By Tammy Reese
NYWIFT Member Hayley Davis is a DGA Training Program Graduate and filmmaker from Atlanta, GA now living in Brooklyn, NY. She’s worked on shorts, television, and feature films with the goal in mind to create an efficient and positive environment on set and is looking to continue that philosophy as an A.D. in New York City.
Hayley recently worked on the highly anticipated series, The Walking Dead: Dead City as Trainee Assistant. The Walking Dead: Dead City is a new series set in The Walking Dead Universe, starring Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, The Walking Dead: Dead City follows the popular Maggie and Negan characters traveling into a post-apocalyptic Manhattan long ago cut off from the mainland. The crumbling city is filled with the dead and denizens who have made New York City their own world full of anarchy, danger, beauty, and terror.
The Walking Dead: Dead City is set to screen at the Tribeca Festival on June 13th, 2023 (OKX Theater at BMCC TPAC) at 8:00 PM and on AMC Networks on June 18th. Davis is one of 15 NYWIFT members with projects premiering at Tribeca 2023.
NYWIFT Member Hayley Davis
How was your experience working on The Walking Dead: Dead City?
I learned a lot of invaluable lessons on this job that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my career. The ability to step into this franchise as a longtime fan… I feel incredibly lucky.
I grew up in Atlanta and actually left for film school the same year that the first season of The Walking Dead aired. Horror is very big in my family, and we’ve definitely been there on the couch all those Sunday nights.
Years later, I’ve gotten a chance to see how a show like this can pull through an overnight, and how long it takes to completely transform a person, and how much planning goes into our stunt work. It was great.
Hayley Davis on set
How did your role as Trainee Assistant come about?
I was working in Atlanta as a Set PA, and found out about the DGA Training Program in NYC. I spent a year working on sets and learning from my ADs to serve my goal of getting into this program. I moved to NYC and worked for two years moving from different shows to get as much experience in as many different sets as possible. This program has given me the opportunity to become a great AD and then some!
Hayley Davis enjoying a quiet moment with one of the walking dead…
Who were some of your favorite people to work with on set and why?
My department was pretty fantastic. Our show was very location-based, had huge stunt pieces, and incredible makeup effects that meant we had to work to keep everyone safe, and keep our schedule tight.
I will also never forget the experience of getting to work with Lauren Cohan, Jeffrey Morgan & Eli Jorne. They were some of the kindest, most hands-on people I’ve met in this business and their passion for this show really carried us on longer days.
It’s hard to pinpoint any single person. Our crew, every department was made up of incredibly hardworking individuals who were very much the human part of this machine.
Hayley Davis on set
Why did you become a NYWIFT member and what do you enjoy most about the organization?
One of the things that drew me to the AD Dept originally was how little diversity there was, in a position that encounters everyone on set. I came into this business with no connections but a philosophy of ‘share your knowledge, pass it forward, and use that to help lift those around you.’
NYWIFT, I have found, is a wonderful way to connect with others in the business who feel the same. I find having many different perspectives from people with various backgrounds can lead to some incredible results.
Still from The Walking Dead: Dead City (Photo Courtesy of Tribeca Festival)
What else are you currently working on?
I just wrapped Life and Beth Season 2, and as of January I am officially available for hire as an AD in NYC!
What is a piece of advice you would have for an aspiring Trainee Assistant?
Always lead with kindness, and be patient with people… and printers.
Connect with Hayley Davis on Instagram at @hayleymarieisin.
Tammy Reese
Tammy Reese is CEO of Visionary Minds PR & Media, and a New York award winning Actress, Writer, and Journalist.
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Ginelle Bamfo
Welcome to NYWIFT, Ginelle Bamfo! Ginelle is a talented young filmmaker and recent graduate from NYU Tisch’s Film and TV school. With a background in acting and theater, Ginelle has expanded her creative pursuits into many realms of the filmmaking industry. Having won NYU’s Best Undergraduate Film award for her project Talk Yo’ Shit, her talents and ambitions have quickly proven worthwhile. Ginelle is a staunch advocate of amplifying diverse voices. Her role as President of The Collective at NYU – a club which connects and highlights the work of Black students – is only one example of her commitment to this goal. Ginelle is a flexible and dynamic creative, drawing inspiration from ever-evolving sources. Always excited to learn and collaborate, she is an exciting addition to the entertainment industry. In our interview, Ginelle discusses what her journey to filmmaking has looked like and her current artistic ambitions.
READ MORENYWIFT at Sundance: In Conversation with Carolyn Hepburn
NYWIFT Member producer Carolyn Hepburn attended the 2026 Sundance Film Festival with her latest project with EPSN Films, The Brittney Griner Story. This documentary, directed by Alexandria Stapleton, explores the circumstances that led to Brittney Griner playing basketball outside the U.S. despite being one of the best players in the sport, including her harrowing detainment, unwavering determination to secure her freedom, and her advocacy for the release of other wrongful detainees. Carolyn Hepburn is an Emmy, Peabody, Gotham, and Critics’ Choice Award-winning producer who joined ESPN Films in 2022. She spoke to us about her return to Sundance, the power of her latest doc, and the ethical responsibilities of producing socially impactful work.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Trish Appello
Welcome to NYWIFT, Trish Appello! For Trish Appello, turning 55 sparked a bold new chapter. The executive producer of the comedic series The EffYou 50s proudly declared, “I can thrive at 55,” and from that moment, her journey into the independent film and television world began. Appello recognized the importance of on-set experience and chose to pursue an educational path, enrolling in the UCLA Extension independent film-producing certificate program. Upon graduation, Appello realized it was time to tell the story that had lived inside her for almost two decades. Appello spoke to us about her career transition, finding her writing voice, and what she is currently working on.
READ MORENYWIFT @ Sundance: In Conversation with Ruth Ann Harnisch
NYWIFT Member and organizational supporter Ruth Ann Harnisch heads to the 2026 Sundance Film Festival as an executive producer of two wildly different but equally impactful documentary films: Seized and Cookie Queens. Seized, directed by Sharon Liese and premiering in the U.S. Documentary Competition, follows along as the small town of Marion, Kansas, is thrust into the international spotlight after a police raid on the Marion County Record and the death of its 98-year-old co-owner. A fierce debate ignites about the abuse of power, journalistic ethics, local journalism, and the United States Constitution. Cookie Queens, directed by Alysa Nahmias, premieres in the Family Matinee lineup. It’s Girl Scout Cookie season, and four tenacious girls strive to be a top-selling “Cookie Queen,” navigating an $800 million business in which childhood and ambition collide. On screen and off, Ruth Ann has been a bold first-money funder of people and projects that challenge entrenched power and move culture toward greater equity. She spoke to us about her two exciting new projects.
READ MORE
Comments are closed