Rising Star Filmmaker Jeremy Michaels: Seeing Light at the End of the Tunnel; 5 Reasons To Be Hopeful During This Corona Crisis

…In terms of supporting and harnessing that creative drive, it’s important to understand the ebb and flow of creativity. You have to roll with it as it comes, keep adjusting your ideas, and remain patient. We all have the opportunity to explore new ways of being creative, it’s about harnessing that creativity when faced with new obstacles and realities.

As a part of my series about the things we can do to remain hopeful and support each other during anxious times, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jeremy Michaels.

Jeremy Michaels is an NYC-based Producer and Director for leading Entertainment, Arts and Culture brands. With focus on commercial and digital content, Michaels has produced and directed projects featuring Annette Bening, Debra Messing, Blair Underwood, Rosie O’Donnell, Vanessa Carlton, and Alanis Morissette. Jeremy also co-produced and co-starred in the short film “UberEx”, which won Best Screenplay and Best Ensemble at the 2018 LA Comedy Film Festival.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory on how you got into producing and directing?

Thanks for having me!

From a very early age it was kind of obvious that I was destined to make things. Maybe it was the full blown production of The Lion King I recruited my sister and cousins to perform with me during every family function that gave it away. (And, yes, I’m still working on mending those relationships).

I attended A.W. Dreyfoos High School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida. Picture that 80’s film Fame. All judgements aside, it was truly an incredible experience and one that set the foundation for my future, where I began exploring different storytelling mediums in which to express myself.

After graduating high school, I was accepted into the prestigious BFA Acting Program at SUNY Purchase. Purchase was a game changer. I was now rigorously studying and learning the craft of storytelling through stage and film. The program has a reputation for being something like a boot camp, and it’s true. It was the structure and discipline that really helped me for what was to come.

After college, I settled down in Brooklyn and did the whole server/actor thing for about 2 years before needing a change. So, I decided to head out to LA… and did what felt like the exact same thing! A commercial gig, a couple of off-off-Broadway productions, a few hundred self tapes and thousands of rejections later, I was ready to throw in the towel. It was time I had to begin to accept the fact I might not be destined for a career in acting but I couldn’t come to terms with NOT being able to express myself. I’m an Aries- all fire! My mother recommended I try something more stable like becoming a realtor or working with dogs (I love dogs) but I knew I had to continue to express myself through storytelling.

I forgot to mention though, along with all those self tapes and 4PM-Midnight serving shifts I had been muscling through, I was beginning to connect myself with various production/filmmaker friends I’d met along the way. For me the most important thing I thrive off of is DOING. I started small, PA jobs for various projects, holding lights up for photoshoots, literally whatever I could do. As I started meeting more people and racking in street cred, the opportunities started trickling in. One thing led to another and since then I’ve been producing and directing content for some of the biggest brands in Entertainment, Arts, and Culture.

It’s very interesting how you didn’t give up and found your way! Many people have become anxious from the dramatic jolts of the news cycle. The fears related to the coronavirus pandemic have heightened a sense of uncertainty, fear, and loneliness. From your perspective can you help our readers to see the “Light at the End of the Tunnel”? Can you share your “5 Reasons To Be Hopeful During this Corona Crisis”?

Reason 1: You have An Opportunity to GET GROUNDED

Over the last couple years, I’ve been fortunate to create some really fantastic work with some really talented people. Then the Coronavirus happened and in the blink of an eye, everything stopped. I remember thinking to myself, “Yup, that’s it, Jeremy. Our industry is done as we know it.”

Very quickly I had to accept the reality of the current circumstances and come to terms with what’s truly important. For me, that’s health, safety, and those you care about. As my Grandpa Hesh used to say, “If you have your health, you have everything”. So if your mind and body are clear, it’s easier to game plan from there. Before you go too far down a deep, dark hole, take a moment to check in with yourself and ground yourself to the reality of the present.

Reason 2: You have an opportunity to LEARN SOMETHING NEW

Livestream technology has been around, but I personally hadn’t explored the medium that much. Obviously with the state of everything right now, the last few months have seen an explosion of virtual events, galas, fundraisers, script readings, you name it. (Sidenote: My first physical encounter with the concept of livestream was while still living in LA in 2016. I had landed an audition for a new Francis Ford Coppola project that set out to connect live performance and film, as he calls it, “live cinema”. It sounded incredibly unfamiliar and intriguing. I showed up on the day with sides and my guitar. My name was called and I walked into the West Hollywood audition room, only to walk in to Mr Coppola, himself, sitting behind the table. I auditioned, sang “You Are My Sunshine” on guitar, we had a brief chat about New Jersey and that was that. I didn’t understand the opportunity then, but looking back now, it was like “wow, this is really important what he’s doing”. An example of one of the greats, continuing to challenge themselves to explore and express a world of deeper, more personal connection.) Cut back to today, I knew as a video creator, I’d have to evolve and dive into the medium that would allow me to create content during a time of social distancing and isolation. I began exploring various streaming resources and just as importantly, how these tools could support the story being told. With so much demand for virtual events, it’s been a fantastic opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and learn something new that would be useful for these times of the evolving digital landscape. So, the sooner you can shift your energy towards expanding your toolbox, get on it and then own it.

