Jacqueline Dow

Unaffiliated

1) How did you get into directing? 
My route into filmmaking was fairly classical. I majored in English Literature and Film Studies in college because I always loved film and I was interested in characters. I am an avid people watcher and I often find myself trying to pull stories out of situations as I watch them. That sort of naturally transitioned into wanting to tell my own stories.

2) What is your most recent project? 
I have three more comedic spec spots that I shot over the past year. They were a ton of fun to make and I am excited about the finished products.

3) What is the best part of being a director? 
The best part of being a director for me is being able to bring life to the absurd characters and situations that I imagine. In the real world there is so much emphasis on social propriety and norms. In my work, I love to create characters who just do what they feel. They let it all hang out.

5) What is your current career focus: commercials & branded content, TV, movies? Do you plan to specialize in a particular genre—comedy, drama, visual effects, etc.? 
Right now I am focusing on commercials and branded content. I love movies and television but at the moment, I am really enjoying telling full, bite-sized stories. It’s a fun challenge! Comedy is my preferred genre. Most of my characters represent heightened versions of some ridiculous “what if” scenario that I have imagined in my daily life.

6) Have you a mentor and if so, who is that person (or persons) and what has been the lesson learned from that mentoring which resonates with you?
I made my Spotify spec in a class that I took with Billy Kent at NYU. Since that class, he has been my mentor and greatest ally in the world of film.  He has given me tons of great advice. The best piece of advice was definitely to keep a positive attitude and that the relationships you make on set are a huge part of what you take from any project.

9) Tell us about your background (i.e. where did you grow up? Past jobs?)
I grew up in Boston, Massachusetts and moved to New York for college. In college I studied film but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with it after graduation. I ended up working for a boutique ad agency for a little over a year, editing copy and assisting with the production of their film advertising. After a couple of “real” sets with them, I realized that I was happiest during the hands-on stages of production so I decided to go to graduate school for film directing. I am currently in my thesis years at NYU’s Graduate Film program pursuing my MFA.

Contact

Contact Jacqueline Dow via email