We were lucky to catch up with Maria Jorjezian recently and have shared our conversation below.
Maria, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
The Jorjezian Film Festival has been a significant source of inspiration for my work ethic. As a filmmaker and director, I am deeply passionate about what I do, and this drive fuels my dedication to my craft. From a young age, I have been captivated by the world of entertainment and creation. Even before fully understanding what it meant, I knew that I wanted to be a part of it.
My journey began in 8th grade when I aspired to become an animator. However, as time went on, my passion shifted towards directing films. This decision has remained unwavering since my senior year of high school. While pursuing my education, I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing with minors in Film and Animation. These minors were initially part of a triple major, but as I started receiving small music video and commercial gigs, I made the choice to graduate sooner to focus on my professional opportunities. Looking back, I am grateful for this decision as it allowed me to gain valuable experience, including line producing a feature film and working on producing “6:45” in New Jersey.
Timing played a crucial role in my career, as we wrapped up the production of “6:45” just weeks before the pandemic hit. Despite the personal turmoil I faced during this challenging period, including the loss of my father and financial struggles, I refused to let anything hinder my passion for filmmaking. I worked tirelessly, taking on various jobs such as working at a deli, grocery store, and pharmacy office, all while continuing to pursue my creative endeavors. I would squeeze in work during breaks, run meetings with my earphones on, and even work from the trunk of my car or hidden in the break room during lunch breaks. The thought of giving up never crossed my mind; it would have felt like a betrayal to my very essence.
In 2021, I founded the Jorjezian Film Festival in collaboration with Steven E. Kimbrough, a talented individual who owns a pop-up drive-in and is also a comedian. This partnership allowed us to create a unique film festival experience, starting with a drive-in format during the pandemic. Guests could enjoy the event from the comfort of their cars, ensuring safety while still celebrating the art of filmmaking. As restrictions eased, we transitioned to outdoor patios and venues, although we plan to return to drive-in festivals in the near future.
The creation of the Jorjezian Film Festival was a culmination of my passion for filmmaking and the support I received from my parents throughout my life. From a young age, they instilled in me a strong work ethic through their own hard work and dedication. I had a packed schedule of extracurricular activities since 1st grade, ranging from piano lessons to dance classes, art, and Saturday school. In high school, I actively participated in multiple clubs, and in college, I was part of the Theatre Guild. My parents’ example taught me the value of hard work and perseverance.
I cannot imagine a life without working hard towards my goals. The desire to create and the willingness to put in long hours are ingrained in my being. I am willing to work 12-15 hour days because I am driven by the fear of not achieving my goals. However, it is also essential for me to ensure financial stability for myself and my family. Making cool things alone is not enough; I need to be able to provide for our basic needs and keep a roof over our heads.
Watching my father tirelessly work to support our family has been a significant influence on my work ethic. He would wake up at 5 am every morning and come home late, constantly on the phone, dedicated to his work. My mother was equally hardworking, taking care of our home and ensuring everything was in order. Coming from a family of determined and industrious individuals, I believe I have inherited their strong work ethic.
In conclusion, my work ethic is primarily derived from my deep love for what I do as a filmmaker. The Jorjezian Film Festival has played a pivotal role in inspiring me to push myself further and create meaningful experiences for both filmmakers and audiences. Combined with the influence of my parents’ hard work and dedication, I am driven to work tirelessly towards my goals, ensuring that I can continue pursuing my passion while providing for my family.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
The Jorjezian Film Festival is a bi-annual event that celebrates the art of filmmaking and provides a platform for emerging filmmakers to showcase their talent. It is a gathering of like-minded individuals who share a passion for cinema and appreciate the power of storytelling. The festival features a diverse range of films from various genres and countries, ensuring a rich and immersive experience for all attendees. Not only that, what I primarily focus on with my film festival is getting independent films in the eyes of the consumer! I try to make my events in local venues to, not only feature the amazing food and locations, but also create an environment for people to share wonderful memories, experiences while being invited to enjoy the incredible work of these filmmakers!
