James C Floyd
Co-director
James Floyd aka ‘The Jefferson StreetPoet’ was born August 15th, 1946, in Nashville, Tennessee. He has experienced growing up in the South during the 1960's, being a US paratrooper, an alcoholic and drug addict, a bank robber, an inmate of jails, state prisons federal prisons and workhouses, a member of the advisory board of a maximum security prison he was once incarcerated in, a college adjunct professor, a published author and a mentor and life counselor for disenfranchised youth and drug addicts since 1977. He has published a book of poetry, "Some Gentle Moving Thing"; produced poetry videos"God and God Invisibility, Inc.," "Untold War Story,""The Darker Brother," "The City"; and performed in his play, "By and By," at Tennessee State University. He has read his poetry at a number of events and venues, including Fisk University, Windows on the Cumberland, Tennessee State Prison For Women, Riverbend Maximum Security Prison For Men, Be About Change Youth Program and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. High School among others. In May 2023, James was presented with a Metro Nashville Proclamation as TheJefferson Street Poet at City Hall in Metro Council Chambers, citing him and acknowledging his dedication and commitment to poetry, teaching and caring for his community.
Mark McEvoy
Director/Camera/Editor
Mark has been a photographer for over 35 years and making films since 2006. Throughout the 1990's he worked as a reportage photographer, travelling extensively to produce photo essays for newspapers and magazines including The Independent Saturday and Sunday magazine supplements. His work has been exhibited and published internationally including The Guardian, Financial Times, The Telegraph, NewScientist, Esquire, Times Magazine and several book covers. In 2019 and 2012 he was a finalist in the Taylor Wessing Photo Prize and exhibited at The National Portrait Gallery, London. Since completing an MA in Design for Interactive Media in 2001 he has been exploring narratives through photography, film, and multi-media experimenting with traditional and digital processes. In 2010 he collaborated with his brother Mike and completed “Class of ‘55”, his first feature documentary film about his father returning to NJ, USA for his 50th high school reunion. Mark has also had many years of experience producing promotional and fundraising films for educational organizations and charities including Anne Frank Trust UK, Refugee Community Kitchen (Calais ‘Jungle’), TreeAid, Variety and Global Issues Network. He has been working on The Jefferson Street Poet since 2009.
Michael McEvoy
Music/Co-Director
Michael is an Emmy award-winning and Ivor Novello nominated composer, producer and songwriter with many film, television and pop music credits to his name. His music scores include Richard Loncraine’s Finding Your Feet and Richard Linklater’s Me and Orson Welles. Recent credits include the environmental feature doc, Real Fur, 4-part series, hacker:HUNTER, and surfing documentary, Point of Change. In 2018 he scored the Peabody Award-winning BBC/PBS documentary, The Jazz Ambassadors. Other TV work includes ITV mini series Dark Angel, the series for NatGeo, Alien Deep, Einstein’s Big Idea (PBS/Nova) and Battle of the Hood and Bismarck. Michael has also co-scored Citizen Bio, Nothing Like the Holidays and Vexille with DJ Paul Oakenfold. In the music industry, he has worked as a producer, songwriter and musician with many iconic acts including Ian Dury, Soul II Soul, Steve Winwood/Traffic, Scritti Politti, Mark Morrison, Sting, Bee Gees and many more. Michael is a multi-instrumentalist and arranger who has written and produced three solo jazz albums. His composition for jazz trio, Mother Medusae was nominated for an Ivor Novello Composer Award, and he often performs with his big band, the Jazz Sapiens. He also enjoys mentoring and iscommitted to passing on his experience to the next generation of music creatives.
Helen Shute-Pettaway
Producer/Casting
Helen was bitten by the theatre bug as a child in Cleveland, Ohio while taking classes in dance and acting. She received her professional training at Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. In Nashville, she has worked with Tennessee Repertory Theatre, Mockingbird Theatre,Nashville Childrens Theatre, American Negro Playwright Theatre, and AmunRa among others. She has been Theatre Director for The Village Cultural Arts Center and also served as Theatre Director for Healing Waters Productions. Some favourite Shakespearean roles include Olivia in The Tempest, Titania in A Midsummer Nights Dream, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, and Nurse in Romeo and Juliet. Also special to her, is We Say of Ourselves, a two-woman project she collaborated on with Denice Hicks. Helen has worked closely with Mark and James on The Jefferson Street Poet Project since 2011, using her wealth of knowledge, experience and wide network of contacts to help set-up film locations and interviews with members of the North Nashville community. She also introduced Mark to Alexis Lavron, another key member of the team and together they have been assisting with casting and liaising for production of the film’s dramatized scenes.
