Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan Henderson.
Hi Jordan, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have been passionate about making films since middle school. When a presentation was due, I would ask my teachers if I could present in the form of a film. My teachers often questioned me because they only knew a world of PowerPoints and oral presentations. But for me, film has always been the most effective way to tell a story. I was able to get my point across by combining visuals, lighting, music, and cinematography in a way that would elicit an emotional reaction with my audience.
I started out filming directly to VHS tapes, meaning I had to shoot chronologically and tape over any takes I didn’t like. So, when I received my first digital camera in high school, the concept of editing fascinated me. I continued creating films as class projects and joined the student broadcast network KNIT, where I was able to film and edit small journalistic pieces that would air over the morning television show at St. Francis High School.
To pursue this further, I attended film school at California State University, Northridge, where I studied Cinema and Television Arts, with an emphasis on Multimedia. This allowed me to broaden my scope from film to include editing, marketing, web design, photoshop, and even a little bit of coding. I took these newly learned skills and began creating short films with a few friends and colleagues. This was an amazing, hands-on experience, and we had a great time sharing creativity and building with no budgets. Then we entered the 48-Hour Film Project– which is an event where you have only two days to write, shoot, and edit a film. While seeing my film, “Timeless” during the Best Of Awards, two audience members in the row in front of me started sobbing during the film’s climax. Having that direct emotional impact on a person solidified my goal of sharing stories through cinema. It prompted a transition into a more serious approach to filmmaking with larger teams and significant capital investments. My childhood friend, Ricky Rhodes, shared these goals with me, leading us to create a business plan. That’s when Planet Froth Productions arose to take on major clients, several feature films, award-winning documentaries, innovative music videos, and premium commercial content.
Today, I’ve found a balance between running Planet Froth and personally producing for other companies. I’ve worked with NBC creating promotional materials for the Olympics, traveled with Nick Cannon for several of his television shows, and produced for the advertising agency Team One to deliver commercials to top clients. This enables the company to continue growing while I refine my skill set and expand my network.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Filmmaking and unexpected obstacles go hand-in-hand, but rather than list them all, I’ll leave you with this anecdote. In December 2020, we got a call from Hans Zimmer and his team about a potential shoot for the “Wonder Woman 1984” premiere. We had created a piece for him two years prior that he loved, so he called us as soon as the project was thought up. There was only one problem: we only had three days to pull it off. This was a major studio-backed production in collaboration with Warner Brothers, so we split up the tasks and immediately got to work. Hans and his team started securing top musicians, celebrities Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins, as well as the location, while I spearheaded locking in the camera package, Grip & Electric gear, Trucks, Covid Compliance, and assembling the crew. I quickly made several calls but was met with respectable producers and production managers declining to help, saying it was impossible to pull off such an ambitious project with only the weekend to prepare. Most vendors were closed, and Covid had the industry working at a much slower pace. I didn’t let this deter me, I continued to call the next person, explained the whole situation, and if they were up to the challenge, invited them to come on board. This left me with a stellar team of people who all cared about the project as much as I did. The energy on set was buzzing with excitement and camaraderie from the mix of seasoned commercial professionals and my most trusted indie filmmakers. Seeing those two worlds come together made me feel like all of the energy and soul I poured into this project was paying off right in front of me as the team I built worked synergistically to create a lasting piece of art.
As you know, we’re big fans of Planet Froth Productions. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Fairly early on, I realized that having a production company meant having a platform– one that could amplify voices. We made the conscious decision to make sure the projects we produce have a message worth spreading. In 2019, we began working on our documentary, “Not Just Another Day,” that illuminated how deep racial injustice runs through our country. This catalyzed a big shift towards documentary work, but even our narrative films incorporate impactful messages.
Our film, “Humanatee,” unveils the effects of human activities on manatees by following the underwater archaeologist and explorer Damien Leloup. We depict his close bond with these gentle giants and examine the larger implications of humanity’s relationship with species extinction. With a successful short film, we’ve now partnered with Red Rock Films to turn this into a feature-length film. Another feature we’ve shot, “Spiral Into the Yellow Void,” is a psychological drama following Amy, a psychic who heals others by extracting their suffering but struggles with her own personified depression. Directed by Levin Garbisch, this film encourages conversations about mental health and addiction. In addition to addiction, we’ve also tackled the opioid epidemic in the short film I directed in Berlin, Germany, “Nepenthe.” This film follows Oxycontin-dependent Rose, who is unable to fulfill her prescription after moving to Germany for a fresh start, but a mysterious man offers her an alternative opioid that transports her to the world of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Our most recent project, “Nature of Travel,” took us to Antarctica to film the pilot episode. “Nature of Travel” is a travel show that is not just about the places we go, but the meaningful experiences and lasting impact we create along the way. In the first episode, our host, Grace Cordsen, guides the audience on an unforgettable journey to Antarctica. Through captivating storytelling and stunning visuals, the episode highlights the importance of conservation and our connection to nature, making it a compelling watch for travel enthusiasts and eco-conscious viewers alike.
All of these projects and more are connected through my personal goal as Executive Producer of Planet Froth: to seek out important messages from otherwise marginalized voices and assemble teams best equipped to bring those stories to light through thought-provoking media.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
The amount of passion needed to create a film from start to finish cannot be taken lightly. There are countless hours, favors, and sacrifices required and it becomes a borderline obsession. Find other people with compatible energy and who share your passion. Invest in your crew and collaborators. If you really can’t afford rates with your budget, then at the very least, everyone should be fed well, properly credited and provided the space to feel safe and excel in their craft. Small treats are very meaningful. A specialty coffee run or organizing a neighborhood ice cream truck to stop by go a long way. You really have to love your crew because you are asking a lot from them. If you truly have respect for every person you work with, then proper, clear, and open communication will illuminate your intentions, and you’ll be left with a crew who genuinely wants to be there and help you succeed. You really can’t underestimate the power of everyone’s collective energy working towards a common goal.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.planetfroth.space
- Instagram: @planetfroth
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanhenderson254/
- Other: https://vimeo.com/user68293825
Image Credits
Philip Coombes
Kristian Ranker
Melissa Flores
