Fostering filmmakers

The Caribbean has always enjoyed a close relationship with the silver screen, providing a tropical backdrop to some of the most famous movies in history, but now islanders are getting in on the act and helping the region transition from simply being part of the scenery to providing the talent behind the camera.

Award-winning Saint Lucian filmmaker Davina Lee started her production company, Davina Lee Films, in 2000 and says she has noticed a new energy in the business since then, with more resources and support available for both emerging and established talent. “Film is getting more attention. There are so many countries in the region producing films [and] there are more people getting into it. There is a keen interest in making the industry viable.”

A supportive environment

Lee grew up in an artistic family and credits her writer/photographer mother and her writer/poet father as being her “inspiration and support”. In the early days of her career, mentors were thin on the ground and she relied heavily on the support of family and friends: “When I was coming up there were no filmmakers that I really looked up to; it was just encouragement from family and friends who wanted to see me succeed.”

Deciding to follow her passion, Lee completed a BFA in Film from the Art Institute at Miami International University of Art and Design, followed by an MA in Screenwriting from the University of London. She has worked on a variety of projects during her career, including commercials, music videos and short films, but it is the latter that have gained her the most attention. Her short film ‘The Knot’ has shown at film festivals around the world and won an OECS Commission for Excellence in Scriptwriting award.

‘The Knot’ was filmed over six days in January 2017 and had its Saint Lucian premiere in May that year. Even with a streamlined cast and crew, the production’s budget totalled EC$30,000 and Lee acknowledges that ‘The Knot’ might never have happened if not for the technical and financial support provided by the OECS through its Competitive Business Unit (CBU). 

The CBU facilitates funding for films and other creative projects via the 10th European Development Fund as part of its mandate to promote, develop and expand exports from non-traditional industries. The Caribbean Development Bank has also joined the push to promote the creative sectors with its Cultural and Creative Industries Innovation Fund (CIIF) which was established in 2017 with a US$ 2.6mn budget. 

“The grants I got really helped,” says Lee who believes that unlocking the economic potential of the Caribbean film industry requires further institutional support. “The film industry can contribute a lot [economically] but the proper infrastructure needs to be created. It comes down to money. There is room for more [financial support]. There are more stories to tell, and if more money is allocated then those stories can come out.”

Making a film is a long, intensive and multi-layered endeavour with many moving parts – which further complicates the issue of how best to support filmmakers. Lee says: “Music is at the forefront of the creative industries and, to some extent, fashion, but film is more complex and more expensive. You can either help 100 musicians or help one filmmaker.”

She notes that the Saint Lucian government is committed to growing the industry and is looking to establish a Film Commission with that mandate. “They want to support the industry in whichever way they can. They know it is important and it is happening and they should be a part of it.”

Building an audience

A host of film festivals has sprung up around the region in recent years, giving wannabe filmmakers numerous opportunities to mingle with established professionals, international producers and rising talents. The Jamaican Film Festival, the Bahamas International Film Festival and the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival are among the most well-established. Saint Lucia has its own film calendar with the Piton International Film Festival and the Caribbean Youth Film Festival.

“Festivals are really good in terms of networking,” says Lee. “You might meet someone with a piece of music you can use, or an animator. You never know who you might encounter, you just need to make those connections.”

Caribbean film has also been gathering traction abroad, making appearances at star-studded events such as the Toronto International Film Festival. Lee believes that a good film has universal appeal and says these events are an opportunity to display the ‘real’ Caribbean to a wider audience. “The films that have been produced here in Saint Lucia, or in the wider Caribbean, are really Caribbean stories – not just about the beaches but showing the ghetto and finding the beauty in that. That’s what I’m interested in, telling the story of Saint Lucian life.”

There are now more ways than ever to tell those stories, and reach a global audience. Filmmaking, like any industry, has not been immune to change and the next generation has new tools, new ideas and new attitudes to the artistic process. “Younger filmmakers are more creative,” says Lee. “They have new styles, new ways of shooting and they are taking more risks and just having fun. There are also more platforms, like video on demand, and all these things are game-changers. People have more access now and are creating more because it is getting cheaper – you can now film on your mobile phone.”

But before turning to their tech, Lee has some advice for those hoping to follow in her footsteps: “You have to really dedicate a lot of time to get a film going. It’s about having the time and having your head in the right space. Have a plan, have a good story, and just do it. Do not try to do a big Hollywood production; do a smaller story but a good story.”