Today we’d like to introduce you to Jalina Brown.
Hi Jalina, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up with an art-teacher mom who let me try every creative outlet I wanted, and when I found out that being in movies was a real job, I knew there was no other path for me. Eventually I realized the chances of me being “discovered” in a small town in Midcoast Maine were slim to none, so I decided to broaden my horizons. I started making my own short films. I learned how to edit on iMovie in 8th grade and graduated to Final Cut in high school. I created my own opportunities which allowed to me “discover” myself. I continued to follow my passion for filmmaking and attended Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications, majoring in Television, Radio, and Film, and minoring in Drama. I found that every single aspect of filmmaking fascinated me, from producing, directing, screenwriting, and even entertainment law. After spending time in Los Angeles for a semester my Junior year, I knew LA was my city. I’ve been in LA ever since.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I knew moving from one side of the country to the other would be extremely difficult. I basically moved as far away from my hometown as you can without leaving the country. Most of my family and friends stayed on the East Coast, so it’s hard to miss all the weddings, reunions, and big life events. It’s also been tough navigating this career with all the dramatic changes this industry has faced, even just in the years since I moved to LA. Going from in-person auditions to self-tapes meant having to light, direct, and edit every audition, all while facing an ever-changing industry AND juggling a personal life and day job. It can feel impossible. But these challenges ended up scratching that itch I got for making my own content, and it’s fun to feel like I’m learning every day and get creative with a backdrop and a small space in my apartment. Having incredible talented, hilarious, creative friends certainly helps too, and we’ve been able to overcome some of these challenges together. Reflecting on my time in LA, i have been so lucky with the opportunities I’ve found and the people I’ve met. I have the most supportive mom in the world which makes all of this easier, and I’m thankful every day that I have the privilege to pursue this career.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Right now, I’m known among my friends for several commercials I’ve shot in the past couple years. For a long time, I didn’t understand the magic of commercials, and every commercial audition I sent felt like a total shot in the dark. But after a while, things clicked for me, and I started to enjoy unraveling the mystery of each audition. People may scoff at commercial acting and not see the value in these auditions, but the commercial jobs I’ve booked have allowed me to travel to places like Madrid and Mexico City. I’ve also been lucky enough to work on short films, some of which have been making the rounds at film festivals. I’m incredibly proud of my work in “They Slay,” a queer and trans-led horror/comedy. I also worked on a comedy pilot called “Doomed” which won “Best Ensemble” at the LA Dark Comedy Film Festival. These two projects are so special to me because I made so many friends on set and, I’m honored to have been included in such talented casts. I think what sets me apart from others is the ability to be scrappy. All the short films I’ve worked on have had little to no budget but have turned out amazing. Being born in Tokyo and moving to Maine with a single mom forced me to adapt to anything, and navigate situations where I was a complete outsider. Making these short films is all about team work and working with what you have, so being able to collaborate with people you’ve just met under a lot of pressure is a skill I’m happy to put to use. It’s about being a little scrappy while having a good attitude, and finding times to have fun in between the hard work. I think that hard work is very apparent in the projects I’ve done over the past few years.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I’m always looking to work with new people and I’m drawn to stories that highlight the voices of those belonging to marginalized communities. Representation has always been the driving force behind my career because I grew up not seeing many people that looked like me in the shows and movies I loved. I’m partial to comedy because the dream is to get paid to laugh with your friends all day, but I’ve loved diving into all different genres like from horror to dramatic long-form improv. Believe it or not, a lot of my acting jobs have actually started in my Instagram DM’s. Friends of friends or people I’ve worked with on previous projects have reached out to me via Instagram, so I’m always looking through those messages.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jalina.brown
- Other: https://imdb.me/jalinabrown
Image Credits
Kendyl Grbac Photography, Tandem Photo
