We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jasmine C. Perry. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jasmine C. below.
Jasmine C. , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.
You said:
what is a grammatically correct way to say the following and keep my voice: I got into the TV and film industry the stereotypical way, “it’s who you know.” I got a hook-up on an internship in a TV department and I worked my way up the ladder jumping on different productions. I got a degree in media, film and TV and a masters in screenwriting, but those two pieces of paper did very little for advancement in my career.
I got into making films of my own and I always try to include a social and/or political issue in my work. I believe that we all have a unspoken contract to at least attempt to make the world better than we found it, and I honor my part of that contract by telling empowering stories to counter act all the negative media that makes people more ignorant and materialistic.
I’m most proud of keeping my morality in tact while working in Hollywood. Hollywood is a place and industry that can reset your moral compass, and I remember going through that period. I remember when answering a thousand “life-or-death” emails in a week from my coworkers took precedent over calling my mother back. I remember watching people get verbally abused on the job. I remember seeing how women, especially young ones, were exploited. And the longer you stay in that environment, all those things start become the new norm, but I fought that moment and walked away from that place and those ideals.
At the moment what is setting me apart from alot of other filmmakers is my lack of desire to be in Los Angeles, New York or Atlanta. These cities have turned movie-making into a lucrative machine, but I don’t desire to be apart of machine or to be treated like one. I recently moved to Oklahoma to see what I can add to the filmmaking space in Tulsa. I am excited about showing people that you don’t have to sell your soul to get a Hollywood job, you don’t have to go to some big city if you don’t want to. If you want to be filmmaker, be in a place that will make you happy, light you up, and give you the mental clarity you need to stay creative. If you are a filmmaker, just make shit.
ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT
Here’s a refined version of your text that maintains your voice:
I got into the TV and film industry in the stereotypical way: “It’s who you know.” I landed an internship in a TV department through a connection and worked my way up the ladder, jumping between different productions. While I earned a degree in Media, Film, and TV and later a master’s in Screenwriting, those two pieces of paper did little to advance my career.
Eventually, I began making my own films, always striving to include a social or political issue in my work. I believe we all have an unspoken responsibility to leave the world better than we found it. I honor that by telling empowering stories to counteract the flood of negative media that often fosters ignorance and materialism.
One of my proudest achievements is maintaining my morality while working in Hollywood—a place that can easily reset your moral compass. I vividly recall a time when answering a thousand “urgent” emails in a week mattered more than returning my mom’s call. I witnessed verbal abuse on set, and saw how women, especially young ones, were exploited. Over time, such behaviors begin to feel normal in that environment, but I resisted that shift and ultimately walked away from that world and its toxic ideals.
What currently sets me apart as a filmmaker is my choice to live outside the major film hubs of Los Angeles, New York, or Atlanta. These cities have turned moviemaking into a lucrative machine, but I don’t aspire to be part of the machine—or to be treated like one. I recently moved to Oklahoma to explore what I can contribute to the filmmaking scene in Tulsa. I’m excited to show others that you don’t have to sacrifice your values or move to a big city to pursue a career in film. If you want to be a filmmaker, be in a place that makes you happy, inspires you, and gives you the mental clarity to stay creative. And most importantly—just make films.
I had started to feel spiritually drained from witnessing unethical behavior in the TV industry and not standing up for what was right. I was ready to leave television altogether, but I made a promise to myself: “You can take another TV job, but you can no longer stay silent or speechless about unethical things when they happen. Otherwise, you’re part of the problem.”
So, I took another job, and like a moth to a flame, I found myself on yet another toxic set, run by unethical producers. This time, instead of keeping my head down and staying silent to advance, I spoke up boldly about the injustices. As a result, I lost my job. One of my coworkers, inspired by my actions, stood beside me and was fired as well.
In the moment, I was devastated—but it was also a beautiful turning point. My integrity was not for sale. After that experience, I decided to give Los Angeles TV culture some space. I went on to create a virtual mentorship program for former foster care youth, moved to Oklahoma, and now only engage with visual arts in ways that truly bring me joy.
The mission driving all my choices is simple: joy. Nobody truly knows what happens when we die, and there’s no instruction manual for this journey. What I do know is how much I love being in a joyful state, and I’m committed to living in that space as much as possible.
