Meet Matt Jenkins

We were lucky to catch up with Matt Jenkins recently and have shared our conversation below.

Matt, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?

my optimism comes from two sources.

First, I love what I do. The process of making movies is highly fulfilling. Even if my last movie didn’t festival well, I am excited and ready to move on to make the next one.

A second source of optimism is: I am privileged to work with a group of people who share my vision and enjoy the process of production.

During out most recent production of the movie “Ambiguous Indifference,” we faced high winds and tornado sirens. I was reminded of a quote from filmmaker Roger Corman who said “No matter what happens, keep filming.” So we kept filming.

Unfortunately, in the edit I realized the audio was hampered by the strong winds and sirens. I was considering dropping the project. The people who worked with me encouraged me to do a reshoot because they loved what they saw. Now the movie is nearing completion and I love it.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I love watching movies in the theater, at the drive-in, or on TV. I love talking about movies and picking through the five-dollar bin at the box store for them. I rummage through stacks of DVDs at flea markets for the best deals, and I love making movies. However, I don’t use the term “film” as I don’t shoot on film; I make MOVING PICTURES. These movies are created to show on the “big” screen. I endeavor to screen them at film festivals. Once the festival run is completed, I find a streaming site to host them.

I am in the final editing stages of our latest movie “Ambiguous Indifference.” It was shot over five days in Houston, Texas and Southwest Oklahoma. The movie starts with big city book editor Cheryl Long’s car breaking down stranding her in small town Oklahoma. Meeting mechanic Dooley Jax and his eccentric friends, Cheryl encourages Dooley to pen a novel after recognizing his writing prowess. Cheryl tells Dooley to contact her when “its” done. The problem is, does she mean when the book is written or when her car is repaired? Dooley embarks on a trip to Houston to find out.

We are excited to put the finishing touches on this movie and begin entering it into film festivals.

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

The first quality is to learn how to talk and listen to others. Much of my success is based on collaboration. Surrounding yourself with people who share your vision and believe in what your doing will only work if you listen to them and then make careful decisions based on the input.

Second, understand failure is a part of life. Recognize failure is only a moment in time and not a reflection of character. Festival rejections can be quite overwhelming but I know these rejections are not a reflection of me. Not everyone is going to embrace my work and that is OK.

Keep learning. The most successful people I know may never have gone to college but they have learned their craft and understand their business and/or career. They keep up to date on the latest technologies and trends.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

Coming from a family where my mother was a painter and my father was a mechanical engineer, I believe filmmaking combines the best of both of these influences while satisfying my creative urge.

My parents shared their particular talents with me and encouraged me to pursue my own even if my interests didn’t coincide with theirs.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Tori Millspaugh

Randy Traxler

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