Today we’d like to introduce you to Jami Ramberan.
Hi Jami, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My entry into visual storytelling was directing music videos and while it sharpened my eye aesthetically, the lack of creative control in most of the instances I encountered, was stifling. I grew tired of the repetitious images of scantily clad women dancing with rappers as they popped bottles and drove cards they had to return after the shoot. As a young female artist of color, I wanted more. I wanted to tell compelling stories and create innovative messages that would impact audiences in an impactful and thoughtful way. In pursuit of my career as an independent filmmaker, I sought to further hone my craft by attending Howard University to receive my MFA in Film Production. I benefited greatly from receiving professional guidance and experience of the entire the filmmaking process as a result.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I am grateful for my successes thus far, but there have indeed been some struggles along the way. I continue to face challenges but have proven to myself that I am resilient. With time and becoming more confident in myself and in my talent, I am more prepared to face these challenges. Being an independent filmmaker is one of the most difficult choices I’ve made. I quit a cushy job on Wall Street to pursue film school. Financially, I have worked multiple jobs and wiped out my savings account in order to make my films. Moreover, although some strides have been made in Hollywood, gender, racial and age equity is still something that is not balanced. I’ve been told “no” for being deemed too young or being a woman many times to direct projects. Also, there are limited career options for women who want to work in the industry, which is why I had to create my own opportunities. I was fortunate to find and collaborate with a group of fellow artists who believed in me and my vision and so we started a production company and won some awards together including an Emmy!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a storyteller who writes, directs and produces. My works have been screened domestically and internationally at film festivals, on television networks such as the CW and MTV and on streaming platforms including Amazon prime video. In addition to directing several music videos and commercials. I have won awards for my films, “Silent Brave” (2016) that focuses on the psychological effects of MilitarySexual Trauma and “Everlasting (2018), ”a sci-fi/ fantasy that examines how people cope with death on social media. I have directed an Emmy-winning PSA “Vote” which pays homage to the countless individuals that have sacrificed so that we may have the right to vote and an award-winning experimental film, “My Asian” highlighting the horrific miscarriages of justice that Asian-Americans and Asians in America are, and have historically been subjected to. I am most proud of the Emmy win for “Vote” because it was made during the height of the pandemic with a skeleton crew and minimal resources. After Suzen Baraka, the poet who wrote “Vote” shared the piece with me, we both agreed that we had to make it, despite the risks. This piece was urgent, raw and powerful and for the piece to be acknowledged by the Television Academy was truly my proudest moment.
I chose film as my tool to affect change and a result I am dedicated to making my mark on the world through cinema and I believe that this sets me apart from others. Not only am I expressing my thoughts, creativity, and imagination on screen but I also seek to inject a message of social change into the center of popular consciousness.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memory is singing and playing the piano with my grandmother. My grandmother had the extraordinary talent of playing piano by ear. She didn’t own a piano until she was in her 30s but was able to play in church on Sundays as a teenager. I would sing radio hits to her and she would listen and start to play along with me. I used to get a kick out of her playing hip hop and RnB music of the 1990s.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jamiramberan.com
- Instagram: @jamiramberan
Image Credits
Amaka Korie (three women in Hanbok) Aryeh Schwartz (personal photo)