The Jorjezian Film Festival has an interesting history that began during the pandemic as a drive-in event. With the aim of promoting a safe environment for film enthusiasts to enjoy their favorite movies, the festival quickly gained some popularity. As the demand grew, so did the festival’s ambitions, leading to its expansion into various venues. Today, the Jorjezian Film Festival continues to captivate audiences with its diverse selection of films and remains committed to providing a memorable and cinematic experience for all attendees.
In addition to the film screenings, the Jorjezian Film Festival will also be hosting panel discussions, workshops, and networking events. These activities aim to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing among filmmakers, industry professionals, and film enthusiasts. We believe that these interactions are crucial for the growth and development of the filmmaking community as well as individuals who would normally never see films such as these as they are not exposed to them!
Let’s dive into the thrilling details of the upcoming Jorjezian Film Festival! This year, we’re expanding and hosting a multi-day extravaganza across Hollywood, North Hollywood, Burbank, and Studio City.
The fun begins on September 5 at Miceli’s in Cahuenga, where we’ll unveil thrilling announcements and gear up for the highly anticipated festival. It will also be a fun networking event so please be sure to drop by and spend some time with us and other incredible individuals! Also, Miceli’s is a beautiful Italian restaurant, right at the heart of Studio City! Opened since 1949, you definitely will be taken back in time! The food, the live music, and the ambience is worth seeing!
On September 6, join us at Woodbury University for a panel discussion and the first block of films. This is the university I graduated so it’s a sentimental experience for myself as well as a great opportunity for folks to check out the wonderful establishment!
The following day, September 7, Ref Kimbrough will dedicate his comedy show to our film festival and festivities right at The Comedy Chateau!
September 8, we’ll be at the Sunset Rooftop, right on Sunset Boulevard! We’ll showcase another block of films and host an engaging panel. They have amazing food as well as a hookah lounge so definitely drop by!
Don’t miss out on September 9 and 10 at the Comedy Chateau, where we’ll screen the final blocks of films and hold insightful panels. Oh, and while you’re there, make sure to try their delicious brussels sprouts – they’re my personal favorite, and you won’t regret taking my recommendation!
And guess what? The award ceremony on September 10 falls on my birthday! So, rest assured, there WILL be cake!
Finally, we will be revealing some incredible news at the festival! Our film festival will be at a whole new level from this point on!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
What I can say is the following. I have learned all this from just life experience and compressed it into a comprehensive cluster of thoughts. I truly hope it helps!
Persevere. No matter how hard it gets, keep pushing through.
It’s not going to come easy and it’s going to take a lot of hard work to get to your dream. Welcome hard work, it’s the one true way. Don’t try to cut corners, it never really works. Even if you don’t see the issues now, they will pop up down the line.
Don’t be afraid of failure. There are projects that are going to suck. There are situations in life that are going to suck. There are moments in life where you’ll have success and failure at the very same time. Don’t let it scare you. Embrace it. They’re your failures. You can do better and you will. Your first time writing or creating or researching is not going to be great. It would be weird if it was. But you HAVE to go through it. It’s not how you fall, but how you get back up.
Observe people, observe animals, nature, especially if you choose anything in art or marketing. All work is based on human nature and the need to fulfill human nature. If you don’t take the time to analyze the world around you, it will be hard making decisions. Take time to do research on target demographics and spend time with them. In fact, spend time with anyone and everyone you can (as long as it’s safe of course), because even if that person has nothing visibly great to offer you, you just learned something new. It might not be apparent now or tomorrow, but it will show up one day, and you’ll be very happy you took that time. Also don’t just study their nature, try to find the “why” in everything.
Study biographies, psychology, philosophy. These individuals spent decades and generations figuring things out and you get to benefit from the fruits of their labor. If you have a chance, read Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. It will help you have a truly objective perspective toward yourself and life. It did for myself, at least.
If a job feels like it’s not as exciting as it once was once you’re in it, chances are you’re not seeing the big picture like you used to. Once you start climbing the mountain, it stops looking as majestic as it was when you looked at it from far away. Take the time every once in a while to look back and see your progress from a couple months back. Chances are you have made huge progress.
Read “It’s not about how good you are, it’s about how good you want to be” by Paul Arden. It’s a short read that helps you process how to better things in your career and yourself.
