Today we’d like to introduce you to Anwar Jamison
Hi Anwar, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Writing is my first love and something I have always enjoyed. After college, I taught English before returning to graduate school to study film. At the time, I was a hip-hop artist, and I wanted to learn to shoot music videos. Once I was in the program, those plans changed. I realized that directing was a natural extension of my passion for writing. My graduate school thesis turned into my first feature film, Funeral Arrangements, and I embarked on my current journey as a filmmaker.
My movies Coming to Africa and the sequel Coming to Africa: Welcome to Ghana, starring Khalil Kain and a stellar cast of talent from Ghana, are my most significant films to date. To actually travel to Africa and shoot narrative romantic comedies as an independent filmmaker is unprecedented. Between the two films, we won 5 awards and were nominated for 19 others.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Being an independent filmmaker poses a unique set of challenges. Initially, most of my challenges revolved around securing funding for my films. That’s the main challenge for the vast majority of filmmakers at all levels. Once I got to the point where I was able to secure the budget for the projects I wanted to shoot, and I successfully produced them, the challenges centered around distribution and reaching a large enough audience to make the business make sense. I find myself in a constant battle to adapt to the ways that people consume film and reinvent myself and my business model accordingly.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Besides being a filmmaker, I am also a film professor. I love being able to bring my personal experience into the classroom for students who are literally sitting in the same seats that I was in years ago. As a professor, I specialize in teaching screenwriting, directing, producing and other film production courses. As a filmmaker, I write, direct, edit and act, and that versatility serves me well on and off set and inside and outside of the classroom.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I am big fan of people and their journeys. I can’t really pinpoint specific sources, but there are a number of biographies and online interviews that really inspire me. Sometimes I’ll come across an interview with a writer, director, or actor and I’ll just search for every interview I can find and just binge watch that person.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bketv.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anwarjamison/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bketv
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BKEFilmsUS
