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.
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