Meet Brent Jackson | Filmmaker & Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brent Jackson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brent, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
From a very young age I took to the visual arts like a duck to water. My father loved to draw, as did my uncle, and my mother is an author/screenwriter… so naturally that same spark of creativity trickled down me. I grew up seeing all of these different art forms and got inspired to create my own. Before I knew it, I found myself deeply in love with animation, photography, film and videography. I knew without a doubt in my mind that I’d want to pursue a career field doing one of these things. My heart and mind are constantly fueling this passion to create not only something that I’m proud of, but something that can move and inspire others as well.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
It took a long time to get my feet on the ground. I used to doubt myself a ton before beginning this journey. I honestly wanted to start a while ago. YEARS ago. There was always this voice telling me to just take the first step, to get after it—and of course there was always that other voice that was forcing me to cower away due to the uncertainty and discomfort of trying something new. It was not easy, it wasn’t. It still isn’t. But I knew that if I didn’t take that first step and got after whatever I was looking for, I’d have no answers and would never get anywhere. Not anywhere I wanted to be at least. So, I did it. On my 19th birthday I bought my very first camera and everything else I needed and began to create everything I could think of. I have not looked back since. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that nothing worthwhile in life is easy. You have to struggle and endure hardships. I went into it expecting to do everything perfectly and to figure out everything I’d need to know quick and easy and it simply just does not work that way. You have to work, you have to grind, you have to put your 10,000 hours into your craft, no matter how talented you think you are. Remember that you don’t fail or lose either. You learn. So, you keep that in mind & hold your head up high and embrace the process…because it won’t be easy but it will be worth it. I want people to know that it’s okay to try something new. Chase your dreams. Step out of your comfort zone and let your mind expand. Don’t let fear block your potential and rise above your standards.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
In all honesty, I don’t get around Nashville much, so I don’t know many of the Go-To spots and attractions. However, I will say to try some of the restaurants downtown. Hattie B’s is amazing. Sinema on 8th Ave is wonderful too. The view of the sunset on top of Love Circle is beautiful. But to really catch a good feel of Nashville, I’d walk down broadway on a nice weekend night and enjoy the people, live music, and dozens of food stands all around.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Without a doubt, my mother. She’s always been a kind, loving, hard-working woman and I can easily say that I would not have some of those same qualities if it had not been for her. She’s one of my biggest inspirations and always pushes me to strive for bigger and better.

Youtube: https://youtube.com/c/BrentJacksonFilms

Image Credits
Jamal Osagie @osagievsn on Instagram