A Director to Watch: Jenkinson Denzel-Southern

Here at Into Film, we are always looking to spotlight and champion interesting figures from across the film industry. With that in mind, it is our pleasure to present up-and-coming director, Jenkinson Denzel-Southern who is currently working on two feature films, is the head of his own studio and is offering an exciting filmmaking opportunity for young people from Black and/or working class backgrounds. Check out his story below!

I was born in the Netherlands, raised and made in Barking, East London, and seasoned in Kingston University. Through my seven-year journey as a director so far, I have been fortunate enough to make many short films and am currently in production on my first two features that I penned the screenplay for and am directing - G.O.A.T (2021) and Peanut Butter Cartel (2021). G.O.A.T is a 90s Saturday night adventure tale that relies on beautiful, fantasy-like imagery and Peanut Butter Cartel is a 1970s war heist flick that will have a dark rural barebones feel and look.

Beyond that, I am also the founder of my own production company, Mavrik Studios, which is about to launch an online filmmaking course for young and upcoming filmmakers named Mavrik: Academy. Beginning in February 2021 with initial sign up set for this December, the slots are for twelve teenagers, aged 13-18, from either Black and/or working class backgrounds. Stay tuned for more news and a public sign up option coming soon!

This scheme is very close to my heart as one part of my mission has always been to create a sustainable and successful funnel for the next generation of filmmakers. When I was starting out, there were not many filmmakers, if any, willing to take their time to put you on.

During my initial learning period, I realised very quickly there was not many people from a Black and working class background that did what I did and there was not a clear career roadmap for anyone from those backgrounds. Schemes and grants were available but they didn't seem to teach a filmmaker how to navigate the waters successfully on their own. When you come from those backgrounds, you sometimes feel invisible and of no value, which is a feeling that took me a while to grow out of and is something I often fall back into, especially within the current climate. However, it motivated me to create a a platform, no matter how small, so that no young filmmaker ever feels the same way that I did.

I am also working on the second season of Unicorn King; a six-episode series created to support charities that I've shot at home during the pandemic. My plan was always to establish and develop an audience for this, then slot in up-and-coming filmmakers from Mavrik Academy as times goes on, therefore establishing it as the place to see brand new, young and hungry talent.

To get a sense of my directing career so far, you can check out Aop Vs The World (2018) as well as an earlier short film, Simon Says (2015) to see how far I've come.