We recently connected with Jordan Sims and have shared our conversation below.

Jordan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

Short answer: yes. I am significantly happier as a creative!

I’ve worked a variety of positions on film and TV sets: the coffee-getting production assistant, the drowning-in-emails production coordinator, the director who tries to make gold out of bronze, and more! 90% of my professional experience is in this industry. Sometimes it feels like you’re never going to catch your breathe, while others it is so still you’re worried you’ll never work again. Lately it’s been the later for me. During times like this, there is a lot of time for reflection.

“Why do I keep doing this?” “Is this the lifestyle I want?” “What can I do to avoid this drought in the future?”

Although I’ve never worked a “regular” job, I feel I’ve experienced it’s equivalent. For me, this is when I manage to work my logistic-focused, well-paying freelance corporate gigs back-to-back for a while. Hours are more regular, working with a lot of the same people and within the same system, and it had a very impersonal feel (we work to get paid, we all knew we weren’t making “art”). The routine of day-to-day life is very nice. The consistent paycheck is nice. The safety is nice (I know what to expect, trials-by-fire aren’t the norm). Despite all of these things, it never made me feel fulfilled or accomplished. So, if this experience is representative of a “regular” job, I think I would remain unfulfilled.

This isn’t to say “regular” jobs are unfulfilling, but that’s because everyone is different and the key is to be honest enough with yourself to know how a job makes you feel. I do not find fulfillment handling logistics and paperwork, running a set, handling pick ups and returns. I can do those tasks and take pride in my work, but it doesn’t inspire me and fill me with life and purpose like being a creative. Being a creative requires individuality and initiative. It takes confidence to stand by your vision, even when those around you may not see exactly what you see. You need a drive and passion that inspires those around you and the communication ability to get everyone on the same page. You’re doing what only you can do. In the ideal environment, you’re able to showoff and communicate what you wish and how you wish to do so.

Life as a creative is challenging. You need to know who you are more deeply and be willing to take more direct control over the direction you’re life is heading in. Work is unsteady and people question every decision you make and it’s your job to win them over. It is an active life full of communication and bringing ideas to life. Although I am not offered a lot of financial security and cannot control when I work and when I don’t, I’m content and at peace with the choice I’ve made to stay a creative.

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 am a director / producer for film and TV. I am involved in projects from conception to final edit. My projects include, but are not limited to: music videos, commercials, and narrative films.

For my clients, I am a translator. Not literally, but creatively. Everyone is creative, regardless of if they do it for a career or not, and my job is to help translate what the client wants to a visual medium. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll also work with clients that have no idea what they want and I’ll come up with ideas until something resonates with them.

What sets me apart from most is my emphasis on storytelling. Most directors understand the importance of having projects technically look brilliant and want to implement expensive, fancy techniques. While nothing is inherently wrong with that, we’ve seen that bigger does not automatically mean better. So what does? The story! Not like Lord of the Rings or Inception, although they are great stories. The story is what connects all of the visuals together, whether directly or more abstractly. This can be large or small. Every project is different and it’s my job to discern what feels best for it.

I take pride in my personability, transparency, and willingness to collaborate. Telling stories and working with clients can become quite intimate. Intimacy involves vulnerability. Vulnerability scares a lot of people, myself included. This is why I create an atmosphere where the client feels comfortable with me, so they can let their creative walls down and I understand what they’re really after. Part of my job is to not abuse their vulnerability, so I make sure to be honest and upfront. This vulnerability and transparency allows for collaboration to happen much more smoothly, thus giving a process and final product that everyone is satisfied with.

Examples of my work can be found: https://www.amanwithfriends.com/work

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

The biggest testament to my resilience is that I am still in the film and TV industry despite the COVID shutdown and the lack of work brought on by the strikes and rise of AI. I’ve known a lot of people who have been in this industry longer than I’ve been alive who are struggling to find work. Some quit, some have found something temporary to do in the meantime, and a select few have managed to cling to any of the few jobs out there. I have looked for jobs outside the industry many times and for an extended time, but a lot of industries are slowing down hiring and it’s hard to get the “regular” job. The blessing is I don’t want to leave my industry anyway. The curse is, I still have bills to pay and a life to move forward with. I take it one day at a time and continue to hone my craft and develop new skills along the way.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is knowing you’re doing something in a way only you can do. It’s putting pieces of yourself in your work and seeing how an audience responds to it. The best part is when someone resonates deeply with your work, because it feels like they are resonating with you as an individual.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amanwithfriends.com/work
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanwithfriends/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-sims-25175388/?trk=li_LOL_DA_global_careers_jobsgtm_otwGeneral_res_Sep2023_dav2
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AManWithFriends

Image Credits

Osvalda Kremidha