It feels like there’s an attack on joy these days. Many adults shift into this weirdly serious state to fit into the professional inertia of life. My goal is to push against that force and prioritize joy—in my work and in my life.
I was working in TV, but I had this burning desire to make my own independent film. Honestly, there’s no better advice than Nike’s slogan: “Just do it.” I had a film idea that I believed in so deeply, there was no room for me to fail.
I didn’t have the $1,500-per-minute budget that big productions work with, but I had a humble savings account and used it to finance what I could. I couldn’t afford an expensive camera operator, so I used my own camera to shoot. I couldn’t hire a pricey sound technician, so I figured something out on my own. And while my first documentary didn’t have the polish of an HBO doc, it had heart and sincerity—and that resonated with people.
After about a year of working on it, I ran out of money. But instead of stopping, I put together a massive crowdfunding campaign and raised $60,000. When I tried to sell my documentary, I kept hitting dead ends and eventually gave up. Thankfully, a friend told me I couldn’t quit. That push led to a huge social media campaign asking the world to help me get my film on Netflix.
Through that campaign, a distributor came my way. While he couldn’t get me on Netflix, he got me on Amazon Prime. That whole journey taught me a valuable lesson: when you pour your heart into something and take bold steps forward, the world will conspire to help you reach your dreams.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I got into the TV and film industry in the stereotypical way: “It’s who you know.” I landed an internship in a TV department through a connection and worked my way up the ladder, jumping between different productions. While I earned a degree in Media, Film, and TV and later a master’s in Screenwriting, those two pieces of paper did little to advance my career.
Eventually, I began making my own films, always striving to include a social or political issue in my work. I believe we all have an unspoken responsibility to leave the world better than we found it. I honor that by telling empowering stories to counteract the flood of negative media that often fosters ignorance and materialism.
One of my proudest achievements is maintaining my morality while working in Hollywood—a place that can easily reset your moral compass. I vividly recall a time when answering a thousand “urgent” emails in a week mattered more than returning my mom’s call. I witnessed verbal abuse on set, and saw how women, especially young ones, were exploited. Over time, such behaviors begin to feel normal in that environment, but I resisted that shift and ultimately walked away from that world and its toxic ideals.
What currently sets me apart as a filmmaker is my choice to live outside the major film hubs of Los Angeles, New York, or Atlanta. These cities have turned moviemaking into a lucrative machine, but I don’t aspire to be part of the machine—or to be treated like one. I recently moved to Oklahoma to explore what I can contribute to the filmmaking scene in Tulsa. I’m excited to show others that you don’t have to sacrifice your values or move to a big city to pursue a career in film. If you want to be a filmmaker, be in a place that makes you happy, inspires you, and gives you the mental clarity to stay creative. And most importantly—just make films.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I had started to feel spiritually drained from witnessing unethical behavior in the TV industry and not standing up for what was right. I was ready to leave television altogether, but I made a promise to myself: “You can take another TV job, but you can no longer stay silent or speechless about unethical things when they happen. Otherwise, you’re part of the problem.”
So, I took another job, and like a moth to a flame, I found myself on yet another toxic set, run by unethical producers. This time, instead of keeping my head down and staying silent to advance, I spoke up boldly about the injustices. As a result, I lost my job. One of my coworkers, inspired by my actions, stood beside me and was fired as well.
In the moment, I was devastated—but it was also a beautiful turning point. My integrity was not for sale. After that experience, I decided to give Los Angeles TV culture some space. I went on to create a virtual mentorship program for former foster care youth, moved to Oklahoma, and now only engage with visual arts in ways that truly bring me joy.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
The mission driving all my choices is simple: joy. Nobody truly knows what happens when we die, and there’s no instruction manual for this journey. What I do know is how much I love being in a joyful state, and I’m committed to living in that space as much as possible.
It feels like there’s an attack on joy these days. Many adults shift into this weirdly serious state to fit into the professional inertia of life. My goal is to push against that force and prioritize joy—in my creative work and in my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://theinvisiblevegan.com
- Instagram: theinvisiblevegan
- Facebook: The Invisible Vegan
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasminecperry
Image Credits
N/A