“Mentorship is a Two-Way Street”



ANI |
Up to date:
Apr 07, 2022 12:18 IST

By Jennifer Kim
Los Angeles [US], April 7 (ANI): Medha Jaishankar has had an eclectic profession within the leisure business. A self-proclaimed “Tamilian Chameleon,” Medha, of South Indian heritage, has lived in eight nations and calls Mumbai and Los Angeles her two predominant “present properties.”
A former camerawoman, editor, producer, and reporter for the BBC World Movie Assessment present “Speaking Motion pictures,” Medha labored for a number of years in India as a movie govt earlier than transferring to the US.
In the previous couple of years, she produced a number of music movies (together with two with the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins), and the horror quick movie “Facelift,” showcased at high style festivals worldwide that presently has greater than 100k views on YouTube. Of late, she’s produced a movie starring A-list actors Jacob Elordi (“Euphoria” and “The Kissing Sales space”) and Zachary Quinto (“Star Trek”) and has a wide range of tasks being developed in each the US and India.
I met Medha by way of the mentorship program #StartWith8Hollywood as her mentee, the place she has formally mentored 24 ladies within the final two years. I’m impressed and impressed by how Medha navigates completely different media and worlds with ease.
I not too long ago sat down together with her at one in every of her favorite West Hollywood eating places, the Tex-Mex delicacies “Justin Quesos,” to speak about how COVID has impacted the best way she produces and mentors.
Q) Good to see you in individual, Medha! It is all the time unusual to fulfill in actual life once we spend a lot time chatting on Zoom.
A) And welcome to – what I name an extension of my lounge! My neighbour owns this restaurant, and I’ve made it my new place to do conferences, my very own non-public Soho Home if you’ll.
Q) Let me start by asking – what bought you curious about the movie and leisure business?
A) After I was a toddler, my father (Indian International Minister S. Jaishankar) liked 80s music movies. So the primary phrases I ever uttered had been from Peter Gabriel’s music video “Large Time,” the place on the finish, an animated monster says, “Hello There.” The film I watched essentially the most variety of occasions at that age was “The Blues Brothers,” and I do know each single line and each single dance transfer in that movie! I grew up in lots of nations, however one of many few constant issues culturally throughout these nations had been movies and music movies.
Over time, we used to edit house movies with my household and set them to pop music. My brother and I might additionally shoot and edit re-enactments of Calvin and Hobbes with our mates. By the point I went to highschool in Prague, I used to be already useless set on working within the movie business. I realized edit on Adobe Premiere, shot a music video, and made a brief movie about my graduating class.
After I utilized to school, I solely utilized to establishments that had movie manufacturing applications. I bought a scholarship at Denison College, a liberal arts school, and realized to shoot and edit 16mm movie there. The school had been attended by Michael Eisner, Steve Carrell, Jennnifer Garner, Alex Moffat (who’s now on SNL), and a number of other different notable leisure business people. In actual fact, my buddy and classmate Tariq Vasudeva acted within the Indian movie “Band Baaja Baaraat” and, extra not too long ago, within the streaming collection “Aarya”.
Q) You could have a protracted deep background on this! What was your first movie credit score?
A) In school, I did an internship program in Philadelphia and landed up at a post-production home. Lee Daniels had shot his first movie, “Shadowboxer,” starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Helen Mirren. Mo’Nique, who later went on to win an Oscar for “Valuable,” needed to smoke in a scene, however she did not truly smoke. In order a post-production intern, I smoked a cigarette in opposition to a inexperienced display screen, and so they used my smoke on Mo’Nique! (laughs). I additionally realized about cameras, lights, and VFX, after all.
Q) Did you get display screen credit score for that?
A) Yup! I am credited as a post-production intern on the finish of the movie!
Q) So that you had been an intern, after which what was your first job?

