Check Out Starr Jarrard’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Starr Jarrard.

Hi Starr, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Ever since I was little, I have always been fascinated with film-making, and I knew one day I definitely wanted to be in the heart of it all, in Los Angeles. I grew up in Lake Oconee, Georgia, then later went on to attend Georgia College and State University where I studied mass communication/ broadcasting and a minor in Spanish. That is where I really found my love for anything and everything to do with film. I really began to take an interest in comedy writing as well at that time. After working on a morning show in college, I discovered I loved comedy writing for radio, as well as also just in general. I then went on to work on the morning show for Star94 a big radio station in Atlanta, and that is where I fell in love with, yet again, writing for radio and working on their comedy section in the mornings. It was always so fun for me to see what got listeners to respond, and it was a fun challenge to see what listeners liked and what they didn’t like. It was very fun for me to think outside the box, something that I have always enjoyed, to think differently, as I like to tell people if they are stuck in a creative spot. After that came to an end, I hated to leave, but I knew I would somehow get back into my passion for broadcasting. I ended up falling into a sales job while I was in Atlanta and began to write screenplays after work. Then I fell into legal sales, which I really enjoyed, and I was able to make an impact around the Atlanta community. While working in Legal Sales around Atlanta, I began to realize there was a need for helping out women empowering legal groups, and I began to get involved and create many female legal industry groups and helped with a legal radio show as well around the Atlanta area. I decided, however, to finally pursue my passion for film, writing, and possibly directing and move to the West Coast.

When I moved to the West Coast while balancing my legal sales job, I joined many writing groups before and after work. I was focused on writing comedy and doing stand-up comedy even a few times as well as creating a comedy travel blog as a side project also. I continued to write on weekends or early before work, however, I kept meeting documentary film directors. This became a very big interest to me since I have always had a love for documentaries and maybe directing one would become something I really enjoyed. After long hours before and after work and on weekends, I completed my first documentary that has been accepted into several festivals and has won a few awards. It has placed as a semi-finalist in the Festigious Los Angeles Film Festival. It’s also been featured on the Independent Film Channel (L.A.) and accepted into the Georgia Documentary Film Festival, Montreal Independent Film Festival, Newmarket, International Film Festival, and Venice Shorts Film Festival. It has also been featured in Film Daily magazine.

I love making documentaries that make good changes. And I hope to work on a few others as well. I also work with a company doing legal sales (litigation support), which I really enjoy doing and helping firms with their deposition and trial needs.

I have also been performing more Stand-Up comedy on the weekends, which is such a great passion for me. I love brightening people’s day with a good laugh or just finding humor in how stressful life can be at times. I recently began performing at Skiptown Playhouse in Hollywood, led by Kurt Samborski. My next show is this weekend, which I am looking forward to. It is a great place to perform, and Kurt has done a great job in putting it all together. It is filled with all kinds of performances, comedy, singing, etc… I am lucky to have found a spot that feels like home to perform at.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely been challenging, but all is very well worth it. Trying to get my film into festivals was tough, and I heard a lot of no’s before I began to get yes’s. I think the key to it all is to keep asking and to not give up. I always say you will hear three big no’s before you a hear a yes, in sales, networking, or just in life in general. So I always apply that to everyday life, it teaches you to just keep going and to never give up. Having a positive attitude is extremely key as well, that one negative thought could ruin your chances to get to that yes! I also began reading Wayne Dyer a few years ago who has been extremely influential in my perseverance and positivity and if you haven’t read any of his books, his books are wonderful in helping you make the world positive, even when it can be negative sometimes.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I do a few things but one of my passions is that I am a documentary film director. I love to make films promoting good change. I am very proud of the documentary that I directed and the film festivals it has been accepted in and the awards that it has received. It has placed as a semi-finalist in the Festigious Los Angeles Film Festival. It’s also been featured on the Independent Film Channel (L.A.) and accepted into the Georgia Documentary Film Festival, Montreal Independent Film Festival, Newmarket, International Film Festival and Venice Shorts Film Festival. It has also been featured in Film Daily Magazine. I think one of the things I was most proud of was watching it on the Independent Film Channel (L.A), that was such a neat feeling that I will never forget.

I also work with a company doing legal sales (litigation support), which I really enjoy doing.

I am very involved in helping out the homeless community around LA, as well. That is something I am extremely passionate about and hope to make a good impact around LA with that. I try to volunteer a lot to help a community that I feel sometimes does not receive as much attention as I would like it to. I try to implement volunteering and helping that community out into my writings and films as well. As one day I hope to have my passion for helping the homeless and writing/film combined all into one. I also am grateful that in my legal sales job there are volunteer opportunities for helping the homeless community out as well, which is awesome.

As I had mentioned, I love doing stand-up comedy on the weekends whenever I can. I am excited for this weekend to be performing at Skiptown Playhouse led by Kurt Samborsky.

What matters most to you?
What matters to me most is that in whatever I do, I always want to make a good change and a good impact on anything that I do in life. I think it is important to make sure you follow your passion in this life, and while you are working on your passion always remember to give back. And to always be kind to others, as you don’t know what someone is going through that day, one smile to someone could turn someone’s day around.

Giving back to the homeless community around Los Angeles though, is probably what I am most passionate about at the moment. I hope to make some good changes through my writing and films with that in the future.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @thetravelingstarr
• Facebook: Starr Jarrard

Image Credits
Mary Cox, photographer, on one of the images