While a white lie

might unravel some

entrepreneurial
dreams, Evans County native
James Kicklighter
has turned a fib into a promising
film career and has the accolades
to prove it

THROUGH A BROADER LENS

Written by Jen Alexander McCall
Photography by Morgan Eddington

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 film

Lights,Camera, Action: Kasey Ray -Stokes,

James Kicklighter and Mark Stokes have
dedicated their films to social causes that hit
home. The three met in 2006 and have been
filming ever since.
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 Say Cheese! James Kicklighter stops for a photo with Edith Ivey, star from “The Smile for the camera: Kasey Ray-Stokes and Mark Stokes stop for a quick photo
Curious Case of Benjamin Button” on the red carpet during the 2010 Macon with their baby at the 2009 Macon Film Festival.
Film Festival.

W
. hile a little white lie might unravel some entrepre-
neurial dreams, Evans County native James Kick-
lighter has turned a fib into a promising film career
and has the accolades to prove it.
When he was a teen, Kicklighter, now 22, managed to con-
vince his town and peers that he was a film producer—before ac-
tually becoming one. Despite being found out, Kicklighter made
a name for himself and opened the door to making his stories a
reality. Now Kicklighter is co-chairman of JamesWorks Inc. and
has produced a handful of critically recognized films with friends
Kasey Ray-Stokes and Mark Stokes.
Ray-Stokes, originally from Liberty County, and Stokes, who is
from Long County, both met Kicklighter in 2006 while Stokes was
working on “That Guy: The Legacy of Dub Taylor.” “My husband
and I just started dating … we asked James to work with us as
an assistant photographer. I’d had some classes in college, and
the three of us worked well together,” Ray-Stokes says. “For the
next project with James, we collaborated as JamesWorks, then
decided to come on board under JamesWorks.”
Documentaries are the bulk of the company’s films, and the
messages at the heart of each story are the driving force behind
the teams’ selections. “I think as a filmmaker you have opportuni-
ties to create project [of quality],” Kicklighter says. “Mark, Kasey
and I have social issues that we hold dear. Mark’s parents were
missionaries in Sierra Leone, and I worked with hurricane relief
efforts. Each of us had a window into social issues. We wanted to
be able to do different films that meant something.”
Kicklighter says if the team is making a project with a mes-
sage, the message must be accessible. That’s not to say every au-
dience is going to have grand revelations, he says, but the beauty
of building a film with a message is that audiences will come
away with something.
“I think it’s essential in storytelling to show people that just
because you may not have experienced that particular event,
people’s lives are relatable despite cultural differences,” Ray-
Stokes says. “That’s important to me as a storyteller. It helps peo-
ple come together as a community.”
Veteran actress Edith Ivey learned firsthand of Kicklighter’s
talent for storytelling when she agreed to take a role in his short
film “Car Wash.” Ivey met Kicklighter through her role as vice
president of the Screen Actors Guild branch in Atlanta. “James
came to our offices to speak with someone about old-time radio,”
Ivey remembers. “I was involved in it in New York, so we began
talking and we had a grand time.”
In the film, Ivey says, “the thing I found fascinating was that

The Indie Award of Merit (Land of Higher Peace), 2011 Indie Competition
JamesWorks Documentary in Competition (Land of Higher Peace), 2011 Macon Film Festival
‘Points of Pride’ Best Drama (The Car Wash), 2010 Melbourne Independent Filmmakers Festival
Audience Choice Award (The Car Wash), 2010 National Film Festival for Talented Youth
Accolade Award of Merit (Theater of the Mind), 2009 Accolade Competition
Screeners, 2009 International Documentary Association Distinguished Feature Award
46 Liberty Life magazine

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 James had written this material just exactly right for a woman of
this age. He’s been listening really well to more mature people.”
Ivey also was impressed with the professionalism of the James-
Works team as they shot the film in an old-style method. “They
shot very much like you would have a live TV show in past years,
in that you would shoot the whole thing at once,” she says. “It was
very fast, but concise and clear. I am hopeful for the future of the
film business [because of JamesWorks].”
The 81-year-old actress accepted a second role, this time in
the upcoming feature “Followed,” a philosophical piece about
zombies, of all things. Ivey gave some brief insight into her char-
acter, saying, “I play an old woman, but the zombies don’t follow
me. I guess I’m above reproach!”
The attractiveness of making and seeing small films that leads
many into the business also has supported JamesWorks’ efforts,
but Kicklighter says the danger lies in wanting to go too big too
quickly, and watching the work suffer as a result.
“Now, so many people have access to things like cameras and
editing software. We wanted to make sure we weren’t just pro- Director and filmmaker James Kicklighter coaches actors Sylvia Boykin and Erryn
ducing things to produce them. We wanted to make, not videos, Arkin on the set of “Followed”.
but films,” he remarks. the filmmaker says is much more tight-knit than film buffs might
Starting small meant working on several different types of think. That closeness allows the group to connect with filmmak-.
projects, to be able to afford the necessary equipment without ers who have similar goals and vision, he says.
going into debt, Kicklighter explains. “We worked on weddings, “The nice thing about being a filmmaker is the industry isn’t
audiobooks and websites to buy equipment so we could be self- huge. It’s actually pretty small, and when you work in it you get to
sustaining. Lots of budding filmmakers want the $100,000 equip- know people really well,” he says. “We go to film festivals every
ment when they’re not ready, when they should be focusing on year, and lots of filmmakers show up at the same places. When
telling a good story.” you see them you kind of start bonding together.” Kicklighter says
The team’s portfolio is small but acclaimed and they continu- what viewers see on screen is only a snippet of what goes into
ously work to make connections within the film industry, which making a movie, but it shouldn’t deter hopefuls from entering the

