Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamese Young.
Jamese, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve always been interested in media and entertainment. As a young girl, my dream was to be a VJ for TRL, Sounds silly, but those dreams were clearly crushed once it went off air during my high school years .lol I knew storytelling and entertaining people was always something I was good at, so I went on to The Tennessee State University and graduated with a focus in Broadcast Radio & Television. Even though my only focus had ever been television, I realized I didn’t really like the way I looked and sounded on camera, so I turned my focus to radio my senior year while dabbling in production when I could, I began my career journey in radio actually working in marketing and subbing on air for iHeart Radio Nashville. I realized in my journey there I truly liked it behind the camera and behind the scenes more than I realized. Being able to create projects, guide them, assists the artist, and see it all come together gave me a joy I didn’t know I wanted. After hitting what I felt was my ceiling there, I moved back home to Atlanta and began working for Turner Broadcasting now known as Warner Media Entertainment.
I began my television journey with CNN operations which was definitely an unexpected ride. Before covid hit, I got the opportunity to move into a different role handling strategic planning elements for all of our entertainment networks. While in my operations role, I felt a bit stuck and unfulfilled, so I was trying to learn and find different elements of the television world that brought me the same joy I felt in my previous role. I’ve always written, I’ve always been someone with magnetic ideas, and it wasn’t until being at Turner that I realized I had a passion for production. I always felt I couldn’t “do it” because I wasn’t skilled in filming or editing. I somewhat sold myself short as I tried to navigate where I belonged in that world.
While I was shadowing different production teams like crazy, I met a fellow Turner employee that had a dream and a passion project that he wanted to make a reality. Thankfully, as we got to know one another, he felt I had something to offer his dream.
Sean wanted to make a web series, and he wanted me to produce and cowrite it, I obliged. And after a crazy amazing two and a half years, we’ve got Connect the Series. With one season on YouTube available to watch as we speak, and just finished filming season two which will be premiering in the next couple of months. That door opened up other doors that have allowed me to now produce, write for, and manage not only Connect the Series, but other projects in all realms of media with some of the best. Most importantly, that door helped me navigate my passions into an actual reality.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I don’t think there is anything smooth about a process you care about until it’s done. At least for myself. I’m the mom on set. Always making sure everything and everyone is ok, when hiccups come about, I worry about the what ifs because things def do happen so I try to think of an alternative solution just in case. Filming anything coming out the gate with no backing is hard. Not only can it be expensive to make a good quality anything, but physical bodies to assist in the filming process are a Godsend. When you don’ t have a full team, you and the people you do have become everything. When we started it was just four of us, and in that process, I was a writer, a producer, a gauffer, a light girl, an assistant, and I’m still crafty (food service) lol Not to mention even sometimes you have to be the actor. We’ve had to remove characters in the middle of filming. It gets hectic and stressful. Working and putting in hours on something that you do then last minute have to change the script to fit a new reality, a new vision. It can be a lot, but you do it because you know it’ll all be worth it in the end. Telling a story and filming that story is one thing, telling a good story is another. And I’ll go over all the humps and bumps if the story that comes out on the other side is smooth sailing.
Tell us about your work – what should we know?
It’s funny because when I say this and you don’t know me it sometimes makes me sound pretentious, but if you do know me, it makes the most sense. Honestly, I used to not even call myself a producer. I would say I’m good at telling people what to do. And when I say that I mean I am exceptional at envisioning greatness. If you have a puzzle, I am a missing piece. Depending on who I’m working with, my title changes. My title is producer and writer, but I also do a bit of production and set management. I have found as I’ve navigated the last couple of years that I’m a melting pot of all needs production. Whatever you need for your project I slide in and get it done, and if I can’t do it, I’ll find someone that can. I enjoy being of service, even if it’s not my project. Working on different projects and meeting new people keeps my creativity and network flowing.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I literally don’t feel I’d be here without my “pushers”, my goats, Sean Bartley and Caleb Seales. In different aspects of my life and in different ways, both have genuinely made me pull the greatness out of myself and pushed me into spaces they felt I belonged and thrived.
It’s like I knew what I had to offer but just didn’t know how , and Sean saw it in me and made me a part of his team just off that alone. I was still trying to figure it out and he gave me the platform to do so and believed in my abilities.
After getting to work with Caleb on our show, I learned so much about him and how influential he is as a director in the music industry. He allowed me to combine my two loves together in one space, and he welcomed me in with open arms never looking back.
I’m so grateful for all my production family and friends that I’ve gained over the years. (Will & Izzy LY4L)
But it may have taken me longer to gain the knowledge, the growth, and most importantly the courage without my boys. Besides the fact that they are both absolutely amazing at what they do. Two different leaders, two different paths, I’m thankful I’m able to be a part of their worlds professionally and personally, and it’s nice to have that validation reciprocated.
Contact Info:
- Email: jyoung1214@yahoo.com; jameseyoung1127@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imprettyfetch/
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jamese.young.528
- Twitter: @loveJshanae
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69I8MhipV_8&list=PLUW2_JBCfEYoM-vQ5zzfeEeb-rNl899nC
Image Credit:
Therron Jones
U.V.
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