Meet Joanna White-Oldham | Director/Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joanna White-Oldham and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joanna, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I am from Brooklyn, New York and was raised in the city at a time where learning how to stay safe while being self sufficient laid the groundwork for who I am today.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My journey as a director has been anything but linear, and that’s part of what makes my voice unique. I went to film school and studied screenwriting but was detoured by the realities of children and family. Throughout this, however, I dedicated time to volunteering on both studio and field production shoots while producing show for community television. I then went on to develop and produce reality shows, which sharpened my instincts and gave me an inside look of the ‘industry’, a look that has strengthened my resolve to work independently.
After producing a few shorts that have won awards, I dedicated myself to transitioning into my primary goal of directing. I’m most proud of telling stories that center underrepresented voices. I have no interest in stereotypes or tropes. I want to create work that reflects the complexity, vulnerability, and strength of my characters.
Getting to this point hasn’t been easy. There even were times I questioned if there was space for someone like me behind the camera. I faced gatekeeping, ageism, and the constant balancing act of sustaining a creative career while managing life. What gets me through is believing that my stories matter—even if I must find the resources to build them myself.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is to embrace failure as part of the creative process; everything isn’t for everybody, and I am confident I will find my people. I have also learned that the bar will always be moved for people like me, so I need to keep my head down and keep doing the work without being distracted.
What I want the world to know is that my work exists at the intersection of truth, empowerment, and emotional honesty. My goal is to make people feel seen and my brand is about amplifying real stories with depth, dignity, and a little bit of edge.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
When I visit Atlanta, it usually spent with friends. I do not typically spend much time moving around the city.

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?
There are a handful of incredible people that encourage me and help to keep me focused, but at this moment, I’d like to dedicate my shout out to my sister, Lisa has constantly reminded me that I should let nothing stand in the way of pursuing my art. It has taken some time for this message to penetrate my self doubt, but during the last few years, something clicked and I now feel like there is no turning back.

Website: https://jwomedia.com

Instagram: jwomedia

Linkedin: joannawhiteoldham

Youtube: @theauntiehour

Image Credits
Stephen Szmed