Reason 3: You have an opportunity to COLLABORATE AND WORK TOGETHER

I’ve been producing and directing for Situation, an incredible digital-first marketing agency in New York City. I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of the hottest Broadway shows, such as the acclaimed musical, Jagged Little Pill. I’ve been producing digital content for the musical for quite some time, since they started previews last November. I was really excited about the opportunity to produce and direct a livestream event with Alanis Morissette and the JLP cast/creative team as a way to come together for a night of performances, conversations, and fundraising. While in the midst of planning and executing other virtual events for various clients, we knew this was going to be a big undertaking, especially given the stay-at-home order, but were eager to take on the challenge. Fortunately, Situation President and Founder, Damian Bazadona, champions innovation, so we immediately had the time, resources, and support to discover our full potential. The event came together quickly and evolved into You Live, You Learn: A Night With Alanis Morissette and Jagged Little Pill, which premiered May 19th, 2020! It was a great opportunity to collaborate with the team and push the boundaries of live video during a time of social distancing. Working together as a team virtually and thriving off of an incredible amount of creative energy was truly an effort I’ve never experienced before. So, I think it’s easy to feel siloed when we’re all distanced but we’re not alone, we’re just separated geographically and physically. You can always get on the phone, write something and share it with a friend — anything! Although it may feel that the world is on hold for now, remember that you still have endless opportunities to get involved and work together.

Reason 4: You have an opportunity to BE INCREDIBLY CREATIVE WITHIN THE PARAMETERS

When we landed the Jagged Little Pill livestream and were green-lit to start pre-production, I had to juggle between a logistic mindset and a creative mindset. It wasn’t easy. Having to balance scripting, streaming logistics, talent coordinating, scheduling — it took time to create a solid foundation and structure. However, I found that wearing creative and logistical hats together, the process in which you create work will have a clearer through-line, and ultimately, the efficiencies allowed this experience to be all the more enjoyable to execute. A good story will always be a good story, but every story needs a home. Our home for this one was at the mercy of the Internet. There are so many tactical hurdles to overcome when dealing with creating something in this virtual space, let alone something that brings fans together at the same time, from all over the world. My point here is that once you understand the parameters in which you can “play”, from there you can make creative choices that support your medium and, most importantly, your story.

In terms of supporting and harnessing that creative drive, it’s important to understand the ebb and flow of creativity. You have to roll with it as it comes, keep adjusting your ideas, and remain patient. We all have the opportunity to explore new ways of being creative, it’s about harnessing that creativity when faced with new obstacles and realities.

Reason 5: You have an opportunity to GO ON A JOURNEY AND MAKE AN IMPACT

If I’m speaking from the heart, what I love most about what I do is the journey. My late acting teacher, Dennis Sims, used to say, “What we do is about the journey. The opening nights are great, the awards, the trophies, but that’s not why we do what we do.” We are of service to the process of journey, not the result. I’m not saying don’t care about results, but, I believe if your intentions are well-focused on the journey, the result often becomes a pleasant surprise. In the case of You Live,You Learn: A Night With Alanis Morissette and Jagged Little Pill, the purpose of our journey was to bring people together in these unprecedented times. As a result, the event reached a half-million people across YouTube and Facebook, and in teaming up with The Actors Fund, we brought awareness to the struggles performers and behind-the-scenes workers are facing right now in our industry, raising over $16,000.00 in a single evening. We set out not only to fundraise, but to help create a sense of community, and the result of that was so incredibly special and impactful. So, follow the journey, and I promise you, the impact will follow. It’s like what Newton said!

From your experience, what can each of us do to effectively offer support to those around us who are feeling anxious?

It’s funny because the most basic ideas can often be the most complex to understand or manifest, but I’d encourage you, first and foremost, to simply be kind yourself, whether that be through watching TV, cleaning the bathroom (I know, it’s weird, but it brings me joy), allowing yourself to feel many things and be okay with it. Furthermore, and this is the biggest piece of advice I have to offer, we can only control what we can control. I’m hesitant with the word “control” because it eludes “force” or “tension”. But I’m speaking to control in the sense that not one person has the answers to what might happen tomorrow, or in an hour for that matter (unless you’re psychic), you might as well embrace the fact that although something may be unclear in this moment, trust the fact that it will become clear. It’s those moments of unclarity that provide all that good stuff for creating. So challenge yourself to push your own boundaries. Dive in with passion and work during this time. Learn new things. There’s only good that can come out of it.

Do you have an interesting story to share from your recent experience that can illustrate what you said?

Ha! I’ve got plenty! Let’s see… It was the night before our livestream, and I was feeling pretty stressed and anxious. I remember closing my laptop for the evening, staring into space, and then letting out a solid cry. Honestly, it was liberating, because I had finally given myself the permission to allow the feelings I was either too busy or too afraid to face over the last few weeks. I had finally given myself permission to be vulnerable. To me, that was the best gift I could have given myself that night.

The next day, I was rehearsing through some moments in the show with Alanis and Justin Hilton, a friend of Alanis and activist who co-hosted the event. As we were nearing the end of rehearsal, a discussion came up about how crazy this all was: all of us coming together, virtually, to connect with many people and allow ourselves to collectively BE VULNERABLE. BINGO! There was that word again. Crazy! It’s important to know that vulnerability presents itself in many forms: vulnerable to the current crisis, vulnerable to the internet and the new norms of communication, vulnerable to sharing personal feelings with each other. It’s this shared vulnerability that leads to trust, and in terms of what we do, we know that if we have trust, we have TRUTH. That’s what this is all about, right?

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I think we are all people of great influence. Our movement starts from the day we are born and that’s the movement of trying to remain true to yourself, be a good person, make good work and do it with good people. We’re all in this movement together!

What is the best way for our readers to follow you online?

I’m most active on Instagram, so you can find me at @jeremymichaels. I’m here! I’m around! No vacation plans or anything anytime soon, so, I’d love to hear from you!

You can watch You Live, You Learn: A Night With Alanis Morissette and Jagged Little Pill here:

JAGGED YT PAGE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu2TkJnYTpMZqo87otlWL8g

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!

Thank you! Be well, be safe.