We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Taliya Harman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Taliya below.

Taliya, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with a hypothetical question – if it were up to you, what would you change about the school or education system to better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career?

I think there’s a lot to say about the education system when it comes to the world of filmmaking. First off, it’s not necessary to go to school, so why do it? I think there’s a few benefits to schooling. Starting in school gives students who haven’t had access to cameras and lights and etc the opportunity to try it out and learn to see if this is something they’d be interested in. Although I’d been interested in filmmaking from a young age, I never had many, if any, opportunities to give it a real shot until college, and it wasn’t until then that I learned of my love for the camera. Second, it gives students the opportunity to fail and make mistakes in a safe environment, a learning and hopefully friendly environment. However, the schooling system also can fail in many ways. I think the biggest issue for smaller filmmaking schools, those not in the city of, or connected to, any developed industry, is that they don’t have a place to send the students after, therefore students are left to fend for themselves and make their own opportunities. I think the biggest change needed is more internships, externships, and opportunities that set students up to follow a direction after school.

Taliya, 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 Taliya Harman, I’m 23 and trying to start a career in the world of filmmaking and videography. From a young age I’d been interested in writing and had a passion for storytelling. I wrote the start of many books, but never saw any fully through. It wasn’t until a revelation in middle school through a media class in which I wrote, shot, directed, and edited a little commercial did I realize I wanted to be a filmmaker. However, although my passion began to grow, I had no outlet nor way to try it out. I applied to, and was accepted into, the first class of filmmaking undergraduates at the University of Mississippi, and it wasn’t until then that I learned where my passions truly lied, with the camera. Throughout undergrad I was able to create many projects, a few that have gone on to show at film festivals, and connect with professor’s and students. Since I’ve graduated I’ve begun to work at a camera warehouse, learning more about cameras, how they work, and how to understand them. I’ve had the opportunity to do some videography and shoot for small businesses like Maresca’s in Charlottesville Virginia and am looking for more in the Atlanta area. As a videographer, I come with my own camera, and a true passion for helping people’s dreams and ideas come to life. I love working with small businesses to help them get their name out there, and give them content that reflects who they are and what they do. As a filmmaker, I hope to tell stories that impact people and help people empathize and learn about the struggles people, especially women, face in the world.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

There’s so much about being an artist that is rewarding just in through the nature of art, but one thing does stand out the most to me. Sharing important stories and impacting people is probably what drives me the most and at the end of the day is the most rewarding aspect. I love being able to meet someone, or learn about someone/something, and turn it into a story in a way that people will connect with. Seeing people come together over similar experiences, good and bad, and empathizing with others is a huge reason as to why I do what I do. Although there is so much wrong in the world, I love meeting and supporting and telling the stories of the people who help make it a better place.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I think there are many things I wish I’d known earlier in my creative journey, but the biggest that I can think of is the simplest resource of all, what you have in your home. I think often times, and I was guilty of this too, people assume that to be a filmmaker or videographer you need to have the fancy equipment, the nice camera, soft lights, and gimbles. However, what I failed to learn early, but hope others do, is that all you need is your phone and passion. Although that won’t get you where you might want to end up, it helps you learn and grow in a way that is priceless, a way that can lead you in the right direction and set you up on a path to success.

Contact Info:

• Website: taliyaharman.com
• Instagram: taliya.harman.film
• Youtube: taliyaharman2403
• Other: Supplementary Youtube of my partner: @TonyKing