Jordan Coleman, a multitalented filmmaking major here at American University, spoke at the TEDx event on campus this past Saturday. Her Campus American had the opportunity to sit down with Jordan and discuss his goal driven work ethic, his multiple successes, and his plans for the future.
HC: What was the premise of your TEDx talk at American University this past Saturday? What do you hope the audience got out of it?
JC: The premise of my TEDx talk was to understand that your dreams are achievable. So many people have such big dreams but they don’t know how to go about it. So I have a five-step plan for people to create the guidelines for them to chase their dreams. Also during the talk, I shared a couple stories about how these examples applied in my life.
HC: What was it like representing American University at the major TEDx event?
JC: TEDx was one of the biggest events that I’ve done and it was a great honor to represent AU. I remember coming here as a junior in high school, looking at the school, wondering if I would get accepted here. To be able speak on a platform that big, it was definitely eye-opening.
HC: So far you have chosen to explore controversial social issues through your films. Do you see filmmaking as a platform for social activism?
JC: I see film as being a great platform for us to speak on topics that we don’t normally feel comfortable talking about because we can add comic relief or things that are relatable in different situations. I plan to make a lot of feature films and a lot of documentaries. Some of them are going to be very educational and informative while others will just be great to watch. I feel it’s good to have a mixture of empty calories and healthy things to watch to keep us focused but entertained at the same time.
HC: What has made you choose controversial topics such as the Trayvon Martin case and teen dating violence?
JC: When I was younger, I saw how my friends were arguing about the Chris brown and Rihanna situation. So I did more research on it and I found that one in every three teens have been victims of teen dating violence which is crazy to me. As I did more and more research, I felt like this is a topic that should be talked about amongst teens even though it’s something so deep. So I tried to write a script, where they will understand what I was trying to get across and have fun with it as well. As far as with the Trayvon Martin case, I think it was the first case that struck me as “okay, things are not as they are supposed to be in America.” So I feel as someone who sees things not being the way they are supposed to be, it is my obligation to point them out. There a lot of people on both sides of the fence that are angry and I feel people shouldn’t be angry about because being angry isn’t going to change anything. We should spark a conversation. We have to take action. We have to have goals and take the proper steps to get there.
HC: Do you see yourself mainly doing documentary style films or do you hope to write scripts for fictional movies as well?
JC: I see myself creating story lines. Sometimes the story lines are going to be funny, sometimes they are going to be serious, sometimes they are going to be a little weird. I like storytelling a lot and I like telling stories through documentaries. But I also like narratives and feature films as well.
HC: Has coming to American changed or altered your dreams at all?
JC: I’m happy to be at American University because it’s teaching me what I need to know about the technical side of film. I was making independent films by myself with my family for a while but when I came to American, I saw the proper procedure for production, the cameras you use, and the equipment. So when I’m out in the actual film industry, I’ll know what to do..
HC: What would be a fulfilling career for you?
JC: One of my goals is to win an Oscar and a Grammy for the same project. I’ve been working on that for while now. If I could win a Best Director Oscar, I would be really appreciative.
HC: Which issues do you hope to delve into in the future in your films?
JC: I would say gun control. That seems to be a big issue right now.
Photo Credit to Jordan