Joel McEvoy
Camera/Design/Promotion
Joel is a multi-faceted creative from South London with a passion for documenting the stories around him that deserve attention and inspire learning. His early interest in cameras developed whilst living abroad in Andalucia, Spain with his family and photographer father. His passion for filmmaking stems from his love of people and the diversity he has grown up around. He has previously worked as a videographer for charities such as The Anne Frank Trust and Refugee Community Kitchen to raise awareness of some of the political and socio-economic issues experienced today. In recent years, Joel has worked as a set builder on location for commercials and is currently working as a freelance graphic designer. He has also used his skills to help businesses and organisations build their brand through social media promotion. Joel was 2nd camera for two key shoots on The Jefferson Street Poet, and for many of the interviews.
Secdrick Booker
Copywriting/Music/Promotion
Secdrick L. Booker, aka Sed Money, musical as a child, grew up in “Crack Country,” Columbia,Tennessee. The recipient of a presidential scholarship from Tennessee State University in 1994 in mechanical engineering, he has been an artist, producer, writer, and publisher, in spite of being caged in Tennessee prisons for over 25 years. Released in September 2022, even while incarcerated, Sed managed to make the best of an adverse situation and became involved in nonprofit initiatives- addressing pervasive problems affecting young people at risk of succumbing to the school to prison pipeline, as well as developing programs to provide rehabilitation and reentry services to people in prison. Sed’s involvement with New Beginnings Organization, Inc. and the development of its Introduction to Resolving Errors in Thinking Curriculum (which he wrote), helped shift the narrative about the prison industrial complex and led to many more programs based on the restorative justice model. Today, Sed remains avid in his pursuit of excellence and is a self-professed “student of life”. A certified paralegal with experience copywriting and grant writing, Sed is a creative force behind the scenes combining eclectic energy, insight, and an uncannily enterprising ability to innovate and stimulate motion against all odds.
Bruno Tilley
Design/Branding
Bruno Tilley has been working at the epicenter of design for over 40 years. In the 1980s and early 90s, he spent over 10 years as in-house designer before becoming Creative Director for Island Records, working closely with founder Chris Blackwell to produce a number of iconic record sleeve designs, videos, and promotional materials for artists ranging from Bob Marley to Steve Winwood, from the B-52's to Eric B & Rakim, and many others…. In 1990, he co-founded Main Line Productions and expanded his Horizons by directing numerous commercials and music videos before working as a Creative Consultant and Director for ICA Films and Universal High Life Records and eventually being hired as the art director for a children's series called “Spheriks.” Bruno has since moved into the world of CGI animation and also picked up design branding commissions from Paramount, Comedy Channel, Universal Pictures, Touchwood Films, Whitfield Street Studios, Sony/BMG Records and more.
Angie Buckingham Dickerson
Executive Producer
Angie has been an active member of the North Nashville community since the early 1980s and is the owner of Angie's Diner in Nashville. She was Miss Black Middle Tennessee State University in 1979 where she graduated in 1982 with an emphasis in Broadcast Journalism. As well as working in television commercial and executive sales, Angie has worked as a production assistant for WSMV/WSM Radio/TV Channel, The Silhouette Show, The Nettie Stowers Show, Ralph Emery Show, Dove Awards, Bobby Jones, New Life Show and Nashville Gospel Show. On Jefferson Street, she re-modeled Kingdom Cafe and Grill where she also booked artists for weekly showcases. She also produced and hosted many high profile and public events in and around Nashville including comedy shows, diner events, gospel concerts and award events. Angie has been a key member of the The Jefferson Street Poet team -creating vital links within the community, setting up interviews, finding locations, actors/extras and keeping everyone nourished with the best Soul food in Nashville. She has been married to Timothy Dickerson for over 39 years. Together they have four sons: Derek, Chris, Denzel and Timothy.
Angus McDonald
Motion Graphics/Grading
Angus McDonald is a full-time video professional specializing in corporate communications, social media, motion graphics and branding. With years of experience working with After Effects and Davinci Resolve, he will support the creative look and feel of the film by enhancing the direction, editing and content, through the use of colour, animation and visual effects. A long time collaborator with Mark McEvoy and his son Joel, Angus was blown away by both the talent of James C Floyd, as well as the unique journey his life story spans. Since the earliest draft, he has been keen to work on the project in any way he can.