Help your colleagues, your friends, people you care about, and even people you don’t care about much, get better. I mean, support and actually put them in situations where they’ll grow and develop. If there’s a job opportunity where you think they’ll be great or even better than you, recommend them. NEVER push someone back for your own gain, even if you don’t like them. Make allies and friends everywhere you go. Be a bigger person. Not only will you help your community become a better place, you’ll start realizing you’re creating a community/network for yourself and together you can achieve greater things than you ever would have on your own. I learned that very quickly. There were people who took a chance on me, and I will always be grateful for that. I always push and will push people up around me as much as I can. Always always always support your community. Believe in people around you, not just yourself. Look at their potential, not just their experience.
If a situation doesn’t feel like it’s beneficial to you or in the short term it’s not going to help, don’t stray away from it. Chances are, there’s something very valuable you’re preparing for, a project or network down the line.
Don’t be afraid to share ideas and advice to help people. I don’t mean Intellectual Properties of course, but things you’ve learned. Kind of goes back to supporting your fellow people. The more you bring into the community pile, the better the community becomes.
Take time to humble yourself. When success starts to come, and it will, remember you’re a part of something much bigger, which is the world. A small speck in the grand scheme of things. Take time to go to a huge element in nature, look at the sky, climb a mountain, look at the ocean to remind yourself you’re not an individual giant entity. So many successful people forget this and become a menace to society. It’s good practice.
Things will take time. It will take a lot of time. There will be setbacks every now and then and things might be dead in the water after months/years of effort. Keep pushing, find new avenues and approaches. Maybe you’re not seeing something right in front of you and the setback might bring you to something so much better.
Learn to love yourself and accept yourself. It’s hard. I struggle with this every day. Forgive yourself because you’re only a human being. Just being alive is an amazing fact. Drink a lot of water, I bet you’re not drinking enough.
People will start talking ill of you. Don’t worry, there will be more, but the more they talk ill, the more you’ll realize it’s either a constructive criticism or absolutely useless. Accept constructive criticism and throw away the rest. Don’t let anyone push you back because that’s not what you would do. Focus on your progress and Persevere.
And finally, remember that if you are a creator of any sorts, you are creating for the community. Don’t be so focused on your own self gains where you forget what entertainment is really for, and who it is for. We are all a part of a greater community. A doctor/nurse works tirelessly to make sure their patients are taken care of, a mechanic fixes your car, a teacher works on educating the future community, etc. At the end of the day, they all come home or to the theater, or wherever to enjoy a moment away from their lives or to enjoy a moment to themselves. That’s where you come in. Make sure you respect the fact that your work is not only for yourself, but for the person who will be enjoying it. Make it with love and make sure you don’t create anything that will harm the person viewing or experiencing your craft, even if it’s a thriller! Put your heart into it because they put their heart into whatever they are contributing to the community. Even if you fail or are not good enough at the moment, keep pushing. You have a job to do and the fact that you’re trying is amazing already!
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
When feeling overwhelmed, especially under time pressure, I take a moment to gather my thoughts and maintain a calm state of mind. Panicking never helps, even though it may be the initial reaction. By practicing calmness, I may not always succeed, but over time, I improve and make better decisions that benefit everyone involved.
To keep myself organized, I carry a planner that I’ve designed (available for purchase on my website, if you’re interested!). I also utilize visual aids such as a whiteboard or blank paper to help my mind organize information.
In situations where I need to make quick decisions with multiple people present, I categorize elements into clusters and prioritize them based on difficulty and urgency. I consider who is best suited to handle each element based on past experience with their work and then proceed with execution.
If I encounter a problem I’ve never faced before, I quickly research on my phone or reach out to someone knowledgeable for advice. Asking for help is never a sign of weakness. In fact, I’ve discovered a helpful app called Owwll, which connects me with ambassadors from various trades. I can call them to ask questions or discuss topics for 10 minutes or more. It’s a fantastic platform for obtaining real-time advice from experts in their fields.
Additionally, I proactively consider all possible scenarios and devise solutions for any potential issues that may arise.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jorjezian.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariajorjezian/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SonnyMouse/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorjezian/
- Other: www.mariajorjezian.com
www.filmfreeway.com/jorjezian
Image Credits
Steven E. Kimbrough Isabel Elvira Omari Washington
