Meet April Maxey | Writer / Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with April Maxey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi April, what role has risk played in your life or career?

For me, risk taking is a crucial and formative part of being an artist. Growing up in Texas, realizing I was gay in high school, then leaving everything I knew behind when I was 18 to relocate to New York City was the ultimate risk that catapulted me into adulthood and into the career path in filmmaking that I have now. I was the first person in my family to leave Texas or to pursue a creative career path. I spent many years off and on working in bars and clubs, finding side hustles that would allow me to take risks in my time and energy towards making my own work. And even as an artist, my most rewarding work is that in which I have taken the most risk. Trying something bold may carry the risk of it not working out exactly the way I’d imagined, but it also carries the potential of opportunity, new ideas, pushing boundaries, or even working out better than I thought. I think a lot of being a writer / director is about being open to the moment and not rigidly stuck to what was first inside my head. My work is very personal, and it always feels risky to write about myself, my fears, my mistakes, my deepest wounds and desires- it’s an incredibly vulnerable process. But I think as artists that is the task, to risk exposing our depths and being rejected, but doing it anyway.

So, as my little brother says… “you gotta risk it for the biscuit!”

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

After college, I gigged around as a freelance camera assistant for a year before landing a full time salary job for a music network. I learned a lot while I was there, but as I worked with more and more freelancers, I knew I wanted to make money in a way that allowed me to have more freedom over my schedule. So I quit my salaried job (that had unlimited paid vacation) and created a production company with my friend from college, Max Skaff. We went over to B&H and bought a professional video camera, 4 fast lenses, and a used but hefty tripod and split it- the biggest purchase either of us had ever made! I still remember that look we exchanged when we swiped our credit cards at the check out! We were eager, inspired, weird queer artists who wanted to work for ourselves and we were willing to bet our limited savings on that. It was incredibly challenging for the first year or so, but eventually we built up our network and clients and I was able to cultivate a sustainable career as a freelance director of photography and editor, which allowed me to direct my own artsy, independent work on the side.

Then I took another risk. I left all that behind 3 years ago when I decided to move to Los Angeles from New York City during the beginning of the pandemic. The directing portfolio I had been slowly but consistently building landed me one of eight coveted spots at the AFI Directing Workshop for Women. Since relocating to LA and hyper-focusing on growing my directing skills and opportunities, my risks have paid off; my AFI short film Work premiered at Sundance, I’ve directed commercials with well-known brands, landed representation as a narrative writer / director, and I’ve found a creative community here as well. Of course, for each win, there are still tons of rejections, and like many talented folks I know, I am still navigating how to make directing a sustainable career. But I also think not having an ego about separating my art from the jobs that pay my bills allows me the freedom to focus on telling stories that I really believe in.

My short films have focused on queer, romance dramas exploring the idea of intimacy and all of its complications. I am most proud of my last short film, called Work, which follows a queer Latina reeling from a breakup who pops back into an old job at an underground lap dance club in an attempt to feel in control of her life again. It’s a film about longing, desire, and also presents sex work as a job that doesn’t need to be seen as shameful. Since its premiere, it went on to many other festivals such as Tribeca and Palm Springs, and won the Grand Jury Prize at Outfest. I am most excited about turning Work into my first feature film! Over the last year, I have worked on developing the script to a place where it’s now finally ready to go out and find financing… 2024 here we come!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would definitely take them to Huntington Gardens- it’s a beautiful, contemplative place to wander around in, perfect with the company of a good friend. A food spot I love is Dolan’s Uyghur Cuisine in Alhambra- they have a delicious hand-pulled noodle dish with cumin spiced lamb. For a cool vibey spot, I’d grab some cocktails and appetizers at Manuela in the Arts District then check out some galleries. For later on in the night, Las Perlas in Downtown LA has never disappointed, they also have live music and a taco truck in the back. For some Texas in LA, I’d take them to Ray’s Texas BBQ in Huntington Park- a highly coveted family-run business, but we’d have to get there early because it’s so good they tend to sell out before 3pm!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

I have to shout out some of my incredibly talented fellow filmmaker friends: Nava Mau, Carmen LoBue, Skylar Andrews and also my partner Kareen. When it comes to overcoming challenges in life, community is so necessary. Having people in my life that I trust, that I can be fully myself with, that can be honest with me and challenge me, that I can vent to and feel emotionally held by when I’ve had a hard day is grounding. Because the entertainment industry in Hollywood is hard, y’all! To have others who can understand where you’re coming from and what you’re going through is invaluable.

I also want to shout out filmmaker Aurora Guerrero, an amazing fellow queer Chicana director, who I met at Berlinale Talents many years ago and who kept in touch and wrote me a recommendation for AFI. I am so excited for her 2nd feature film and to see more queer, boundary pushing, Latinx stories on the big screen!

Lastly, I am so grateful that everyone in my family- parents, uncles, grandparents, cousins, siblings- have all been incredibly supportive of my creative path. My success has been a team effort and so I know when I enjoy wins, they are not just for me, they are wins for everyone in my family who has supported and believed in me along the way.

Website: aprilmaxey.com

Instagram: @amaxey422

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilmaxey/

Image Credits
Melinda James, Andrea DoSouto, Brian To, Em Olmos, Skylar Andrews, Kareen Coyoca