in high school, I suddenly realized one day that actors don’t have control over the final product outside of their performance and for the first time, I saw directing as a possible career option. By chance, soon afterwards, my class covered basic film terms and I decided that I didn’t just want to be a writer, but also a director as well. While I still occasionally act, it’s not my desired career as it once was.
When I first attended the University of Florida, I was undecided on my major not only because I was concerned about job security for film and writing, but also because I was interested in environmental science as well. But after struggling with general chemistry, ultimately dropping the class, I chose English as my major, with an emphasis in film and media studies. UF unfortunately doesn’t have a film major, with those courses offered in the English department, so I took the few production classes available. This cumulated in a 39-minute honors thesis film I wrote, directed, produced and edited with limited support from the school.
After graduation, I returned to my hometown of Tampa where I made two more short films. I was finally able to move to Los Angeles for the Professional Program in Screenwriting at UCLA. Immediately afterwards, I attended Chapman University for my MFA in Film Production, Directing Emphasis, graduating in August 2023. Two of my grad school films are currently on their festival runs, with one winning Best Student Short Film at the Marina del Rey Film Festival and the other a finalist in the Stage 32 Short Film Contest. I am currently writing and looking for work while planning my next projects.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have certainly had my fair share of obstacles. While at UF, I decided to get a real film school experience at a graduate program. In the meantime, though, I got as involved as possible with production clubs and classes. Still, I didn’t have much opportunity for directing, so my first chance was my honors thesis, but it was a tough experience. Using a camera borrowed from a friend, I was the only crew member for half the scenes. I came to appreciate the importance of collaboration as I experienced a lack of it. However, I discovered my passion for filmmaking because it was the only thing that got me through the process.
Post-graduation, a big obstacle was living in Florida, which has no tax incentives and as a result, there’s little going on in terms of film production, especially in the Tampa Bay area. I made the best of it, but it was frustrating, so being accepted at UCLA offered an exciting opportunity. I was later part of the “Covid class” at Chapman, and we all had to deal with scheduling changes forced on us by the pandemic, which meant my first year was entirely online. That was a bit of a blessing in disguise, though, because it saved me from having to commute to Orange from Los Angeles at least for the first year of Chapman’s three-year program. But the long commute (from 1 to 3 hours each way) for the last two years made not only attending classes, but also making my films, much more challenging. This was especially true for my graduate thesis, which the production design professor said has the most elaborate set in Chapman’s recent history. The schematic drawings for it are on permanent display at the school. I also received some bad vfx advice on my thesis film, which delayed completion longer than anticipated. Every project and circumstance comes with its challenges, but I try to trust God, while staying as close to my vision as possible.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Although I tend to write mainly in drama, sci-fi and fantasy, I don’t want to be limited to a certain genre or tone. I love worldbuilding with clear and logical rules, female protagonists, heightened emotions, life-or-death stakes, and love stories. I have a knack for expanding short stories into feature-length, especially fairy tales. I find that I have mainstream tendencies in my filmmaking.
Another important influence on my work is my faith, which is evident in some, but not all of my work. I have a strong interest in making what I call “secular faith-based” films and novels. These would be works that a wide audience can enjoy, but which also are woven with another layer of subtext specifically for Christian audiences.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
My favorite movie (counting the series as one film) is The Chronicles of Narnia. This was the franchise that sparked my interest in the film industry. My second favorite film (series) is Pirates of the Caribbean, which I appreciate for not only its comedy and adventure, but also the elaborate, complex worldbuilding, which is a major inspiration for me. My favorite television show of all time is The Flash. I can also rank my top three favorite stage musicals of all time – Wicked, Into the Woods, and West Side Story.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tivolisilas.wixsite.com/tivolisilas
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tivoli.silas/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tivolisilasfilmmaker/
- Twitter: https://x.com/tivolisilas?lang=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfArZewcLY4M_IVTSNdFUQQ
- Other: https://vimeo.com/tivolisilas
Image Credits
Maher Ismail, Sunscreen Film Festival
