Today we’d like to introduce you to Jada George.
Jada, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am a photographer, film director and graphic artist who just moved to LA to pursue a career as a film director. I have always been a visual person with a passion for storytelling, but it wasn’t until college that I realized that I wanted to be a film director. I am originally from Annapolis, MD and I come from a beautiful family who have always pushed for me to be a creative. Throughout my journey, in reference to film, I have had the opportunity to intern at TV One and Paramount Pictures. I most recently was apart of the Nate Parker Film Institute where I co-directed a short film titled “Culture Shot” and it was screened at this years Pan African Film Festival. Related to music, I have photographed plenty of events, festivals, and concerts, ultimately landing me the opportunity to go on the Ari Lennox “Shea Butter Baby Tour”, assigned to artist Mikhala Jene. My parents have shaped me into the content creator that I am today, and when I graduated from college in May 2019, the next step was for me to move to California and truly follow my dreams. I have now been in LA for about five months, and everyday I can feel myself getting one step closer to becoming the person that I have always dreamt of being.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Freelancing is very bittersweet. On the bright side, I am my own boss which means that I can work when I want to and I can always be certain that I am working on something that I am truly passionate about…it’s my call. I am taking this time to learn as much as I can and see as much as I can as this will only allow for me to master my craft. With freelancing, I have plenty of free time and I spend majority of the time networking. I have found myself in rooms that I never knew I’d be in, learning and speaking with people that I have always looked up to and if I didn’t have this much freedom, I would have missed out on a lot. On the downside, it is always great to have steady income and a secure schedule. I find myself wishing I had a 9-5 sometimes as I am going throughout my free days, knowing that all of my peers are clocked in. All in all, it is about the mentality that you grow to have, knowing that the day is on its way and everyone has a different journey….there is beauty in the struggle.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a photographer and director, best known for my work with music. I bought my first camera last summer and captured footage for artist Ari Lennox at a small venue show. That was my first time capturing a live performance and I immediately fell in love with it. I joined Ari and her team the following weekend at the Smokin’ Grooves Fest in Long Beach, CA and that was when I truly began my journey as a photographer. Since then, I have had the opportunity to photograph some of my favorite artists like WS Boogie, Snoh Aalegra, Pharrell Williams, Mereba and even Miguel. I enjoy photography and being able to marry my love of music with storytelling has been an epic journey. I took on the role of being over visual content for upcoming artist Zay Blaze, and with that, I directed and edited my first music video. This opportunity brought me back to my original goal of becoming a film director and now I am working on projects that will put me back into the film world. I am most proud of my journey in reference to how diverse my experiences have been. I have tapped into both the music side and film side of storytelling, building relationships and gaining mentors from all over. I think my ability to add elements that I’ve learned from each industry into my projects is what sets me apart, as every script and visual is inspired by a song or lyric.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from my childhood is spending my weekends creating with my family. I would spend the afternoon creating photo albums with my mom from scratch, using decorative scissors, construction paper and the hundreds of photos we captured during our photoshoots. We would decorate the room creating sets and use the self-timer to snapshots in some of the coolest outfits. When the sun went down, I would spend the evenings recording a tag for my dad in his DJ studio and watching as his would mix records together using a turntable. We would watch cartoons and during the commercial breaks, before it was pause, we would freeze frame the show and sketch out the character shown on the screen. I grew up watching movies like Jaws, The Goonies, and The Breakfast Club as well as Bebes Kids, Crooklyn and Poetic Justice. After a while, I became more interested in how the film was made rather than just enjoying the story. The more I saw and learned, the more I appreciated the “art” of it all and the household that I grew up in celebrated all forms of art.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jm.beanie/
Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Popular
-
What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
-
Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
-
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
-
What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
-
Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
-
What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
