Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Timothy Covell. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Timothy, thanks for joining us today. Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?

I spent the years immediately after college traveling, writing, and working odd jobs. My goal was always to become a screenwriter, but I didn’t really have an understanding of how to go about pursuing that. So after living in Brooklyn, for some time, I began writing web series and designing ARGs (Alternate Reality Games) for a small company that was trying new modes of storytelling.

When I finally hit a wall there, my old film school friend, Alex Lane, and I decided to produce our own web series. As other, more experienced, people joined our team and the project’s scope grew, we thought it might be beneficial to create a LLC to manage the insurance, payroll, rentals, and other aspects of the production. So we formed Dog-Eared Media, which we used to produce that series along with our next three short films.

During the, very fraught, making of that first web series, I came to realize that I like the organizational challenges related to independent film producing. And as a screenwriter, I like the control that comes with being the boss. It also gave me the confidence to begin directing, then eventually editing, my own material.

Fast forward a few years, and my partner at the time, Christina Behnke, had become a more integral collaborator. We decided the time was right to produce our first feature film. We formed Ben Cove Entertainment to make BLOOD CONSCIOUS which I wrote and directed. It was released theatrically in 2021.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I was interested in movies from a young age. Growing up in an isolated farm town, we had limited access to film beyond the Hollywood mainstream save for at our local library. This is where I was introduced to auteurs like Fellini, Bunuel, Kurosawa, and Bergman, all of whom I gobbled up voraciously.

By the mid-90s, my dad had become interested in the emerging digital animation technology, so I commandeered his equipment to create my own animations and videos, eventually wrangling friends to perform in shorts. I attended film school at the Ithaca College Park School. After interning for Lightstorm Entertainment and Muse Productions in Los Angeles, I moved to Brooklyn where I’ve been based ever since.

In the later aughts, I wrote and designed ARGs (Alternate Reality Games) for a small company in New York and was also part of the team that launched TEDTalks videos online.

As mentioned earlier, after writing and directing a number of short films, in 2021 I released my first feature film, BLOOD CONSCIOUS, to theaters. It was distributed in the U.S. by Dark Sky and is now available throughout much of the world.

Under my production company, Amorous Machine, I’m in the process of raising financing for my next feature, CONDEMNATION, a small town murder mystery set during the run up to the ’92 presidential election.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

For me, the goal of living an artistic life is to always approach any endeavor with authenticity and creativity. It means working tirelessly to create a more just world within my own sphere of influence, using the tools and talents at my disposal, and approaching problems with an open mind and eager hand.

Any advice for managing a team?

Having managed both film crews and teams in structured corporate environments, my advice is to remember that each team member is a unique human being who needs to be approached and motivated as such. Some people need constant feedback to feel reassured, others need a long leash so as not to feel suffocated. Blanket policies, while often necessary, will likely inspire some team members while leaving others cold.

Finding out the working style, strengths, and weaknesses of each of your team members will help you anticipate how they will react to pivots, challenges, or other types of change. This, in turn, will provide you with the tools to communicate effectively and keep the team, as a whole, motivated toward successful outcomes.