Today we’d like to introduce you to Jalen Simmons.
Hi Jalen, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
For me, the beginning happened organically. I didn’t intend to do videography or video editing at all and never even thought of doing it. In 2013, I was at Waycross College, now known as South Georgia State College, a Junior College in South Georgia majoring in Business Administration. I was continuing my collegiate basketball career in my sophomore year and my Brother Kobi Simmons climb to the #1 player in the state of Georgia and Top 10 in the Nation as a freshman in High School. I was thrilled. I sat in my duplex one day and randomly began messing around with IMovies software on my Macbook with the few clips I had from my Mom and Aunt that they would send from his games since I was in College and couldn’t attend the games being 4 hours away. I collected any footage I could and made a short trailer about my brother’s journey to #1 in the State of Georgia. I only showed a few people and when I got home for the summer, I would watch all the footage my mother, Sadiqua Stephens, would film on her small handheld Sony camera of my brother’s games. I sat there on my bed looking at this handheld camera’s tiny screen even sequencing at times to see the plays. My brother asked me to try and make a highlight out of the footage that we had. I took on the challenge even though I only made one short video previously that was one minute long. I found joy in creating this video. He responded that it’s a JMixtape, so I added the font at the end along with Productions behind JMixtape. Mentally knowing that Productions can refer to a wide range of creating and that I would be able to not have any limits on making anything in the future. I was proud of this video and uploaded it to YouTube and it ended up getting over 3,000 views which felt like a million to me at the time.YouTube was fairly new as well so to see it reach that amount of people within a few days I was amazed. This was the beginning of JMixtape Productions. From then on I went and made highlights for fun whenever I wasn’t occupied by Basketball or School. I would create videos of my friends and family members that asked. In 2016 my former teammate and friend from Berea College, Rich Parker asked me to create a season mix for him and I did so. After I completed it he sent me $60 dollars. I really didn’t want any money from it but he insisted I get paid for the work I did. This is when I first realized that it could be possible to make this a real service. In 2018, I created an LLC for JMixtape Productions and began my journey of film. After forming my LLC I was focused on making quality content even though I was a novice. I expanded my business with the help of my father, Demond Stephens and the legendary Coach Dickerson who brought me on high level AAU basketball circuits with them and I would create content for some of the top players in the nation.
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?
No such thing as a smooth road in the field I am in. When it comes to videography or content creating in general there will be many setbacks. This came to me in all areas from equipment malfunction, to organization, to not getting access to certain events, issues editing a certain clip, to creative blocks. There are so many obstacles in this journey.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in creating high quality recruiting highlights for student athletes to receive for exposure and give them a better opportunity to obtain scholarships or play professionally. I am most proud of never switching up and never giving up. This career can be challenging and people may not see your worth at times but you can continue to strive for success and find ways to grow in this career. I feel like my knowledge of all film sets me apart. I started in sports videography but have been expanding into commercials, music videos, television networks and more. My network and community of people I have around me are the people who make my platform valuable.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
In today’s competitive market, visual content is key to capturing attention and making a lasting impression. Whether you’re an athlete, realtor showcasing stunning properties, a company seeking to highlight your products and services, or a brand looking to engage your audience with compelling visuals, JMixtape Productions is here to help you stand out. Contact us on www.jmixtape.com or email jmixtapeproductions@gmail.com
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jmixtape.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmixtapeproductions?igsh=cjZudGoyejF4ejY3
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jalen.simmons.92?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jalen-simmons-3669ab138
- Twitter: https://x.com/jmixtape__/status/1731187131341590673?s=46
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@jmixtapeproductions?si=G-nC33mtzVzJ–8A
Image Credits
Chris Costello , French Spencer , NashyFx , Stay Wild Productions
