Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaymes Camery.
Hi Jaymes, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ll ramble my life off I guess… I’m an independent filmmaker who writes, directs, acts, and edits. Started out in Virginia making films with my friends. We were very resourceful and driven (well, and naive), but we constantly shot films on DV tape. We shot three pretty bad features between 2006-2008 (haha), but what a great time and experience. From there, I fell in love with filmmaking and started making my own short films in a very DIY mode, which has stuck with me. I moved out to California for grad school and went to CalArts for my MFA in Film Directing, graduating in 2013. Right after I directed my first feature film, “Guys and Girls Can’t Be Friends,” which I went back to Virginia to shoot. Still was low-budget but more of a budget than our previous films. Learned so much on that film, but I guess I learn a lot on every film, but this was right after grad school so I was putting everything together and taking that next step forward. My film partner, Ben Solenberger, and I were able to start really seeing things come together.
After that, we did a lot of web series and shorter content. The goal is to always be shooting and working on something. Filmmaking is a long journey, so I’m always testing things out and trying to expand my tool belt. We have been lucky to work with a handful of actors we really love and grew up watching on Seinfeld and some of our favorite movies. We’ve worked with some extremely kind and patient people, but have also worked with people that drove us nuts. So much of filmmaking is problem-solving and people managing. I hope this comes through, but I never want to puppeteer people. I want to collaborate and set them up to do the best work they can. “Guys and Girls Can’t Be Friends” finally got a digital release in 2016. I’ll just say the business side is brutal and foreign to me. But it’s all about taking steps forward, and at the end of the day, I love making films. The ultimate goal is to make that my only job, but I need to be working on my scripts or trying to put a film together. We made “American Christmas” in 2018, and it was such a new process for us and different from any other film we’d done.
Again, what an experience and I learned so much. I’ve gained the confidence to know I can deal with almost anything and anyone. and still get everything shot and cut together (haha – I think, maybe a tear). “American Christmas” made it onto Showtime for two years. Not sure what’s going on with it now. Again, the business side. I love filming and Ben has been gracious enough to provide me with tons of projects outside of my own scripts and films. I’ve grown a lot over the last four years, so I’m really excited for a feature I’m putting together now. Hoping to make the best film I can and get it out there in as many mediums and avenues as I can. For the last four years, I’ve paid the bills by teaching Acting for Cam and filmmaking classes at a performing arts college.
Alright, 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?
Trying to make your own films, especially when you’re working with limited resources, isn’t easy. I wouldn’t say I’ve struggled but I’d love to be making more films. I certainly hit a writing block in 2017, but Covid allowed me the time to write two feature scripts, which felt like I was getting back on track creatively. Being a filmmaker requires discipline, balance, and patience because no one is on your case about spending 1-2 years making a film. You have to push yourself and be realistic. Not saying you can’t dream, obviously we all do, but for making a film, is it about the tech/toys/names or making a good, solid film that can elicit a reaction and response from audiences? I think the biggest struggle is where do you find funding and get those nice, juicy Netflix meetings, right!?!
Making a film takes a lot of collaboration. You’re putting together a cast that’ll bring ideas and possibly a different POV to the role. Smart actors who prepare and want to dig into who this character is. Then you’re trying to find the crew that you think will elevate your work and enjoy working with you. I like a laid-back set so everyone has the time and mindset to do what they want and need to do. AND THEN you have to find locations that fit the world of the story. That can be a search. But when everything is gelling and we’re filming something that becomes better than the script and really pops, then it’s all worth it. Making a film should be fun.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
A lot of my work is based around middle-class, suburban or rural characters, which is not LA. So I’m always looking for a small-town feel, I guess. I mainly write stories about love, family disconnect, and the pursuit of happiness. I like exploring why we love, how we treat one another, and how we struggle and work to find what makes us happy. Recently, I’ve gotten into writing about dating apps and how we represent ourselves on social media.
I love filmmaking, I’m at my best when I’m engulfed in a film. I’m proud of being able to overcome production and financial obstacles to get a film done. I try to be a Swiss-army knife with writing, directing, and editing my films. I color correct and even mess around with sound mixing and design. I treat the script closer to a blueprint. If the actors find something new or want to adjust something, I’m down. I enjoy doing a structured improv and I will talk to the actor during a take, throwing them ideas or new moments. When I’m editing, I will cut and rearrange whatever I need to. I’m just trying to make the best story I can.
What were you like growing up?
There weren’t a ton of creative opportunities growing up in rural Virginia. I was into sports a lot and was active. Ben got me involved in theater and acting, but it didn’t become a focus until I was 19. I always loved movies, and Ben and I would go to our local movie theater almost weekly. I don’t know, I was B+ student, really struggled to stay motivated to study. But when I got to college and took film and acting classes, I didn’t have that problem anymore.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jaymescamery.com/
- Instagram: japacam
