Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Hanson.
Hi Jamie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My interest in acting as a kid quickly grew into a passion to be a director. I attended a TV and Film program in high school, as well as college. I moved out to LA from Florida as soon as I graduated with a BFA in Film. I worked as a Production Assistant for six years both in scripted and unscripted TV before becoming a Story Editor for unscripted shows like Bar Rescue. I have continued to work on my passion projects on the side including two web series, Slave 4U (available on YouTube) and Hers & History (soon to be available on YouTube), along with a few music videos and a short film. I also write feature-length screenplays and TV drama pilots.
My web series Hers & History has been my biggest project to date, an 8 episode dramedy starring Lindsey Shaw (Pretty Little Liars) and Mike Bailey (Skins U.K.). It was acquired by Studio Canal for a new app they were launching, which was incredibly exciting. Sadly, the app failed and I had to wait for the three years license agreement to end. I’m looking forward to finally sharing that with the world soon.
Most recently, I decided to take a stab at the horror/suspense genre with my short film Eye of the Beholder. It won the Special Mention Award for Best LGBT Short Film at the Port Blair International Film Festival and played in the Sick ‘n’ Wrong Film Festival in Orlando, FL.
In my work, I often explore sex and relationships, personal growth, LGBTQ+ characters, and strong but deeply flawed female protagonists.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
From coveted boys clubs writing rooms to being sexually harassed, it has been a long and winding journey. There’s no real secret to success in this business so it’s a lot of trial and error. I’ve often joked, “Why did I pick a career that requires lots of money and people? Maybe I should’ve been a painter!” But alas, I can not paint. When I’m directing, I’m in my element. There is no greater feeling in the world than to see your words on the page become reality in front of you.
This industry is still completely dominated by men. Storytelling is about emotions and I think women are more than qualified to have an equal voice in the matter. The hardest part for us female filmmakers is owning our capabilities and resisting the urge to make ourselves small. It’s imperative we hire as many female and LGBTQ+ people and allies as we can.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I think what most sets me apart from others is my diverse aesthetic. I have two sides of myself, my upbeat, colorful, dancing in rose-colored glasses side and my dark, goth, depressed nihilist side. I am basically both Harold and Maude.
My goal as a filmmaker is to make people feel less alone, whether that’s connecting with a character or allowing them an escape from their life and hopefully giving them perspective. I grew up an only child and movies and TV shows allowed me to feel surrounded, seen and connected. That is a powerful thing to just come from a screen.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Mental health is always #1. So even though I’m always wishing I was further in my career, my biggest lesson has been to make my happiness my top priority. I no longer allow myself to feel guilty about not doing more in any one area of my life. I do exactly what I want when I want. And that means I get to go hiking, travel, learn to skateboard, whatever my heart desires. It’s much more fulfilling than when I was so focused on becoming a filmmaker that it created a sort of paralysis. Writing is no longer a chore, it’s something I look forward to.
Also, make sure you have a great producer by your side. Jackie Krichevsky has been my queen in shining armor. Having someone worry about the logistics allows you to fully be in your craft and focus on the art. I could not have made my web series without her.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.JamiePHanson.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/tigerwolfdesign/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JPHansonDirector
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/tigerwolfdesign
- YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/c/HersHistory
Image Credits:
Mike Bailey and Lindsey Shaw pictured in Hers & History. Danielle Swords in Eye of the Beholder. Kyle Connors in Eye of the Beholder.
