Introducing: Jourdan Walker
Creative producer, Screenwriter, and Multi-disciplinary storyteller leading two Q26 Film Workshops
Background
Jourdan Walker is a creative producer, screenwriter, and multi-disciplinary storyteller that gives divergence a whole new meaning! Before heading into film, Walker had a pretty diverse work background. They’ve worked in restaurants, retail, museums, call centers, makeup, pop-up installations, and then some. Right before going to film school, they were in school for Fashion Merchandising because they wanted to be a costumer and stylist. However, ever since they were little, they’ve wanted to work in film and tv, and though at times it felt completely out of their reach, they always ended up coming back to that idea. Finally, they threw caution to the wind and pursued that dream, and have been working in the film industry since 2018.
Favourite Media To Consume And Create
Walker’s favourite media to consume and create are pretty much identical besides one thing. They enjoy consuming campy, fantastical, mysterious and fun stories. They love TV shows and movies that leave easter eggs and breadcrumbs for viewers to pick up as they go. They also enjoy watching feel-good stories that leave you with the warm & fuzzies. These kinds of stories stay with them the longest because it can be too easy for them to find the negativity in their own everyday life, but looking for the magic, the camp and the fantasy helps pull them out of that mindset and helps them put on their rose-coloured glasses.
As mentioned, Walker enjoys creating most of these things as well. They like to create stories that are funny, magical, enigmatic, and campy. It's their favourite thing to make movies with hidden clues and breadcrumbs for you to find along the way. Also, when writing, they enjoy playing with time. Feel-good stories are the one thing they do not like to both consume and create. They’d rather watch those than make them.
Film Industry Role Models
In the film industry, Walker looks up to Jordan Peele, Issa Rae, Quinta Brunson and Donald Glover. Issa, Quinta, and Donald are all creators Walker followed since the early days of their careers on YouTube, so getting to watch these amazing people make such great strides has been such a huge inspiration for her. They showed them, in real-time, that a regular person like them can make it in the industry. They made Walker believe that by telling stories that reflect the identity of their community, they could become someone. That was something they had never seen happen before. Jordan Peele specifically, has been able to tell stories that are dark and hilarious at the same time, and a lot of them starred Black women. He's opened doors that they’ve only dreamt of seeing open. They would love to work with any and all of them in the future, but would settle just for walking in their footsteps.
Advice To People Starting Out In The Industry
Though Walker thinks it’s cliche she stresses that people starting out in this industry should always be kind and reliable. The film industry is all about relationships, and people will remember how you made them feel. They're not saying networking is the easiest thing out there to do; as an introvert they struggle with it, but cultivating relationships with people at their level has given them their biggest boosts. They add that though you may feel the need to impress the boss, you shouldn’t close the door on networking with peers. You never know when someone might be in a position to help you out or let people know how great you are. Additionally, they say to get on Facebook and join some film groups; that's where they've gotten most of her gigs outside of word of mouth.
How They Handle Setbacks
Speaking of setbacks, currently, the lack of on-set gigs in New Orleans has been challenging for Walker because they were working consistently before. They had moments where they let themselves fall into panic, but they've had to get creative and look outside of on-set work like live events and festivals. Also, they’ve had to rely on their network. As they mentioned earlier, cultivating relationships is so important and it has helped them a lot. During this period, their network has really come through for them by providing resources and support. They also take classes with local film groups to learn new skills and make sure people are seeing them so people recognize them when jobs start picking up again, and when their resume shows up in people's inboxes, they'll already know them!
What They Are Working On Now
Right now, besides prepping for the workshop they're about to lead with the Q26, Walker is helping market their friend's short film and soundtrack. Additionally, as on-set gigs have slowed down in New Orleans, they've been working on their own writing. They have been working on a 10-page script that they intend to turn into a 10-minute short by the end of the year.