Meet Jessica Erin Bennett: Stunt Woman, Intimacy Coordinator, and Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Erin Bennett and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica Erin, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Between having a baby during a pandemic and well, a global pandemic, I have had to come to terms with being a workaholic and feeling deserving of rest. As a freelance film professional, I have spent over a decade constantly hustling, applying for the next job, training, and in the midst of all of that, attempting to have a life. One of my major goals in 2021 was to actually schedule and intend to keep scheduled rest and family time. Among all of my friends, we all have missed monumental family moments. It feels scary to make taking time for myself as my career has often only been as good as my last job. I am choosing to believe that while that may be true, hard work also pays off. We deserve time – time that we choose. Time that we claim. Time that is also for looking back on this life that it was well lived.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I believe education and the constant pushing to keep learning has been a large part of my success. While not going to a particularly wealthy high school, I was privileged to live in a wealthy county that provided my school with incredible arts programs. This helped me get into austere universities which then in turn helped me meet people upon graduation that still have an amazing impact on me years after graduation. I deeply believe that as adults and professional that continually learning is critical to to growth. It also has made me passionate about my tax dollars and how I vote for more equity in education for our youth. We have heard about defunding the arts since I was very young, and as we are still fighting for the arts to remain funded, it is more apparent that wealthier youth benefit far more than youth in areas with less financial wealth. Education wealth must find its way for more equality so more and more people can find their rewarding future.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I can never get enough of Decatur Square from shopping at Homegrown, getting ice cream at Jeni’s, brunch at Sweet Melissa’s, Dinner at Brick Store, and playing pool at Twain’s. Needing some exercise? Explore Stone Mountain Park and find yourself in Stone Mountain Village for Music on the Tracks, Dinner, drinks, and friends at Stone Mountain Public House or pizza at Stoned Kitchen.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am giving my shoutout to my husband and fellow creative, Jordan Bennett. We will have been married 11 years this summer, and I thought I had seen it all. In the last year I have witnessed my partner become a parent, the primary caregiver at home once I went back on set, all while still working as a composer and audio professional. He has worked hard to update his studio, help me be present as a mom when I am home, and also keep our older dogs happy. This is also a shoutout to all the parents who have found themselves at home. We are all taking zoom meetings with babies at our feet, and their needs before a client’s or boss. It’s profoundly rewarding and challenging.

Website: https://linktr.ee/jessicaebennett

Instagram: instagram.com/jessicaebennett

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jessicaebennett

Twitter: twitter.com/jessicaebennett

Facebook: facebook.com/jessicaerin.talent