Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Shanise Gammon.
Jasmine Shanise, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Growing up, I had this huge dream of being an entertainer. I have really early memories of leading my kindergarten class in song at our graduation, acting in several local plays, being in skits at church and even training with the Barbizon School of Modeling. I am from Alabama where the industry appears to be non-existent. There were only a few people that I knew who had knowledge of the industry. Yama Garrett was one of the first people to notice my interest in songwriting and orchestrated a meeting for me to educate me on publishing my material. Meg Jackson, my first vocal coach, was the first person to notice my potential as a performer and with that, she encouraged and pushed me to work through my weaknesses and insecurities. I moved to Dallas, Texas in 2012, with my lifelong dream in my heart and the intention to bring the dream to fruition.
Not long after moving to Dallas, I wanted on-set experience so I signed up to be an extra on the set of “One Heart.’ It was there that I met the person that changed the trajectory of my career, Calvin Walker. Unbeknownst to me was the fact that I struck up a conversation with a budding actor, writer, director extraordinaire. He remembered me that night and hired me to be in his film, “Alone With My Thoughts.” Marvin Walker’s “A Day’s Work” was my first project here in Dallas and that beautiful relationship has spawned countless short films and web series for his production company and as well as connected company’s like Cherie Monique’s Face 84 and Many Hats Productions! I moved to Virginia Beach for a year and had the pleasure of working on the set of “Loving.” That experience propelled me to pursue acting fervently and professionally. When I arrived back to Dallas, my aim was to make the move from an amateur to a professional. I worked hard but it wasn’t until the senseless murder of my beloved cousin, LeQuinton Porter that I decided to take my career in my own hands. With the creative genius of Calvin Walker (who wrote and directed), Nikki Dixon (who showed me what a leading lady could do), Aaron Carolina (who was my marvelous leading man), Tom More ( who shot and aesthetically gorgeous film), Suzane Pham (who is a sound guru), Cherie Monique (who made sure we were beautiful on camera), Rebekah Spencer and William Wasson (who ran the set smoothly and efficiently), and the marvelous Bobby and Phyllis Porter (who supported and ensured this project happened), I produced and co-starred in a SAG short called “Blocked”! It was selected and placed in various film festivals! That experience taught me the value of content creation and gave me a greater appreciation of the amount of work it takes to make and distribute art.
For years, I’ve trained under Theresa Bell and since the past year, I have completed all improv courses at the wonderful Stomping Ground Comedy, I am taking stand up classes at Dallas Comedy House while being mentored by professional actress, career and life coach, Christine Horn! Getting to this point has taken hard work, sacrifice, and dedication!
Has it been a smooth road?
It was not easy at all. The first obstacle was my lack of knowledge and resources. After getting hired, I then found that my lack of training limited my choices as an actor. Then, after starting and building a family, the obstacle became finding the balance between relationship, motherhood and the work. I am still attempting to kick down doors while barefoot, but the payoff of getting the work, sharing messages, encouraging or bringing a smile to someone or hope to someone is so worth it!
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am an actress, who goes professionally by Jasmine Shanise. I am signed to the Kim Dawson agency, represented by agents: Melissa McQueen and Alyssa Van Hooser. I am a film, theater and commercial actress who is working hard to break into television. What sets me apart is my drive. My pursuit has become much like my breath, I NEED IT. I work hard in my training phases to be fully prepared for my opportunities when they arise. I am in various short films, web series here in the Dallas area. I have recently been cast to be in season 2 of Amazon Prime’s “Washed” that is spearheaded by the amazing Jerod Couch, Corey Pratt, and Nadirah Shakir. I recently studied Body and Movement under director extraordinaire, Ashley White, which helped me land a role in a feature film starring Catherine Keener of “Get Out”, “40-Year-Old Virgin”, “Capote” and “Being John Malkovich” fame. Since producing my own content, I started a production company called ZNG Media, which honors my children: Zarah and Zahavi Gammon. I am hoping that through hard work and dedication, I will have something super successful to pass down to them with pretty awesome content. I am also working hard to get out a passion project of mine called “I Luh Jas”, as a web series, which is a modern ode to ‘I Love Lucy’!
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Dallas is an amazing city with beautiful people and a great number of amazing creatives. The industry here favors commercial work but it lacks in meaty film and television projects which are discouraging for creatives. What I would change is the amount of work here but in the case of an influx of work, I would have to encourage a stronger method of training. We lose a lot of our talent to LA, Atlanta, New York, New Orleans, in their pursuit of greater opportunities. If I could change a thing, I would give the world a lens so they could see us. Dallas gave me a start when I knew nothing and I know it will be the same for countless others.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.imdb.me/jasmineshanise
- Email: j.shanise@gmail.com
- Instagram: @jshanise
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jshanise
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jshanise
Image Credit:
Visions By Ken, Stomping Ground Comedy-Jacie Hood, Brent Weber
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