We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jalen Parham a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jalen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I’ve always loved film. I used to watch the same movies over & over it would drive my parents crazy. But it wasn’t until my junior of high school when I took an Audio/Video Tech class my junior year in high school, that reignited my passion. This class was different than others as I had the most freedom. My teacher would give us a prompt and a camera, and we would run around the school filming small projects and we would then review them as a class. While that was fun, it was a PSA that I did that sparked interest in a career in this field. The project started as a longline, and then the class voted on whose logline was best. Mine was one of the few that was selected. Then, we had to draw our storyboards for the project on a sheet of paper. My storyboard wasn’t the best of course, but it connected me to the project more as I had a hand in each level of production. When then filmed the PSA based on the storyboard, and I was the main actor & director so it was a lot to deal with for a first project. I then began the editing process, and I willingly edited the whole thing myself.. It was then time to present my project. While I was nervous, I was confident in my PSA because it was exactly how I wanted it to be, from a single written line to a fully edited video. The video was received well, and it remains in my YouTube channel today. The reception of the video, and seeing the impact it had, revealed that this path was the way for me.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a filmmaker, editor, and photographer. I have been working in this field professionally for almost 3 years now. My career was kickstarted through a non-profit organization in Atlanta called RE:IMAGINE/ATL, whose goal is to employ the next generation of storytellers. Through their program, I gained a lot of mentors, and my first few paid film/media opportunities, I was even able to film my first short film “With the Homies” with their equipment.

That was the first project I directed, wrote, and produced. It went on to be selected to 5 festivals, and won an Audience Choice Award during it’s festival run. It’s one of my favorite projects as I shot it with childhood friends and the message was very personal to me.

Since then, I have worked in a variety of roles on set as freelance crew member. Whether that be a part of grip or camera team, production assistant, BTS photographer, and I’ve even done some acting recently. While my end goal is to direct full-time, I love being on set, it’s a place that gives me comfort. I’ve worked on many sets from independent to company projects. This year I’ve worked with major brands like Adobe, NBCUniversal, Warner Brothers Discovery, and Microsoft.

I am also a part of a creative team called First Floor Productions(FFP), as one of the cinematographers and editors. FFP highlights the rising creatives and brands in Atlanta. We’ve filmed music videos, brand promos, interviews and much more.

While everyone may not be into film or media, everyone has a story to tell. With my projects, whatever role I’m in, I try to encourage everyone to tell their own stories or I attempt to be a tool to tell the stories of those who may not have the resources to do it themselves.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I have been struggling with motivation to finish college. Once I saw there was a true future for me in that field, my focus over time shifted away from school and towards being the best filmmaker I can be, while working on as many projects I could. There were even times I considered dropping out, but I am not a quitter. This is my last year of college, and for the longest, I had my goal set the graduate December 2023, so I can be free from school and start working in film and media full-time.. Because that goal was so close, this past summer semester, I didn’t put much dedication into my classes, and had one of my busiest years in the industry. I gained so much experience and confidence. Financially, it showed me that I can live very comfortably in this line of work once I finally graduate. As the summer came to an end, my happiness was halted because due to my intense focus on working in the field I love, I failed a class that I needed to graduate in December.

I was hurt, confused, shocked. I never failed a class throughout my life, I had to be in school for another five months before I could do what I loved, and the last bit of friends in college I had were all going to graduate without me. My motivation plummeted, and I began the semester slow, not putting many efforts in my classes. I didn’t want to believe my dream got pushed back because of my own actions, I blamed everyone but myself. I had a conversation with my father halfway through the semester. He was very honest that I did this to myself, and I need to acknowledge that and handle my responsibilities so I can pursue my dream fully. After that I studied more, I showed up to class on time, and had office hours with my professors.

I refused to let myself fail again, and this time I succeeded. I also realized my dream wasn’t delayed at all because I have a small online workload next semester and can still work full-time. Although I waited to quit when I initially found out the news that I wouldn’t graduate in December, ability to pivot my focus and perspective, as well as leaning on those who support me, helped me propel forward to finally graduate next semester and make a living doing what I love.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

The best thing society can do to support artists is to provide more programs to the youth that are interested in the creative field. There are so many departments and a variety of roles that be filled in the film and media industry that people don’t go after simply because they don’t know they exist. Every time I step on set or in an office, I get more insight on a role that I wasn’t aware of before. If I knew the broader range of careers in this field when I was a few years younger, I may not have even went to college and would have went straight into the work force. A program that gave me this exposure was RE:IMAGINE/ATL. Working with them these past two years, I see the impact and opportunities they provide not only to people like me but high schoolers and middle schoolers. They host workshops, and events for inner city youth, and seeing the creative potential in a a group who usually does not have access to the opportunities is a beautiful thing. There’s also the HUE collective, a program lead by industry professionals that travels the country hosting editing camps, helping these kids hone important skills at a young age. More programs should be in place like this, as the next generation are the ones who are will be guiding the future soon.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaysyncere/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jalen-parham-288b951a5/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-GM6P7Y-xhXKLfCjqu06ug

Image Credits
Chastin Brathwaite Christopher Doomes Jalen Parham