Meet Michaela Ternasky-Holland

 

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Michaela Ternasky-Holland. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Michaela below.

Hi Michaela, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

At nineteen years old, I booked a Disney Cruise Line contract as a performer and dancer. It was during this life changing experience that I realized I wanted to create projects that were immersive and interactive.

After I returned from the cruise ship, I completed an undergraduate journalism degree. Soon after graduating, I started creating virtual reality films and documentaries. From these 360 films, I was hired by TIME to create experiences for their LIFE VR initiative. While these were incredible projects, I decided that I wanted to be a part of projects that spotlighted people like me and issues that I deeply cared about.

The compilation of these experiences and opportunities shaped my own values and purpose, which guides the decisions I make in both personal and professional spaces.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am a Peabody-nominated and Emmy award-winning director who specializes in creating impactful stories using immersive and interactive technology. It’s special because every day is a new and interesting creative endeavor.

For example, I am one of the first directors to create and premiere a short film utilizing Open AI’s SORA platform, which screened at Tribeca Festival 2024. As a nominee for the Producers Guild of America’s Innovation Award, I am also a consultant, speaker, and thought leader, who has been recognized as one of the 100 Original Voices of XR and listed as one of Blooloop’s 50 Immersive Influencers.

My past work has been curated by top institutions and festivals, such as the New York Public Library, Museum of the Moving Image, Nobel Peace Center, The United Nations, Venice International Film Festival, SXSW, and Tribeca Festival. My projects have also been featured in renowned press outlets, such as TIME, Forbes, The Guardian, Variety, and Hollywood Reporter.

My recent impact focused work that I am most proud of, was helping to bring one of the first LGBTQIA virtual reality experiences to the Meta Quest store and co-authored white paper highlighting virtual reality as a tool for learning, impact, and engagement. My recent creative focused projects that I am most proud of is Reimagined Volume II: Mahal.

The virtual reality animated film is inspired by Philippine mythology. The story focuses on Apolaki, Mayari, Tala, and Hanan, the four immortal children of the recently passed creator god, Bathala. As each of these deities wrestle with the grief of losing Bathala, their all-powerful actions create ripples throughout the universe. Can the siblings come together to defeat their own pain and learn how to accept the devastating loss before the world their father entrusted to them suffers from a celestial catastrophe? Mahal is a love letter to my father, who died in a car accident when I was very young. Through this creative process I have been forced to confront my own lifelong journey with grief.

Recently, I became represented by Gersh for writing and directing and am currently developing scripts and pitches, while also discussing other directing and consulting opportunities.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

First, knowing what I’m passionate about and being open-minded. Passion drives me, but flexibility allows me to explore and innovate within that passion, leading to unexpected and rewarding opportunities.

Second, surrounding myself with people who are not only diverse externally but also have diversity of thought, experiences, and opinions. Engaging with a wide range of viewpoints challenges me, helps me grow, and brings unique insights to my projects.

Third, not waiting for permission to start making or creating an idea. Taking initiative and being proactive has allowed me to bring my visions to life and make meaningful contributions without being held back by external validation or internal criticism, even if they are very present in my life.

My advice is that all of these qualities begin with spending time with yourself and getting to know yourself. Don’t be afraid to be alone. Don’t be afraid to take yourself somewhere and observe how you feel, react, or find interesting. Once you feel comfortable with yourself, you can begin to explore how people around you make you feel, react, and interest you. Having these two skills built my confidence and community, so that I could create and build ideas before any one gave me permission or budget to do them.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?

In the past 12 months, my biggest area of growth has been in creating spaciousness in my life. I have found comfort in being less hectic. I realized that being busy was only a way for me to feel validated, and that I was using rest and relaxation as a reward for myself versus a necessity in my life. This perspective adjustment has allowed me to be more creative, thoughtful in my daily life.

The shift has also enabled me to enhance the depth and impact of my work, reflecting a more intentional and focused approach to my projects and collaborations. Moreover, this newfound spaciousness has made me ready for even more amazing and incredible projects this past year, allowing me to embrace each one without the added stress of trying to squeeze these in amongst other less fulfilling commitments.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Marsha Bernstein, Games for Change, Jhad Villena

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