Meet Janine Anne Uyanga

Today we’d like to introduce you to Janine Anne Uyanga.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Janine Anne. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Like most artists, it all started when I was a child. One day, four years old Janine pointed to the television and said, “I wanna be inside of the t.v.!” Yeah… I said… “inside” and I meant it! I was quite bold for someone my age and my parents were fully aware. My mother would always tell me that back then, she was scared that if I were kidnapped, I wouldn’t even notice because I would be talking to my kidnapper the entire time.

Once showing an interest in acting and modeling, my parents were pretty quick to get me in front of the right people to make my dream a reality. Next thing I know, I had an acting coach getting me ready for a showcase in front of agents.

Now, this is my favorite story that my parents have told me of my younger self. Apparently, little Janine noticed that all the other kids at this showcase were reciting the exact same commercial monologue she was going to do. When it was time, little Janine stepped right up, opened her mouth, and almost gave her acting coach a heart attack.

Any idea of what I did?

I got up there and recited a completely different monologue that my coach knew nothing about.

This story is my favorite because I believe that this was the first moment where I knew that I needed to be different. To this day, I continue to live by the same rule. In doing so, I became represented by L.A. Talent Agency and worked on several commercials, music videos, photoshoots and more.

By the time I got to junior high, I was pooped, needed a break, and time to actually focus on school. It’s weird to think of a 12 years old retiring, but the industry is that tiresome for a child.

When I got into high school, I began feeling a performing itch that needed to scratched. I tried to join the theatre club but was intimidated by those who had been consistently performing, unlike me. My junior year, I finally had room for electives and I signed up for both Theater and Film and I fell in love. Even though all of my film projects were shitty, the process is what intrigued me the most.

Getting accepted into California State University, Long Beach Narrative Film Program was the most pivotal moment in my journey. I knew that I had a love for filmmaking but I didn’t really know what it takes to make a film. Once I got there, I met an awesome group of friends who were just as eager to make something as I was. I brought up the idea of making a music video for a friend and was so shocked when we were actually on set shooting because none of us fully knew what we were doing! We dived right in despite having only been in film school for about a month.

Since then, I have written and directed three short films (one funded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association), another music video, and a commercial spec. Other than directing, I have also gained experience in production design, assistant directing, and costuming.

Great, 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?
I would say that film school wasn’t bad at all. Learning is easy. Gaining a good skillset is easy. Making a film? Not too terrible, but the hardest part thus far has been resistance.

One can be fully equipped for a project, but the real battle isn’t on set or in the editing room (sometimes)– it is with resistance. Resistance is accompanied by self-doubt, fear, and procrastination and it’s only duty is to stop an artist from what they are meant to do.

For the past three years it has been: Janine vs. Resistance. I’ve won some battles and lost others. I’ve felt on top of the world, then questioned if I’m really an artist.

This is an ongoing battle that I continue to face, even today, but being conscious about it is the first step to overcoming it.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am currently a freelance director and photographer. My main concern as an artist is creating an inclusive environment and space in this industry for people of color and those in the LGBTQ community along with showcasing the neglected stories of these people.

Recently I have gained an internship at Royal Ties Productions (owned by Regina and Reina King).

Contact Info:

• Website: j9uyanga.com
• Email: j9uyanga@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janinestagram

Image Credit:
Maya Chisem, Bayo Morgan, Brandon Kheang

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