JJ Blake – Artist In Residence, Film and Visualization
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Artist As Creator
Weird & Winsome.
JJ Blake. Creative writer, producer, director, and video artist. NPAFE’s first Artist in Residence.
Slight of form, hair shorn to a quarter inch, a captivating smile, an aura naturally inspiring positivism, if we’re lucky, wearing her cool sunflower earrings …
… and possessed of a brilliant mind and an iron fist to make it all happen.
With a “show don’t tell” philosophy coupled with the know-how to direct and produce film and video on set, JJ specializes in narrative short films, comedy and video collage of her own style and no one else’s. Plus, getting it all done on time and on budget.
A passionate workaholic, JJ finds the fuel for her art in the weird, the bizarre, the odd. “I like weird stuff. I like to make weird, fun stuff for people who like weird, and, sometimes, for people who don’t.”
The result? A successful combination of weird and winsome.
When JJ Blake Creates …
… she imbues her productions with “magical realism”, surreal elements that awaken reality.
By her own account, JJ takes her inspiration from the quirky world of Pee-Wee Herman and the sublime styles of David Lynch. She craves the creative process of being on set and giving birth to what’s in her imagination.
And, when she puts pen to paper and brings her scripts to life on set, a bizarre aesthetic is both prominent and sublimated: she is artfully creating and then bridging the gap between the irreverent and the deeply intellectual, sophisticated, and humorous.
Modeling With A Creative Purpose.
Modeling is all about trust and communication, a group of artists with a single creative vision. It puts me on the other side of the camera and gives me an expressive vulnerability I don’t get to experience when I’m directing.
Photo shoots allow me to become part of the photographer’s physical canvas. The way I interact with the camera affects the way the audience will interact with the piece.
I value being directed by the photographer because it helps me learn how to take and give better notes when I’m directing others on set.
JJ Blake behind the camera …
Photo credit: Erika Christie
JJ Blake in front of the camera…
Photo credits: Emma Asher, Yvette Morano, Savannah Grace, Chuckee Henderson, Adam Fritz and Nicolette Fudge
JJ’s Artistry
Let’s Escape Boredom!
By any measure, JJ Blake has successfully embarked on a career in the art of film, storytelling, and film production. As a creative writer, she focuses on screenplay, poetry, and personal essay form, mixing humor with the darkest parts of human psychology.
A perfect formula for escaping boredom!
A native of New Hampshire, JJ graduated from American University in Washington, D.C. in 2017, where she received her BA degree in Film and Media Arts with a Creative Writing minor, cum laude. In Prague, she took part in the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts – FAMU* in 2016.
JJ also founded Off Town Pictures in April 2015 and has worked on various documentaries, short films, and music videos. She’s acquired enviable industry experience having been selected to work at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, New Hampshire Public Television, and the Premiere Shakespeare Troupe at American University. JJ is also accustomed to being her friends’ fashion muse, and has modeled as a cover girl for AU’s It Magazine.
On Her Way.
JJ stands out for what she has already achieved in writing, imagery, production, direction and cinematography. She firmly believes that “the industry of visual art and videography is becoming more and more web based. It can be done anywhere, especially in DC.”
This said, her long-term goal is to have her own production house: an arts collective where filmmakers have access to studio spaces, equipment, and can collaborate with one another on independent projects.
It would primarily be for aspiring, underrepresented content creators. Filmmaking is for everyone, and this would be an open space for creative expression, experimental storytelling, and mentorship.
* Filmová a Televizní Fakulta Akademie Múzických Umění
GHOST PALS (2016), JJ Blake – Co-Director, Co-Writer, Editor. A love story about a young woman who is terrorized by the ghost of her roommate after a freak accident with a champagne bottle. 16mm, shot in Prague, Czech Republic.
MOMMA’S BOY (2017). JJ Blake – Producer. A young introvert must quickly go from dealing with the prospect of never seeing his mother again, to possibly never getting rid of her. Official Selection: Reel Independent Film Extravaganza
Sponsor Opportunities
The Acclaim of Others
Successfully raised over $7,200 in one month on Kickstarter for “Sam Dates” (2018)
Reel Independent Film Festival, Official Selection, “Momma’s Boy” (2017)
AmLit Magazine, Best in Show: Film, “Beautiful Dreams” (2017)
Visions Awards, Nominated: Best New Media, Video Mashup, “Very Nice People” (2016)
Delta Kappa Alpha Film Fest, Nominated: Best Directing, “Through a Glass, Darkly” (2015)
Co-founded the Dover Independent Players, a collaborative nonprofit artist community and production company in her hometown (2013).