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.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.nywift.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Hayley-Davis-copy.png?resize=472%2C588&ssl=1)
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.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.nywift.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IMG_8884-copy.png?resize=669%2C502&ssl=1)
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!
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.nywift.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IMG_7458-copy.png?resize=674%2C506&ssl=1)
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.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.nywift.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/56779D7B-9471-422B-AAD0-E14689FD3646.jpg?resize=611%2C466&ssl=1)
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.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.nywift.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/walking-dead.jpg?resize=719%2C388&ssl=1)
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.
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Amanda Ramirez
Let’s all give a warm welcome to our new NYWIFT member, Amanda Ramirez! As an actor, Amanda has appeared in All My Children, As the World Turns, and Fox's Canterbury's Law. As a producer, she has credits in the documentary Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies, the horror film Welcome to Willits, and the holiday feature My First Miracle. She is a member of SAG-AFTRA and the Independent Filmmakers Guild of America (IFGA). Amanda holds a BA in Theatre with minors in Dance and Education from Long Island University - C.W. Post, and an MA in Communications from the New York Institute of Technology, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Check out our full article to learn more about Amanda and her passion for meaningful storytelling!
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Maura Garnett
Welcome to NYWIFT, Maura Garnett! Fresh out of NYWIFT’s internship program, where she played a crucial role on our Muse Awards volunteer team, Maura now joins the NYWIFT community in our Next Wave program. Maura Garnett is a writer/director who is a recent School of Visual Arts graduate. She specializes in directing and casting. Currently, she's in post-production on Treading, about a young woman's quest for belonging in the city, leading to a series of bad dates. Her film Disoriented, about a life-altering phone call, is on the festival circuit. Playtime, addressing date rape and sexual assault, has earned acclaim at over 30 festivals, including Global Indie Film Festival and New York Movie Awards. Aspiring casting director Maura has interned with Stephanie Klapper Casting and Emmy-winning Avy Kaufman. Now, she's a casting assistant for 5-time Emmy nominated Mark Saks. Maura shares what she has learned working alongside some of NYC's top casting directors, how she creatively approaches tough subject matter, and what's coming up on her professional horizon.
READ MOREMeet The New NYWIFT Member: Yixin Cen
Let's welcome new NYWIFT Member Yixin Cen, an NYC-based Associate Producer and Producer specializing in narrative, documentary, and international co-productions. Fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin, she has excelled in projects like leading the award-winning film A Father’s Son, which premiered at the Asian American International Film Festival. Her journey from China to New York City has shaped a career dedicated to authentic storytelling and cultural representation. Yixin is a passionate advocate for diversity in film, actively involved with NYWIFT to connect with and support fellow women filmmakers. Currently, she is producing documentaries exploring the legacies of Ping Chong and Basement Workshop, underscoring her commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Jade Copeland
Welcome to NYWIFT, Jade Copeland! Ready to conquer the world of film and television, the fabulous Jade Copeland is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Producing while interning at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon! These experiences have led to her two recent passion projects, the thesis films, Lemon Bars and Saltwater. Learn more about Jade’s journey, as we converse about the parallels between her enthusiasm for creating fascinating visual content that questions social mores and the discipline she developed while immersed in the competitive world of hip-hop dance as a teenager.
READ MORE
Comments are closed