Tate Taylor
Born in Jackson, Mississippi, Taylor has used his southern upbringing to inspire art for the big screen. Taylor has worked in front of and behind the camera, but his rise to fame began with the feature film The Help, a film which gained three Oscar nominations, including Best Motion Picture of the Year. He has continued to follow his passion for creating films within his home state with his production company, Wyolah Films, directing films Get on Up, Ma, and Breaking News in Yuba County in Natchez, MS. He is currently in New Orleans shooting a new television show produced by FOX titled Filthy Rich.
John Norris
John Norris is known for his work behind the camera working as a Visual Effects Producer on a number of films including, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and Jupiter Ascending. He has acted as an executive producer on films like The Help and Get on Up as well as a producer for Ma and Breaking News in Yuba County. He has a Mississippi based production company called Wyolah Films which is committed to supporting Mississippi filmmakers and storytellers. His current project is executive producing a new television show produced by FOX titled Filthy Rich.
Octavia Spencer
Born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, Spencer always had a love for film but never dreamed she would one day be starring in one. Spencer made her film debut alongside Sandra Bullock in the film A Time to Kill. Gaining praise for her character, her career began to take off gaining an abundance of small roles for film, as well as television. Her career then skyrocketed when she was cast as Minny Jackson in the critically acclaimed film The Help, in which she gained an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. She has since starred in films such as Hidden Figures, alongside Taraji P. Henson, and The Shape of Water, directed by Guillermo del Toro. Her upcoming projects include a Pixar animated film titled Onward and a TV series titled Madam C.J. Walker.
Deborah Riley Draper
Critically acclaimed filmmaker Deborah Riley Draper is known for her award-winning documentaries. In 2012 her debut film Versailles ’73: American Runway Revolution opened New York Fashion Week and Toronto Fashion Week. In 2016, her documentary Olympic Pride, American Prejudice was a 2017 nominee for the NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Documentary Film and qualified for the 2017 Oscars. The film was the official selection of many festivals including the Traverse City Film Festival and the Chicago International Film Festival. For upcoming projects, she will be taking on the directing role for the adapted screenplay Coffee Will Make You Black, which is to be produced by Octavia Spencer and Tate Taylor.
Jennifer Combs
An Emmy award winning film and television producer, Combs has been in the film industry for over 30 years. With a film career beginning in her hometown of Natchez, MS, she took her talents to New York and Los Angeles to help produce over 20 films, including How Stella Got Her Groove Back and The Family Stone. She has taught film master classes in several big cities and in 2008 was inducted into the University of Southern Mississippi’s Hall of Fame in the School of Broadcasting & Journalism. She is currently the Executive Director of Visit Natchez.
Cleta Ellington
Jackson, MS native, Cleta Ellington is a Producer and First Assistant Director. After graduating from Loyola University in New Orleans, Cleta spent several years working in different areas before settling into her current career. From early employment at Yosemite National Park to teaching high school English, Cleta soon found her place in the film business. Cleta has spent the last 20 years traveling the country for her work, but always prefers to be here at home in Mississippi. She served as a producer & 1st AD on “Ma” and “Breaking News in Yuba County”. Cleta’s other AD credits include the TV show, “Friday Night Nights”, “Get On Up”, “Girl on the Train”, “The Affair”, “Grace and Frankie” and “Filthy Rich”.
FILM NATCHEZ DIRECTOR
Devin Miranda-Weise Klugh
Devin has a wide scope of work in education, arts and entertainment, nonprofits, prison reform, and mental health. She currently resides in Natchez, MS, where she is the Director of Film Natchez. A Georgia native, she earned her Bachelor’s degree at University of Georgia. She was involved in the Campus Movie Fest (the world’s largest student film festival) for three years, and she acted in several shorts, student films, and a web series. She then earned her Masters in Educational Theatre at New York University. While she was living in NYC, she performed in several shows, including “In Real Time” at the Historic Provincetown Playhouse and Wyrd Theatre’s Shakespeare in the Park “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Since graduating NYU, Devin has worked as an educator in many different scenarios, including K-12 schools, college students, juvenile detention centers, community theatres, and Women’s prisons. She directed “High School Musical” at Newton High School, which received a Shuler Award. Since moving to Natchez, she has been involved in theatre and film production, directing shows at the Natchez Little Theatre and beginning work at Film Natchez. Devin is passionate about how the arts can be used for education and community development.