Meet Tara Jenkins | Cinematographer & Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tara Jenkins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tara, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
I don’t think balance is possible in the freelance filmmaking world in the traditional sense. I think of balance more as something to strive for over time. In the short term, I feel like I’m often at one end or the other of the teeter-totter– all work or all free time. The through line between these intervals of extreme business or none at all is the responsibility of running my own business. There is constant maintenance that must be done whether I am on set or not– reaching out, letting people know I am available, looking for the next job. In many ways I am still getting used to thinking of myself as a business, it seems odd, but it also helps me not look at rejection as personally. The intersection of art and commerce is not my favorite part of what I do, but it also gives this hectic life structure a sense of balance over time.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I graduated USC School of Cinematic Arts in 2021, an interesting in between time where things were still partially shut down because of COVID, but some filming was happening in person again. It was a challenging time to embark upon a freelance filmmaking career. I am incredibly lucky to have had an internship with American Cinematographer magazine which turned into a job. Starting out in freelancing film, jobs can be few and far between. It has been a slow grind over the last couple of years to grow my network and find more work. This process can be grueling, but it is also intensely exciting. I’ve learned creating your own work can help mitigate burn out.

One project I am particularly excited about this year is my web series, Day Bi Day, which I wrote with my writing partner Ryder Dunagan four years ago. It was wonderful to delve back into the writing and acting world, especially in order to tell a story that I was so passionate about. Our web series follows a pair of chaotic bisexual best friends who share a mattress in a studio apartment (platonically) while chasing their dreams in LA. I am drawn to telling positive queer stories, and Day Bi Day allowed us to put together a fabulous team in front of and behind the camera to do just that. I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved so far and I am truly enjoying being in the post process on something so close to my heart.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
LA is so full of unique experiences and places, it’s hard to pick where I would take someone. As a huge film buff, any vacation to LA in my mind has to include seeing a film at one of the arthouse cinemas around town. The Aero, Egyptian, or New Beverly are always showing something amazing. Whether it’s a classic you have seen over and over or a piece of world cinema that you have missed so far, it’s always the perfect theater experience to be in a place that really cares about conserving film history and moving it forward into the 21st century.

After catching a film or two, the other aspect of LA I am most excited to show a friend is the food. No trip to LA is complete without a visit to Thai Town and Ruen Pair in my mind. A late night taco truck on any corner probably has better tacos than your hometown (if you’re from the US). If said friend wants to experience the beach, two birds can be killed with one stone in Malibu. The best beaches are around the corner from the best breakfast burrito at Lily’s.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would love to give a shout out to Women In Media. They are an amazing organization that advocates for gender equity in the film industry. Through WIM I have been able to meet like minded creators and expand my support network within the industry. I would highly recommend that any women or non binary people in search of community amongst below or above the line content creators look into Women In Media in order to meet great people and further their education.

Website: www.jenkinstara.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tarajenkinsfilmsthings/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-jenkins-893a85132/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tarafilmsthings