Today we’d like to introduce you to Natali Jones.
Natali, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m an actress, director, producer, assistant director, and music supervisor in the film.
Originally from Dallas, went to K.D. Studio Actors Conservatory and got an Assoc. in Applied Arts and graduated in 2001 and moved to NYC a couple of years later with $500 and one suitcase and survived seven years. I knew this is what I wanted to do. They not only taught me in front of the camera but what’s required behind the camera and that’s when I learned I loved every aspect of this industry, and this is what I want to do the rest of my life!
Things are always changing, and I will never stop learning, and that’s one aspect I love of the industry! I love representing women in film both in front and behind the camera and showing we can do it all! I did multiple projects in Dallas and then when I turned 23, I knew I wanted more culture and adventure and wanted a change for a little bit, and that’s when I took the leap!
Moving out to NYC with next to nothing, I ended up being there seven years, so anything is possible! I stayed on a friends futon until I got a job. I walked onto the set of “Enchanted,” shooting in Times Square and gave my card to the Key PA, who also ended up being from TX, and he brought me onto jobs from there! I, fortunately, got to work on sets like “I Am Legend,” 3 seasons of “Law and Order: SVU,” “Rescue Me,” “30 Rock,” “Spiderman 3,” “The Amazing Spiderman,” and the list goes on.
The entire time, I’ve also owned a music company called Musika Productions. Booking bands at local venues, to music supervising in film, to national US tours, primarily for bands coming over from Europe. I’ve had my company for over a decade, but it has been hard to keep in a float by myself, but I did, and it’s going stronger today, now having a team behind me.
I teamed up with R. Bradley Morris, and Rhonda Burnette with Royal Goblin Films, now a sister company, and they have helped it get into full force! We also just wrapped a music video for Country artist Deanna Wheeler out of Austin, an ex-vet with a rare disease that has only been out of a wheelchair for four months now and making a comeback!
Between our companies, we have a comedy pilot in the works called RGTV, that I’m acting in and directing, a comic book and feature called MadCat, that I’m acting in, executive producing, and music supervising, (Pics attached) I moved to Austin for five years, and was getting called for more work in Dallas and moved back a couple of years ago with the help of my wonderful agent Linda McAlister Talent!
There’s been numerous work here from TV shows, to film, to voice overs and I’m so thankful how much they have helped me! I currently have a film on Netflix called Dead Awake, playing the main villain, from the creator of Final Destination, Jeffrey Reddick!
I’m also a dancer and danced back up for artists like Neo and Lady Sovereign in NYC! I’m thankful I’ve continued to get various job opportunities in front and behind the camera. I always want to constantly keep learning and push myself!
Has it been a smooth road?
Well, that’s a given being a starving artist, but also in NYC. Oh, the list of random side jobs is entertaining ha! But also in Dallas… it’s still not easy. When I was in NYC, I got diagnosed with a rare blood disease and put a damper on things, but I still kept working and wouldn’t let it hold me back, but eventually that it also part of why I came back to TX…
Health is most important, and I knew I needed to get that taken care of, but honestly, I was terrified. I didn’t know if my life was over if I would be in a wheelchair, or just what was going to happen. I was in the hospital for a couple of weeks in so much pain.
My blood was basically confused and wasn’t pumping blood to my heart properly. I had never been so scared in my life, but I’m so thankful to God and am okay now. Knowing exactly what I want to do, I would never let anything hold me back.
Time to time, I wonder if I should give in, but I can’t ever give this up. I won’t.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
My main company, Musika Productions, books bands locally in TX, NYC, and LA, to US national tours, to music supervision in film and soundtracks, music videos, etc. We have also recently started hosting events! We just started the Southern Film Maker Round-Up Series, hosting events in multiple states, to bring filmmakers together to spread their network and brand! We just had one in Louisiana and bringing the next one back to Dallas in late October!
Then from there, spreading it more throughout the South, but also getting Texas more recognition at the same time! My film production company is Ryder Films, which is what I use when my focus is directing or producing a film.
My master plan is to have one master production company with a music side, then a film side. Also, parenting with Royal Goblin Films and helping me bring my dream more to a reality, and we now have formed Symmetry Entertainment to accomplish all companies working together as one.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
While originally from DFW, I’ve fortunately gotten to keep traveling for work, but I love how many projects are happening in Dallas, and how it has always kept bringing me back, and look forward to it happening even more in DFW!
The five projects we have in pre-production here, and more in development, we look forward to providing many upcoming opportunities both in front and behind the camera for numerous local filmmakers!
We are all about the idea of working together and expanding the market! Overall, the outlook? I would say is growing and reaching a new level Dallas for, and we look forward to being a part of a new, fast flowing, and vibrate film and tv industry here in Dallas!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.NataliJones.com
- Email: inatalijones@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.Instagram.com/NataliJones
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NataliJones
- Twitter: www.Twitter.com/NataliJones
- Other: www.IMDB.me/NataliJones
Image Credit:
James Lamarr, Shannon Houk, Eryn Brooke, Todd Jenkins, Jay Estrada
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