How do you get to Hollywood? Davon E. Johnson hopes it’s through Colorado, via Manhattan. If you don’t recognize him from bit parts in films and television shows shot in Denver, maybe you’ll get to know him after his short feature film, “Skeletal Dreams,” debuts at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival in November. We caught up with the 41-year-old Denver native, director/producer/scriptwriter and founder of the Denver International World Cinema Independent Fall Film Festival before he heads out to take a shot at the big time. – Vicky Uhland, special to The Denver Post
What got you involved in filmmaking? I was an extra in the first “Perry Mason” film, and I was an extra on “Father Dowling.” But my first job was as an extra in “Prison for Children” with John Ritter and Betty Thomas in the ’80s. I was driving a ’77 Ford Granada back then and I was just happy to get paid. The bonus was that I got to meet John Ritter – he was very nice. And I got free socks and underwear.
What? Free socks and underwear?
We had to walk around on screen in our socks and underwear, so they gave us lots of extra pairs.
How did you jump from extra to director?
Extras have a lot of time just sitting around, so a lot of them go play cards or read books. But I would sit and watch the crew, watch them set up shots. I never went to school to study filmmaking. I think (this talent) was probably just a gift from God, a passion that I wanted to do this.
What was your first film?
I still remember the date. It was Dec. 27, 1989. It was a documentary called “Historian Paul Stewart: A Tribute to the Black American West Museum and Heritage Center.” It aired on Channel 12 two times.
You’ve made nine documentaries and features since then. Have they been successful?
In 1992, I won second place at the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame for my documentary “Have a Hue-man Experience: An African-American Bookstore and More.” It was incredible being there; I got to meet a lot of the black movie stars, like James Earl Jones. 1992 was a good year. I was the first African-American to have a film in the Denver International Film Festival, and I won a gold medal from a festival in Belgium for three documentaries I made. I also won silver medals from a festival in Japan. I feel so fortunate that as a filmmaker I get to go to places all over the world.
Tell us about “Skeletal Dreams.”
It’s a 27-minute, 56-second film about a woman who’s deeply depressed – manic depressed – she’s a crazy woman, and she’s living in her dreams both in her past and her future. It was originally written as a play by Kimma Drake and I adapted it for the screen. I’m the director and Kimma is the writer and executive producer. We shot it in 2 1/2 days with local actors. Wait until you see the little girl in the film, Alex DelVecchio. You’ll definitely be seeing her in more films.
What’s the benefit of being in the New York independent film festival?
A lot of people go to this festival, it could lead to a lot of opportunities, like Sundance. For me, it means, “Am I going to finally get my break?” I’ll be honest with you, I didn’t know when I started that it would take this long. I look at some films and I think, “Who’s funding those films, who greenlighted them?” You look at some of the films that get by and you can see why they bombed.
How do you support yourself until you become the next Spike Jones or Jonathan Demme?
I work in customer service and account services at Prudential Cleanroom Services in Denver. It’s great because I’m the only one in the office so I can set my own hours. I was even able to have rehearsals for “Skeletal Dreams” in the office. In almost all the jobs I’ve had, they know that filmmaking is my love and they support it. I worked for 14 years at Rose Medical Center, and they were great about giving me time off. Some of the doctors even funded my films.
What’s your ultimate goal?
You know how in boxing, they’re ranked pound-for- pound as the best in the world? That’s what I would like to be: The best independent filmmaker, pound-for-pound, in the world.
INDIE FILM FEST MAN
When he’s not toiling at his day job, or finessing his own films, Davon E. Johnson cobbles together the Denver International World Cinema Independent Fall Film Festival, which celebrated its 14th screening recently.
You can keep tabs on Johnson’s cinematographic progress at dejfilmworksproduction89.com.
