Meet Jeion Green

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeion Green.

Hi Jeion, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My story starts in Lansdowne, Baltimore, Maryland. That’s where I grew up. I lived in what most would call the “hood” but to me, it was the place where everyday people were doing everyday things and some of those things just happened to be dangerous. Nevertheless, they were trying to survive in a place where opportunity continued to be withdrawn from our community.

Which was the same for myself and my Mom, who raised me as a single parent. Due to these circumstances, I felt, and have always felt, the need to “do better”, better yet “do more” than the everyday person as I grew up and situations continued to digress. My mother had the same vision, thus, I got involved in Music in elementary school. I played the flute first, then learned the saxophone later on.

In middle school, I began dabbling in art. I was a quiet kid that got heavily picked on so I looked up to anime and started drawing all things Naruto, and any anime. Which led me to high school where I continued all of these arts but started to focus on something I’ve always loved but never understood which was photography.

I would say photography was always my first love. It was something that I remembered seeing my Mom smile anytime she was sad. It was the guide to helping me overcome my emotions after exercising the death of my Aunt – my first ever encounter with the absence of the presence of someone I truly loved.

Plus, it was part of the only reason I knew what the other side of my family from a different country, state, and more looked like due to an absentee father. It started with art club, then classes, and before I knew it by my senior year of high school I was in advanced photography. I was trying to say something but didn’t have an overall voice just yet.

My voice within my art developed more after high school. I spent 3 years homeless. During this time my camera was all I had outside of a few clothes and knick-knacks. After my third year on the streets, I used all of my save images from that time and developed a series of images that I felt I could use to submit to living a better life in a place where I’ve always felt, felt more like home.

This place, New York City. Before I got accepted I received two additional degrees from two primary colleges in my area and applied what I had gained during my time at Parsons, The New School in New York. My new college years were hard but during those years I started to recognize that photography was just a base for something bigger, which yet again, I have always loved. This was true, Film. I continued my BFA in Photography but took a program that allowed me to also snag my MFA in Film.

All the while working three jobs to cover my school costs and nearly taking over 18-21 credits a semester. I graduated with both degrees at the late age of 27 and began my career in film. In 2018-2019 I endured hardships after moving to Los Angeles, but this was coupled with both working at Sundance Institute and making a short film called “Tribes” which would later go on to be shortlisted for an Oscar.

However, in May of 2019, I was almost killed by a cop in my home due to racism from both the cop and my roommate at the time, although I had done nothing wrong. To my discovery after moving back to Maryland and going through therapy, I learned that I was suffering from PTSD. This somehow encouraged me. Again, due to where I grew up, negative situations have always seemed to propel me to want to change the narrative.

I pushed through, made my way back to Los Angeles, with the support of my wonderful friends and family, and am now a working filmmaker in the industry yet again, and have worked with companies such as FOX, ABC Disney, Marvel, FX, Paramount, Warner Media, and more. Additionally, I am now a 10-time award-winning Screenwriter, 4-time award-winning Producer, and soon-to-be award-winning Director.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road at all. I’ve had a lot of struggles along the way. I would say that my biggest struggle has been with the world and the people around me. Because I am a very unique person most people took any chance they could to try and deter me from my goals.

They would tease me, hurt me even, and the biggest one of them all was telling me that “I couldn’t do anything”. I stayed optimistic though because I recognized from a very young age that we were all struggling.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My art is very explorative of both my mind and the minds of others. Both criticizing and praising the ontology of the systems we live and work in. My work is also heavily inspired by performance theory and practice thanks to one of my recent college professors Aliza Shvarts.

All in all would be to say I love focusing on making art that makes others think, hope, and reflect on both themselves, the state of the world as it relates to human interaction, and how bringing unique visions to life can happen and should more often. If that makes sense. Haha. I am currently most proud of two things.

1. My renewed relationship with my Mother. Growing up was tough because I was queer and she was Christian. I think that can almost speak for itself –but after years of showing up for myself and never changing, we now have an unbreakable bond that the universe itself couldn’t separate. In addition, her being one of my biggest inspirations to make sure I am always pushing my art in a new direction.

2. The series Project that I am trying to get Greenlit by a production company is currently known as “Project Shores”. I’ve created a series that I believe is ahead of its time just like “Black Mirror” was, to give you a little hint into what it’s about without giving too much away.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up I was too kind which engaged my curiosity in really interesting ways, to say the least. I would always make friends with people who others would tease because I knew that we had to stick together which would then get us both picked on. I would always find try and find ways to make others smile because I knew sadness all too well. I also would say that I loved the simple things, but never liked the scary things. I.e. Scary movies.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.JeionGreen.com
• Instagram: @JeionGreen
• Twitter: @JeionGreen

Image Credits
The cast and Crew of Black-ish Season 8