JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – From the silent films of Norman Studios to a new generation of storytellers, Jacksonville’s Black independent film scene is undergoing a quiet resurgence.

During Black History Month, News4JAX is taking a look back at Black filmmakers who have made their mark in Jacksonville and meet a few of the new wave of creators who are making movies while honoring the past.

Norman Studios - A home for Black actors

Norman Studios, founded in 1916 as Eagle Film City and later bought by Richard C. Norman in the early 1920s, is remembered as one of the nation’s earliest production houses to cast Black actors in leading, positive roles. According to the studio’s website, Northeast Florida was once called the “Winter Film Capital of the World,” in part because Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway created a direct route from New York to the region.

Norman produced silent films starring Black actors between 1920 and 1928. His son, retired Air Force Capt. Richard Norman II, said his father wanted to “give Black people a stronger place in the growing movie industry.” The studio’s film The Flying Ace was added to the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 2021, underscoring its cultural significance.

Samuel Hunter - Separating rejection from self

A century later, local filmmakers said advances in technology and a supportive local ecosystem are helping reanimate Jacksonville’s film culture. At the same time, the city’s creators said the road to wider recognition remains steep.

“You get like five ‘no’s’ a day, whether you’re trying to make your own film and you’re pitching to people for product placement or you’re trying to get funding or you’re doing two or three auditions a week,” said Samuel Hunter, a Jacksonville native who began acting at age 2.

He said that it’s important not to let that rejection affect how he sees himself.

“I’ll be so entrenched in the idea that I’m an actor, so if I get rejected as an actor, that’s me getting rejected as a human being,” he said. “Being able to separate the two is really important.”

Hunter, who appeared in a commercial that was filmed in Ocala and sometimes speaks during the public comment period at city hall, blends artistry and activism in his projects. He said the films that resonate most with him explore human rights and community advocacy.

“It’s been easy to weave the two because I grew up with social anxiety and now you’re in these realms where you have to stick up for yourself. You have to be able to take up space in rooms,” he said.

Hunter is directing a feature called A Meaningful Night, which follows a young Black vlogger who accidentally captures a murder on camera, is abducted by those responsible and must confront what he is willing to do to survive. He was one of 10 filmmakers spotlighted by a national film lab for a theme of racial healing and was featured on The Jennifer Hudson Show. Hunter said the film is now in a crowdfunding stage and will be shot entirely in Jacksonville.

He said that Jacksonville has the potential to be a “little Hollywood.”

“We’ve always had the potential for the film industry to be booming here — Norman Studios and things like that — and you have amazing actors like Woody [McClain], Patrick Walker, Tyriq [Withers], there’s so many people coming up,” Hunter said. “Now is the time to really invest in those up-and-coming faces and filmmakers, and it’s going to pour back into the city long term.”

Click here to donate to A Meaningful Night.

See the full interview with Hunter below.

Monique Madrid - Retaining talent, building community with LOL JAX

Community festivals and timed competitions are playing a large role in that investment, offering exposure, mentorship and practical experience. Monique Madrid founded the LOL JAX Film Festival in 2016; LOL stands for “Love Our Locals While Laughing Out Loud.” The festival mixes stand-up, films, music and showcases of local businesses, and this year marks its 10th anniversary.

“It’s this ecosystem of everybody collaborating with one another and showcasing their talents, and then also giving them a platform where the community can actually fund them,” Madrid said.

She noted the festival is scheduled for Aug. 1-2, with submissions due April 1 and a final deadline at the end of June.

Madrid also helps coordinate the Jacksonville edition of the 48-Hour Film Project, an international competition in which teams write, shoot and edit a short film in two days. City winners advance to compete with other cities and the top 12 films are screened at the Cannes Film Festival. Madrid said the intense deadline builds skills and camaraderie.

“You hate it, you love it, but you’re remembering you always come back,” she said.

See the full interview below.

Carlos Smith II - Self-taught 20-year veteran filmmaker on a mission

For many filmmakers, the path into the craft did not start with film school but with trial and error. Carlos Smith II bought his first camera on his 18th birthday and began making experimental projects with friends. He said challenges he faced included juggling schedules and limited access to equipment.

