By Lina Silvester
Let’s give a warm NYWIFT welcome to Myrakel Baker! Myrakel is a documentary filmmaker and development assistant living in Brooklyn. Inspired by her upbringing in a Black southern household, she aspires to produce character-driven stories rooted in identity and belonging with a focus on women’s voices.
As a development and programming assistant, she’s worked with HBO Documentaries on George Carlin’s American Dream, Spring Awakening: Those You’ve Known, and The Janes to name a few.
She is looking to growing as a director and development producer, expanding on her work of sensitive, vérité-led documentaries.
NYWIFT Member Myrakel Baker
What is your favorite project to date?
My favorite project to date was Pelosi in the House. The documentary shows the layers of a Pelosi’s tenure as a US politicians and woman living through several decades of political turmoil.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Go beyond the story. Never limit yourself to what’s in front of you, but take the time to build the world around the story.
What brought you to NYWIFT?
I was interested in developing a community with women in the film industry. We are the secret weapons of the industry.
You’ve said your passion is “the intersection of creative writing and moving images.” What does that look like?
For as long as I can remember, I have been writing poetry and creating short form documentaries. Documentaries that lace vivid storytelling and verité images throughout are my bread and butter. As I grow as a documentarian and development producer, I want to find a way to bring those two passions together in every project.
Angelina Silvester
Angelina Silvester is a senior at Drew University studying Creative Writing and Psychology. She is most interested in the creation and impact of poetry, spoken word pieces, and short fiction.
In addition to interning at NYWIFT, she is also the ‘22-‘23 Art Editor for her school’s literary magazine, Insanity’s Horse.
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Ifeyinwa Arinze
Please join us in welcoming Ifeyinwa Arinze to NYWIFT! Ifeyinwa is a neuroscientist-turned-filmmaker from Nigeria and is currently based in New York City. Her work draws inspiration from human behavior and prioritizes intimate portrayals of Black women and girls that are grounded in generosity and care. Her short film, Two or More, premiered at the 2022 New York African Film Festival and has screened at the 2022 Palm Springs International ShortFest, 2022 Bushwick Film Festival and 2022 TIDE Film Festival, where she received the 2022 NYWIFT Outstanding Woman Content Creator Award. Ifeyinwa spoke to us about why the TIDE Film Festival is special to her, her transition from STEM to the arts, and the inspirations behind her work.
READ MOREWomen Write Now: 2nd Year at Sundance Celebrating Women Writers
Developed in partnership with Sundance Institute and Founded by Hartbeat CEO Thai Randolph and Head of Film Candice Wilson Cherry, WOMEN WRITE NOW is a comedic writing fellowship designed to champion the next generation of Black women in comedy through mentorship, advocacy, production, and exhibition. Now in its second year, this year’s fellowship brought in three emerging writers, Mayanna Berrin, Kianna Butler Jabangwe, and Danielle Solomon to develop and produce their comedic short scripts under the guidance of some of the most influential Black women in comedy. The resulting projects were then brought into production by Hartbeat studios. Cherry and the writers spoke to us about their experience.
READ MORE#Muse40for40: Angela Bassett (1995)
Angela Basset is critically heralded actor whose prolific career has spanned four decades.
READ MOREBelow the Line: A Cut Above – Jessie Maple
Jessie Maple is the first black woman to join the union of International Photographers of Motion Picture & Television (IATSE) in New York. Her book, How to Become a Union Camerawoman , is an instructional guide illustrating the obstacles that she endured to get into the union. It details the court case she initiated to fight discrimination after she became a member.
READ MORE
Comments are closed