A) I bought my first job delivering a tape from Mira Nair – who I used to be quickly interning for – to the BBC, and so they occurred to want an editor that day! I then ended up working for the BBC movie overview present “Speaking Motion pictures” as a camerawoman and editor for 2 years.
Q) I noticed you simply Govt Produced the movie “He Went That Manner” starring Jacob Elordi and Zachary Quinto. How did you become involved with it?
A) I met my buddy Travis Oberlander about 9 years in the past on the celebration of an Indian filmmaker. And after this celebration, I might simply run into Travis on the road in LA, which is unusual as a result of, as you realize, LA will not be essentially a strolling metropolis! Anyway, final summer time, I used to be in New York, and Travis referred to as me to debate this mission and requested if I knew any traders to attach him to. My instant reply was NO as a result of I used to be sweating on the 6 prepare, making my method again to Harlem, the place I used to be staying. However then I managed to assist facilitate some introductions to potential traders and bought extra concerned within the mission, together with serving to the director flesh out a personality I helped solid.
It is unusual as a result of having come from a background of being a camerawoman and later a improvement exec, I used to all the time suppose, “Oh – it is another person’s job to cope with the cash. I am not a cash individual. I am not a enterprise individual.” Nonetheless, in the previous couple of years, I’ve found that I am truly reasonably adept on the enterprise aspect. I’ve now discovered myself honing a brand new skillset – serving to to pair financiers with creatively and fiscally sound tasks – and vice versa.
Q) You and I – as mentee and mentor – have usually talked about embrace pure skills as we develop and evolve career-wise. Are you able to share a bit little bit of knowledge on this?
A) (Laughs) After I labored as an exec, I assumed I might work greatest if I quietly sat behind a desk and did what I used to be instructed. I’ve solely not too long ago began to make use of my extroverted nature to its benefit. I’ve begun to forge my very own path and profession utilizing this talent versus following a extra conventional path. After capitalizing on my innate extroverted-ness, I’ve turn out to be extra sure of myself and, within the course of, have been provided extra management roles. Nonetheless, with nice energy comes nice duty! I’ve sometimes needed to make the unpopular alternative of standing as much as sure highly effective individuals – largely to guard different ladies on this business. I will not go into the small print right this moment, possibly in the future in my memoir, however these experiences have urged me to combine extra women-to-women mentoring work within the grand scheme of issues.
Coming again to my evolution within the final twenty years or so – I feel lots of people used to pigeonhole me professionally. For example, in my early days in New York, individuals knew me as that girl with the digicam. Then in Mumbai, individuals simply knew me as a movie marketing consultant with an American accent. In LA, I used to be pigeonholed because the “India individual.” I am usually requested to affix a mission just because it is set in India. However fortunately, I am an excessive extrovert. Even when I do not fully resonate with the story and characters, I nonetheless strive my greatest to introduce people to extra certified colleagues and mates who can be higher suited to the mission.
The 2020 COVID lockdown helped me cease, suppose and understand that my true passions in life are connecting the dots, neighborhood constructing, and championing the underdog. Actually stepping into the depths of a narrative and serving to to inform them in distinctive fashions and mediums.
Q) Talking of which, you’ve a podcast popping out?
A) Sure, I am proud to share the launch of a brand new podcast collection with JetSynthesys and Warner Music India referred to as “EkWomen,” the place my colleague Monika and I will likely be showcasing inspiring tales of South Asian Girls and the challenges and hurdles they’ve confronted as they’ve climbed the ladder of success.
Q) By the best way, I will undoubtedly be shopping for that memoir you talked about earlier – when you write it! What development in ladies empowerment do you respect of late?
A) One of many current phenomena I actually respect is embracing one’s femininity. I used to be listening to Jake Gyllenhaal on Howard Stern not too long ago speaking about how he is seen Maggie Gyllenhaal develop as a director after changing into a mom. Sherry Lansing additionally refers to tendencies like this on the finish of her biography – and that we’re not ladies competing in opposition to different ladies for that one job. In actual fact, we needn’t put on a swimsuit to be taken significantly; I imply, take a look at my pink hair! As a girl in movie right this moment, I am so grateful for the ladies who’ve actually paved the best way for us on this business, although I really feel like we have to preserve pushing the boundaries by way of what we are able to provide and convey to the desk.
Q) I am so glad #StartWith8Hollywood paired us collectively! What’s been essentially the most fulfilling a part of mentorship to this point!
A) Thanks, Jennifer! I’ve actually gained quite a bit from assembly you, too! I imagine that mentorship is a two-way avenue, and each events profit equally. Throughout COVID, I educated in facilitation and training, so once I work with my mentees, I schedule one hour blocks of time to study their backgrounds, deal with present hurdles, and finish the 60-minutes with a possible motion plan. I strive my greatest to not spoon-feed my mentees with options, although the mama bear in me does have a bit tendency to coddle! I additionally encourage pivoting and considering outdoors of the field, reminiscent of adapting to new media applied sciences as a way for storytelling.
Mentoring has benefited me tremendously – working example, the mission I am now creating with you! It additionally retains me on my toes and in tune with the zeitgeist. I usually discover myself studying as a lot from my mentees as I do with my very own mentors! I hope to develop a mentor-mentee ecosystem by way of “EkWomen,” and all through India, the place I am inspired by the rise of women-oriented skilled teams.
Q) This was an interesting interview, Medha, and the chips and salsa are so good!
A) Cheers! This is to the mission we’re creating collectively and advancing extra ladies in movie!
The interview has been finished by Jennifer Kim, who’s an award-winning screenwriter and journalist primarily based in Los Angeles and repped by Trade Leisure. (ANI)

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