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JamesWorks Entertainment partners take a moment to
relax and enjoy snacks in a screening room at Liberty
Cinemas.
. choosing actors, the location. You have to
field.
“Filmmaking is a time-consuming, dif-
ficult industry to be in if you want to stay
in it. When you’re talking about producing
a film, people think it just pops out,” he
remarks. “You don’t think about the pre-
production — there’s script development,
do all these things before you start filming.
“It’s not just the stuff you see on screen,”
Kicklighter says. “You have to find the bal-
ance between creative and commercial.
It’s not just about writing a screenplay —
it’s about coordinating flights and booking
hotels. It’s very logistical, and very specif-
ic.”
Ray-Stokes’ role in the pre-production
and production process are key. “I’m the
executive producer, though my title is di-
rector of development. I look at new proj-
ects; people send me scripts and ideas for
films. On set I work as a producer, I make
casting decisions, choose the costumes
and makeup. We take turns directing,” she
says.
She looks forward to new projects, but
Ray-Stokes certainly is proud of the team’s

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Kicklighter surveys his actors on the set of his newest production based on a short
story.

current works. “My favorite film so far would be ‘Land of Higher.

Peace,’ shot in Ethiopia. We decided to go as people first to see
RIDGEWOOD YMCA
how we could help. Then we realized we could shoot [a film] to
show people here. The process was probably one of the hardest
but the most rewarding because it told a story that needed to be
told about missions,” she says. “People don’t realize that missions
can be more than a Christian word; it can be a service word.”
JamesWorks is collaborating with a Macon-based production
company on some films in the next couple years, she adds, and as
the company expands into feature films, Ray-Stokes is exploring a
drama set in the South about the relationship between sisters. On
the documentary front, she plans to focus on festival queens.
Whether documentary or feature film, Kicklighter’s theatri-
cal proclivities influence his work. “I really like the relationship
and character dramas. I’m a fan of stories that take people’s re-
lationships and examine them in different ways,” he says. “The
ones that have something to say about characters and change the
way they perceive themselves … tie back into the type of films we
have in mind ... they’re always about relationships between the
character and the concept.”
Every filmmaker has his or her professional inspiration. Kick-
lighter finds his in two well-known producers. “Scott Rudin is a
very gifted producer. He’s produced some of the best films in the
past few years, such as ‘The Social Network’ and ‘True Grit.’ But
he also produces small films like ‘The Fantastic Mr. Fox,’” Kick-
lighter shares.

A
“He’s done a wide variety, and they all say something about
society and the way we perceive ourselves. We have an awesome

A
Hinesville & The Historic Coast 49

Spring 2011 Final.indd 49 3/7/2011 3:23:36 PM

 Neighbors
&Newcomers
Our annual guide to living in
2011
Liberty County found in the June
issue of Liberty Life.

Reserve your
advertising space early
for best placement.

Contact Katrina Sage,

Creative Director @ 876.0156

Break time! Kasey Ray-Stokes, James Kicklighter and Mark Stokes have a moment of fun while on the photo
shoot set for Liberty Life at Liberty Cinemas.

Holtzman opportunity to work with the most powerful medium on the planet and it’s an awesome
RealtoRs® responsibility. I think Rudin has that sense of responsibility.”

Expect
He also counts Paul Feig, creator of “Freaks and Geeks,” a short-lived television se-
ries, among his influences. “[Feig] created this entire universe that was so honest about

the
growing up. He’s also written some autobiographies. So many times you see things are

Best
sugarcoated, but he’s direct and honest.”
Kicklighter says being from Georgia gives his team a unique cultural background
that affects how he views and shares the world. “All three of us have ties to this area, and
cb@holtzmancompanies.com
because of that, we have a unique perspective on the world. I think when you grow up in
www.fortstewart.com that environment, when so many people know you, you come up with a sense of family
730 General stewart Way and community,” he says.
Hinesville, Georgia 31313 “I think that Southerners have that bred in them. I think we want to tell stories that
912-368-4300 800-476-3680 honor our upbringing and way of life. In the South we have characters. People may re-
strain themselves [elsewhere], but not in the South. When you are raised in the South,
you have a great sense of storytelling.”
Kicklighter says his perspective on life and relationships has changed since he began
working in film. “When you start traveling and seeing the world, and even different parts
of the country, you have such a distinct vision of the world, [especially] when you grow
up in a small town,” he muses.
The young filmmaker encourages others to explore their quickly shrinking world.
“If you have the opportunity, you should go out and see and do as much as you can. The
world is a much better place than it’s made out to be ... people are people wherever you
go.” LL
Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated

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