“I didn’t have much to work with, but I still made something out of it so now I’m going from that to what I have now, fully equipped and I got a good team to help,” Smith said.

One of his recent short films, Summertime in Duval, premiered last August as a response to a marketing survey that had ranked Jacksonville the most boring city in the country.

“This is a great place to be and I wanted to do my part for that,” he said. “From what I’ve captured, I probably call maybe a 10th or maybe a 20th of what’s happening in Jacksonville.”

Smith is preparing a sequel to his 2024 film The Future Soul II; the first installment is streaming on Tubi. The sequel marks his 20th anniversary as a filmmaker and his first project since receiving a city filmmaker grant. After years of doing most roles himself, he said he is learning to lean on collaborators.

“My team was like, ‘Oh, stop trying to do everything.’ That had to stop. I had to learn really quick that they’re here to help me because I’m used to doing a lot of things by myself. It’s refreshing to have a team that does those things for you,” Smith said.

The film is scheduled to premiere in September.

See the full interview with Smith.

KaMillion - Keeping projects in Jacksonville

Not all artists face the same roadblocks. KaMillion — a rapper, actress, producer, singer and songwriter — said the biggest hurdles for her generation are fewer roles and unstable funding. She had a co-lead role on Issa Rae’s Rap Sh!t on HBO.

“I feel like right when I got my opportunity, things started to fall apart. The strikes, the defunding of certain films, Black programming getting cut. The audition process now, there’s fewer roles than there’s ever been so everybody that looks like myself, we’re primed for the same role,” KaMillion said.

She is developing “Deon,” a film she describes as a love letter to Jacksonville and Black women. The story follows a young girl in foster care fighting to survive, protect her family and build a future against long odds.

Producer Zee Jackson, a Raines High School graduate with producing credits on Netflix and Hulu, said the city itself is a character in the film.

“We’re highlighting things like the foster care system, systemic racism, the injustices and how you are your own savior,” Jackson said. “It’s like a perfect film wrapped up in one to dedicate to our city, but also to ourselves.”

Unexpectedly, an investor pulled funding for Deon, and KaMillion launched a GoFundMe to help bridge the gap. Even so, she insisted on filming in Jacksonville rather than moving production to a larger market.

“I could be anywhere in the world right now, but I want to share my opportunities with the city and be that representation,” she said. “We got the infrastructure, we got the talent, and I just think it’s time again for us to turn it up.”

See the full interview with KaMillion and Jackson.

How aspiring creators can get involved

Local officials and organizations offer practical support. The Jacksonville Film and Television Office helps creators secure free permits for filming, a local incentive that Madrid said is not universal among cities.

That support can mean attending screenings, backing crowdfunding campaigns, hiring local crews and amplifying projects beyond Jacksonville’s borders.

Madrid said retaining talent, preventing newly trained filmmakers and actors from leaving for bigger markets, is critical to building the industry in Jacksonville.

“We’re growing especially in film, but a lot of times people will go to school here or start here and then they move on to other cities, and I’m happy for that, but we don’t want that,” Madrid said. “We want them to build and grow and create a bustling industry right here in the hometown.”

Technology has lowered some barriers. Cameras, editing software and distribution platforms are more attainable than during earlier eras, when studios and gatekeepers held more power. Smith said the accessibility of affordable gear has contributed to what he called a “resurgence” of local filmmakers.

“We have so much more access to technology now because when I started doing this stuff, it wasn’t as accessible back then,” he said.

Still, creatives say the industry needs steady capital, sustained distribution channels and a larger roster of roles that reflect nuances in Black life beyond stereotyped parts. Those gaps persist even as local projects win attention and festivals create pathways to national and international stages.

As Jacksonville’s Black independent film community expands, the work they do has value beyond entertainment: it creates jobs, preserves local histories and gives young people the tools to tell their own stories.

“If you are looking to break into the local filmmaking scene, there are plenty of opportunities,” Smith said. “Definitely tap in with the community because we have a huge film community here.”

For now, the city’s filmmakers are building the infrastructure themselves, one short film, one festival and one crowdfunding campaign at a time, in the hope that Jacksonville will not only be represented on screen but become a place where an industry can be born again.