Today we’d like to introduce you to Parida Tanti.
Parida, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m a second year MFA Directing student at UCLA. I’m from the suburbs of LA – a tiny, dark, pleasantville town called Walnut which inspires many of my stories. Prior to grad school, I lived and worked in Bangkok, Thailand as a game writer for a former Disney property called City Girl. During college, I worked at Participant Media in creative services, as an art department intern on the set of CBS’ Elementary in Queens, and as a freelance photographer and graphic designer. I dabbled a bit in acting and spent more time in film clubs than focusing on school. I fell in love with poetry and photography as a teenager and believe if you fuse the two you arrive at filmmaking. I graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. in Poetry.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Sort of- as in I’m privileged enough to pursue filmmaking. And then sort of not because my mom responded “What are you going to eat?” when I came home and said I wanted to major in English. Thankfully, she’s now supportive of my creative endeavors.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Recently, I was awarded a significant amount of money to shoot my thesis film in Thailand next year, so that’s another dream that is turning into reality. It’s going to be titled “Young People, Old People & Nothing in Between.” It’s my comedic, upbeat take on the mental health taboo and how people are shamed when asking for help there. I know it doesn’t sound like a comedy, but I’m going to try to make you laugh and cry at the same time.
In addition, what feels great is that I finally have the funds to hire the people who’ve stuck with me from the beginning. I’d also love to give my actual grandma a cameo if she’s up for it!
What makes you different from others?
I don’t think I’m all that different from others if you’re going to ask me what sets me apart from other people. I just work my ass off, try to lead with empathy, and remain true to the people who showed me kindness when I had absolutely nothing to offer them.
What has been the proudest moment of your career thus far?
I can’t pin it down to one. It’s more of a fabric of surreal moments that have been strung together over the years. Getting my first film into small festivals across the country, being nominated for best political comedy in Atlanta, being a finalist in the TV Academy Foundation’s Star Trek internship program, representing Thailand under Busan Film Commission in Indonesia, having my photographs exhibited as part of an international gallery in Bangkok, or in an artist’s initiative in Silverlake, having my college video sketch team nominated for a Student Emmy as an alumni, getting a poem or two published in a competitive literary magazine…I’m all very grateful for it.
How do you define success?
Seeing things through. Having a plan and executing it to the best of your ability. Keeping your word. Believing in something and running towards it, despite being racked with fear and self-doubt.
Then there’s the concrete level of making your dreams into reality, no matter how small or big they may be. On my last film, a queer romance wrapped in March, my producer managed to secure a walk-and-talk on the streets of DTLA. It’s always been my dream to do a walk-and-talk since watching Linklater’s “Before” trilogy many years back. It was sometime around 9pm, the lights in the historic core were on, and we were hopeful passerbys wouldn’t look into the camera. I felt so alive and I think my actor did too.
If we’re talking motifs, I continuously forget self-satisfaction is what I’m running after. I achieve something; it’s enough for one day; and then the finish line moves down shortly after. I somehow always find a way to want more. It isn’t healthy, but I’m working on it.
What were you like growing up?
I was strange. I really wanted to belong, but didn’t feel that way. So I buried myself in books and films and hung out with weirdos at school who are still some of my best friends today. I did things I didn’t really want to do, listened to people whom I shouldn’t have, and went by greater society’s definition of success because I thought I was supposed to live a certain way. It made me miserable. Now I do what I want, hang out with people who like me for who I am, and work on bettering myself. It’s quite liberating actually. (I’d suggest not to hurt anyone though – agency isn’t an excuse for selfishness).
Childhood stories I recall: During the holiday season, when I was ten, I was with my mom getting some presents gift-wrapped at Nordstrom. She said, “sit here and don’t play with the phone.” So I picked up the phone and dialed 911 just to see what would happen as she got her gifts wrapped. A cop actually showed up and I was red in the face. He told me not to play with things like that and I said sorry. I came home and sunk into depression for two weeks. I can recall it because the guilt was so palpable. (This isn’t me telling you a sob story; this is me saying ‘wow children’s brains and memory recall are incredibly complex and interesting!’).
In another instance, my mom told me not to jump on the couch after eating a chock-full of Cup of Noodles because a noodle would come out of my nose. I didn’t believe her so I jumped on the couch with great enthusiasm and a noodle actually came out of my nose! I still remember looking down at that inch of noodle between my feet, my nose tunnel suffering immense pain. The feeling is still palpable to this day. Yeah, that was the kind of kid I was.
Image Credit:
Victor Rocha, Parida Tanti, Paul Ajodha, Leah Zhang.
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