Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob Denton.
Hi Jacob, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in and around Houston, Texas. Initially, I began pursuing an Accounting & Finance degree at Texas A&M University but quickly realized that this was not for me. I’ve always been a storyteller. I wrote fictional stories since I could hold a pen. I’ve got stacks of college-ruled notebooks with scrawled notes, plans, and characters ranging from elementary school until… Well, now. Fortunately, I built up the courage to pursue filmmaking and transferred to the Savannah College of Art and Design. There I received my B.F.A in Film & Television, worked on many professional sets and helped with over thirty independent short films over the past two years. The many sleepless weekends were tough but the experiences, triumphs, and stories that I’ve gained are unlike any I could’ve received elsewhere. I am grateful for my time there.
My appreciation for the power of film has only blossomed further. It is an extremely powerful and visceral medium. And bringing these stories to life— from letters on a page to the flesh-and-blood world— feels a little like magic.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
“We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr While I’m not going to equate my extremely fortunate life with the real struggles behind this quote, I do try and take two important lessons from it: the importance of perspective and optimism.
It’s hard to gain a top-down perspective of our own lives. When I was shuffling toward an accounting career seven years ago, I never thought I would be where I am today. I was directionless, hopeless, miserable, and alone. My once creative drive was dead in the water. Is this really all there is to life?
Thankfully, I took control of my life and course-corrected. While it’s not all sunshine and daisies, and being in such a tumultuous industry provides its own anxieties and troubles, I remain optimistic that I will find my way. This optimism has only been reinforced by the amazing community I’ve been welcomed into, the many awe-inspiring projects that I’ve helped with, and the overwhelming joy I’ve experienced during the premiere of my latest short film, The Tempest, at the Lucas Theatre in Savannah, Georgia.
All the trouble is worth it.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a screenwriter, film director, and film producer. While I’ve helped on many films over the past few years, two recent ones stand out to me: Godsend and The Tempest.
I had the absolute honor of being handpicked by the rising director, Bailey Selvidge, to help produce his rough-and-tumble, gory, and electric action short film, Godsend. I’d worked with Bailey on a variety of sets in various roles up until that point and had the utmost confidence that he could successfully bring this incredibly ambitious film to life. And boy did he. His unerring drive to be bigger and better, his meticulous attention to every detail, and his clear communication helped me and the other two producers, Catherine Weisenhuegel and Aidan Gomez, pull the logistics of the shoot together. Let’s just say: the main fight of his film rivals and surpasses many that I’ve seen on much larger budgets.
The second project was The Tempest. I was the Writer, Director, and Executive Producer. Because this project is my “creative baby”, it became the most complete and comprehensive look into the creative forces that have influenced my own life thus far— fantastical elements, the empathetic look at people, grappling with themes of religion and purpose and morality, my love for mystery, and the provocative Wild West aesthetic baked into my DNA from growing up in Texas (I’m definitely more of a city boy, though. Don’t tell anyone).
Immediately upon beginning the project, I reached out to my most trusted peers from the past few years to produce it: Logan Keefe, Aidan Gomez, Bailey Selvidge, and Jackson Bartholomew. They helped keep me sane during the long weeks of pre-production and were vital in allowing me to focus on my creative duties. I also brought in an incredibly gifted and hard-working cinematographer whom I’d wanted to work with for years, Yuuki Shimizu. He surpassed all expectations I had for the look of the film and for a partner to collaborate with. The rest of our wonderful crew was an amalgamation of people I’d worked with before, wanted to work with, or fresh faces. I can’t wait to work with everyone again in the future.
In particular, I have fond memories of our second day of shooting. The first day on sets always runs a little slow between logistical problems, nervousness, and the first few hours when strangers are learning how to communicate with each other. Due to this and other unforeseen circumstances, we ended three hours behind. If I was nervous the day before, now I really was. We were limited to three shoot days with this location and if we didn’t capture everything needed, there wouldn’t be a film. At the beginning of the day, we had a meeting with department heads and then immediately flew into high gear. We breezed through the day— meshing so well you would’ve thought we’d worked together for dozens of years— and caught up to the schedule. Through all that, we produced some of the best scenes in the film.
It was truly an amazing experience.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Can you even create without risks? Financially? Emotionally? Mentally? Even if you break down creativity into its cheapest form — writing — there is considerable risk. Whether I intend for it or not, every piece of writing reflects aspects of myself in it. The vulnerability associated with creation is risky. Often, what I create and who I am become intertwined. If people hate something I’ve created, do they hate me? Or think that I am lesser? This isn’t a healthy thought process, but it’s something real that many creatives struggle with. It’s why so many film directors purposefully avoid reading reviews of their own work. It’s much too painful.
But I know I cannot grow without taking risks. It’s the constant drive to go beyond what I’ve done before, to direct a bigger project, or to purposefully lean into and hone my weaknesses are all risks. Every time, they’ve led to massive growth and made me a well-rounded creative.
Risks are inherent to creativity. So I try to embrace it. Risks are fun.
Contact Info:
- Website: jacobdenton.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacob_a_denton/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-a-denton-0a5582206/
Image Credits
Tim Borowiec. Andy Pedroza. Madison Lambert. Yuuki Shimizu. Dakota Callicot.
