Project Spotlight: 'Closer', Struggle and Strength through Dance

Shakura Davis loves camp, glamour and humanizing deep personal struggles. With their latest piece Closer, they created a world where dance is the language. Inspired by a poem they wrote, Closer focuses on the mind and body experience of addiction. We’re excited to be sharing Shakura’s work. Starting their professional career as a theatre actor in San Diego, they’re now finishing their theatre arts degree at Eugene Lang College.

Interview by: Iayana Elie

What inspired you to use dance as the main form of communication in the film versus traditional dialogue
The “screenplay” started with the bathroom poem, “3:39 am. ” I then wrote other poems for the film but realized “3:39 am” sums up the whole piece and nothing else needed to be said.

Dance led me to experiment with visuals. 
Addiction is a mind, and body experience. 
I’ve never been through a substance addiction.
I didn’t feel comfortable telling you what it’s like.


How long did it take you to create the film start to finish?
May of 2018 - May of 2019. The process taught me to find the right people who will help, and not hinder your projects. To also jump the gun and do some guerilla work. That method is not for everyone, or for every film. It was how I finally started principal photography. 


How was it starring and directing in your own film? Was that difficult to shoot?
It was a multidisciplinary process. I was focused on not just my cast and crew but also on myself. My DP, Tia Sippel was someone who I trusted to support me and the film. She worked as my second brain and kept the film shoots organized. She didn’t conflict with my vision. She was focused on capturing me while I was in front of the camera. She deserves a lot of credit for how the film looks.


Is there anything you'd change about the process or product?
There is a lot to change, but also this was my first film. I made it the best I could, using every resource I had at the time. It’s pretty much a zero budget film. Regardless of the finished product, it was worth the heart and soul I put into it. I’ll never take that away from “Closer”.   


This film feels very emotionally vulnerable. How did it feel to share these intimate emotions with the cast, crew and the public?
Writing the film was the most vulnerable part. Acting and dancing were like doing what I was trained to do. Something I learned from being an actor is that doing the work will inform your performance. My producer/ professor, George Ye was the one who really understood what the film meant. Everyone else was told bits here and there. That was enough for them. Emotional vulnerability is hard. Which is exactly why it’s said in the bathroom poem! 


What advice would you give to other young filmmakers trying to create deeply personal work? 
Use your feelings as key element to your film. Also, be aware of your biases within a story. Do a lot of research. I’m currently working on a cabaret about my experience with fetishization. I’ll be using academic papers on how PoC’s and queerfolk are objectified.


How did your use of juxtaposition inform the narrative of the film?
I come from a theatrical background. I wanted drama and strong conflict. The film doesn’t always use words, so I needed to convey this visually.  


If there’s one thing people take from your film what would you want it to be?
There is life after hard times. You deserve to be here. You deserve to live. You are allowed to rediscover yourself over and over again.