Black Voices

Issue date: 11/29/06 Section: Entertainment

At 19 years old, Matthew Jones has begun to make a name for himself in the film industry, not by being in front of the camera, but by being the one calling the shots behind it. With the release of his recent independent film, Be the Man, and many other projects, Jones has became a name that people are beginning to recognize and respect in the independent film world.

Before Jones began his work behind the scenes, he began his journey in film as an actor.

"Growing up I always wanted to do something in entertainment, but I didn't know what at first," said Jones. "I began acting in the theater as a child. I was in a lot of church and school plays. My mom saw that my little brother and I liked acting and were kind of good at it so she enrolled us in a professional acting school called All About Kids Acting Conservatory."

Although Jones had a niche for acting, he found himself more interested in the behind-the-scenes work of theater.

"At about 12, they let me assist in stage managing and I loved it. I learned a lot there and ended up being an assistant director/stage manager of a play at 14. During that time I also began writing and directing plays for my church and school," stated Jones.

Also at this time, Jones began to venture off from theater to film. "Plays are nice. I love the theater but throughout my time doing it, I was constantly told to bring my ideas down and adapt them more for the stage because they were too much like film. So instead of changing my ideas, I decided to try and pursue film."

Jones' first dive into film was in 2003, when he took a screenwriting course at USC's High School Summer Seminar, a month-long intensive program, the summer before his junior year in high school. "I wrote 10 to 15 screenplays during that time and produced a short film. I loved it and through the experience I saw that I wanted to make movies," said Jones.

But the thing that made Jones want to really go out and make films was the Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center (www.bherc.org), an organization that showcases films. The showcase that left a lasting impression on Jones was one that showcased black male directors whom were mostly young, in their 30s or so.

"I saw people like me, young black men, just going out and bringing the stories they had in their hearts to the screen on their own. I saw that I could do it to and that's what I did," explained Jones.

He made his first two films at 17 years old, the first during the summer before his senior year in high school and his second the following February.

His second film, Distracted, has been shown on television and at festivals around the world. This film won Best Socially Relevant Teenage Drama at the International Student Film Festival in Hollywood and also received a Gold Medal at the NAACP LA-Branch ACT-SO Competition. For more information about Distracted, visit www.distractedmovie.com.

Jones is currently a sophomore at Biola University, where he continues to make independent films.

His most recent film, Be the Man, was recognized and awarded the Director's Guild of American Student Film Award for African American Film. It also gained an Honorable Mention at the Best Short Film at the Urban Media Makers Film Fest in Atlanta, Georgia.  This film really opened people's eyes to Jones' work, even though Jones felt that this was not his best. For more information about the Be the Man, visit www.bethemanmovie.com.

"I didn't think from the start that Be the Man was my best work. I still think that I can do better," explained Jones.  "A lot of it was me trying to grow as a filmmaker in telling a different type of story in a way I never told it before. But with those thoughts, I didn't want to short change myself, so I made it as best as I could. That's when God stepped in and just provided me with a great cast and crew who helped me to focus on my vision and execute it to my full ability at the time."

Jones has worked hard to get to where he is today and continues to strive for the best. "To get where I am as a student director, [a journey I am still very much so on], I make sure to learn everything I can about screenwriting, directing, and production. I have taken many classes, gone to many events, read many books, and talked to a lot of people. I am soaking up everything I can," Jones said.

Jones also credits a lot of his accomplishments to networking. "I try to meet everybody I can, from a musical artist to an actor," he said. "Film is such a collaborative business and if the person I know can't help me, oftentimes they know someone who can, and that is how a lot of what I have gotten came about."

The driving force behind his hard work and determination is his passion for film. "I would like people and upcoming filmmakers especially to know that if you stick to your dream and work hard at it, it is very possible for it to come true. I am a living testimony of it. I would have never thought I would be where I am at 19 years old. This is still weird for me but I am not asking many questions. I continue to work hard and strive toward my dreams."

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