Inspired by Star Wars and His Father
How many people can say they’ve worked with Eddie Murphy on “Candy Cane Lane“, Mariah Carey, OutKast, and Nike? James “J.D.” Taylor is a First Assistant Director and Director known for his behind-the-scenes contributions to popular TV series and major feature films. Taylor recently worked on The Wayans Brothers’ Scary Movie 6, helping reshoot the opening scene with artist and actress Teyanna Taylor, as well as a new closing scene.
Before working on major films, Taylor was a little eight-year-old kid watching Star Wars, where he became mesmerized by the behind-the-scenes of how everything was made. By high school, he wanted to become a pilot and an author like Richard Bach, who also flew planes. Taylor planned to attend the Air Force Academy, but didn’t get in.
During Taylor’s senior year, he started hanging out with a rock-and-roll band and began recording their shows and making music videos. When it was time for Taylor to go to college, his father encouraged him to take a year off to explore life. Taylor credits his late father for instilling the adventure bug into him.
“He was an amazing dude,” Taylor said about his father. “I like to get in my car and just go and explore [because of him].”
During his childhood, he and his father would take road trips across the country, something Taylor still enjoys doing. He took his father’s advice and went to Colorado, where he’d always wanted to go. While in Colorado, his dad told him he had met the dean of a new film school opening up in Florida and asked Taylor if he would be interested. Taylor took that as a sign that he could still tell stories, even if it wasn’t as a novelist, so he went for it.
Taylor is a graduate of Florida State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. While in college, he got a few paid gigs through a friend. Right after graduating, inspired by his dad’s sense of exploration, he took his car and dog, $1,000, and headed to San Fransciso, where he stayed on his friend’s couch. Taylor got his start in film as a volunteer building sets before landing a paid job cleaning bathrooms. His work ethic and dedication quickly opened doors, leading to opportunities that launched his career as a First Assistant Director and, later, as a Director.
Staying Diverse in Film, TV, and Music
Taylor was just 23 years old when he worked on his first major film, the 1985 dark comedy After Hours, directed by Martin Scorsese. From there, Taylor’s list has grown to include the hit TV series Teen Wolf, McDonald’s commercials, working with mogul Jermaine Dupri, and many more. After years of working with stars, Taylor says he doesn’t get starstruck anymore, but he never takes any moment on set for granted.
As the industry has transitioned from film to digital and faced challenges such as the 2008 recession and the 2023 Writers Guild strike, Taylor said his ability to adapt and work across different types of productions has helped him build a lasting career. From San Franssico to Manhattan to Atlanta, Taylor said he has paid attention to what’s in style and has ensured he knows how to use his skills to keep up with the times.
He was told time and time again that as an AD, he’s had to find a lane to stay in, whether that was music videos, commercials, or films, but never all of them. He said that because he’s diversified across all forms, he’s been able to beat the times.
He’s always asked himself, “Why can’t I do it all?” so he did.
As the film industry continues to evolve, including with short-form vertical videos, he hopes to see more people in theaters again.
“I would like to see more people go see more films in the theaters than at home,” Taylor said. He also hopes to see another indie movie revolution.
But whatever happens in film, Taylor says he’s not going anywhere.
“We’re building worlds…where people can get lost in,” Taylor said.
Nyesha Stone founded Carvd N Stone in 2017 to cover positive news while attending the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Stone has a B.A. in Journalism. She has raised over $30,000 to award grants and scholarships. She has also been featured in ESSENCE and worked with the American Black Film Festival.
- Nyesha Stone
