We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Myles Jackson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Myles below.
Alright, Myles thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
I was a child of media from birth- my earliest and fondest memories of are being introduced to films that would shape the rest of how I lived my life- my mother showed me Star Wars and Star Trek as a child, and my father showed me classic action like John Woo and Michael Mann. Before I knew it I was developing my own eye, coming up with little scenarios in my head in my spare time. I’ve always loved to create, whether it was with music as a child at Baltimore School for the Arts, or after in my college career when I discovered cinematography as a career path. I spent college doing 48 hour film challenges, working on features, and writing and shooting my own material. I got to meet incredible people who helped me acquire the technical foundation which I still operate on today. After college, I ended up making video at a news station- doing everything from creating entire commercials to operating live multi-cam software for the morning broadcasts. It was there that I sharpened my eye- understanding the nuances of video production and how to best tailor my product to the many clients I interacted with. After almost 2 years of work, I realized that I could actually pursue my dream of cinematography elsewhere. I think my biggest obstacle was not allowing myself to fully open up to what I’m capable of. It’s only in the last year and a half, when I took the leap to move across the country with nothing but my partner, my cat and my dream that things have really taken off. Once arriving in Los Angeles, I reached out to many people who offered so many different aids that have turned into friendships. I got the chance to get a technical education at a rental house here in the city, and through my own exploration of the camera community here I’ve found lifelong mentors, friends, and collaborators. I think my ability to present as a genuine person has really gotten me the most opportunities. I want to spend the rest of my life learning and using my cinematography to express all the wonderful things life can offer, and I think that people who meet me can tell that right away. It’s allowed me to make my way onto commercial sets, indie & thesis films, and even to leading a short film as Director of Photography, all in the year and a half that I’ve been in Los Angeles. Knowing what I know now- I wish that I would have trusted myself a little more in the beginning of my career to do what needed to be done. I’ve spent a lot of time talking myself out of feeling like I belong in spaces because I am a black non-binary person- it’s only in this last year that I’ve been able to fully come into my own, both personally and professionally. I’ve been showing up as myself, fully- and people like what they see. One of my favorite movies of this year, “American Fiction” discusses “letting people see and love all of you.” I’m only now beginning to see what happens when I do let people see me.
Myles , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Myles Jackson- my pronouns are they/them. I am a non-binary, Black cinematographer working and living in Los Angeles. I’ve loved movies and video for as long as I can remember, and I’m most interested in telling queer and Black stories. I grew up in Baltimore, Maryland- and the spirit of the city has shaped the way I see and interact with the world. I pride myself on being able to relate to any and everyone because I’ve had to tailor my existence my entire life in order to present as what I thought was “palatable.” I’ve been focused on honing my technical skill and professional network since moving to Los Angeles, and I think what I can really offer my clients is adaptability. I have a lifetime’s worth of experience of rolling with the punches- I’ve had to be able to think critically quickly, and adjust my approach based on whatever obstacle I’m facing. I’ve had experience doing everything from commercial news video to mockumentary style short film- I’ve been able to travel to many different places and learn from so many brilliant and talented people- and the support and care that they’ve shared with me will continue to open the right doors, I know it.
If I could tell potential clients anything about working with me it’s that I want to tell your story. I’ve met so many filmmakers here who don’t feel as if there is a place for them, and so many more who are working to make sure that there are places where people can collaborate with one another, share skills, pass along gear- places like Made In Her Image, AC Friends & the Black Image Center. There is a place for everyone to share their ideas, and I want to create a safe space in which people who may not normally feel safe to share are able to relay their stories. I want people to feel like their voices matter, and I want to help them express whatever they feel is necessary through my lens. Camera work has afforded me the opportunity to be myself wholeheartedly, and to help others feel like themselves as well. There’s no better feeling for me than when I can show a collaborator playback of something that they created with their mind- to watch the glee of finally being seen and heard spread across their face gives me so much joy. I only want to continue doing that- showing people who I am with my cinematography, and helping others relay their ideas in the best way I know how.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I spent most of my formative life constantly being told that my ideas didn’t matter, that I wasn’t supposed to be able to express myself in the way I so desperately wanted to. Growing up as a queer Black person shaped the way I learned and presented myself- habits I’m now having to unlearn as an adult. In order to heal, I had to look inward- actually identify what it was I wanted to say, and what kind of life I wanted to live. After doing that, so many doors began to open. I was able to move on, to allow myself to explore new possibilities in a way that I never dreamed of. I’ve been able to surround myself with people who love me, people who see me as I am. I’m in no way finished- I still have so long to go, but this is farther than I ever thought I’d get. I can’t wait to see where I go next.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of creativity for me is it’s ability to foster community in the most random of places. I’ve met so many people who I’d never normally have interacted with probably through the pursuit of creativity-whether that’s been on set, at a technical seminar, or even out at a bar or a screening. I’ve been able to learn from these people and even have the honor of collaborating with them- to me there’s nothing better. This is all I’ve really ever wanted to do- to make things that make people feel. I know what it’s like to not feel seen- and I want the things I make to help others see themselves in the world, the way they should be.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mylesthemaker.com
- Instagram: @mylesthemaker
- Facebook: Myles Jackson
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/myles-jackson-77a0a4242/
- Twitter: @Myle5_Jackson
Image Credits
Adeshola Adigun Anointed Ru Dandrell Scott