Today we’d like to introduce you to Jake Abraham.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My name is Jake Abraham and I am a 21 year old Mexican/Lebanese filmmaker based in Dallas. A life-long lover of movies, I discovered in middle school how easy and efficient it was to make films in this day and age. My friends and I would get together and make short films that we would later post to YouTube, and though they were not high quality, I began to take them very seriously and realized that it was something I wanted to pursue further. As I continued to make film projects in high school, I realized that making movies was my true calling and something that I wanted to spend my life pursuing. Since graduating from Allen High School in 2021, I decided that my best course of action was not to obtain a degree in film, but rather, create my own production company and direct films within the Dallas area. This decision has ended up paying off as I have developed and directed two professionally shot short films, including “Best Played Loud” (2022) and my latest endeavor, “Daddy War Bucks” (2024), a family drama set in 1950’s Louisiana, which utilized union (SAG-AFTRA) talent. In the past 4 years I have also worked on a number of Film/TV productions including “Lawmen: Bass Reeves” on Paramount + and the CW’s “Walker” in Austin. This past summer, I premiered “Daddy War Bucks” at the Historic Texas Theater in Oak Cliff to a packed audience and great reception, while also attending the Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute in New York City. As I continue to develop my production company, I am embarking on my next project which I plan to shoot this year, and hope to continue making personal, emotionally driven films that resonate with audiences.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road to getting where I am now, and where I hope to be in the future, has not always been smooth. Anyone who is a creative understands how difficult it is to not only develop the tools to express yourself, but also how difficult it can be to find an audience. Over the course of my journey as a filmmaker, I have faced many obstacles, often struggling to get people to believe in my work and tirelessly pursuing actors, cinematographers, and producers to work on said projects. My latest film “Daddy War Bucks” took two years to complete (for reference the film is 19 minutes) and was an endeavor that I was often told wasn’t possible or at least feasible. My burning desire to tell a story that felt so personal to me and felt like something that only I could make, outweighed these doubts, and kept me going when rejection became frequent, and time seemed like it was passing without progress. One of the most challenging obstacles when making films is quite simply, money. A question I am often asked is “Where do the funds come from when creating these projects?” For both of my films, I partook in two successful crowdfunding campaigns, that ultimately gave me the funding necessary to get them off the ground. The crowdfunding process is often one that is not only strenuous, but also uncomfortable, requiring asking those who are close to you for contributions. That said, thanks to the generosity of many amazing friends and family members, I have been able to create the type of art that I am passionate about. Another aspect of the filmmaking process that is often disheartening, is the lack of return on investment, and also the difficulty of navigating the film festival market. Attempting to get your project seen at festivals can often feel discouraging, as it can sometimes feel like paying for rejection. That said, rejection is a necessary aspect of being a creative, regardless of your level of talent or quality of your project. Putting myself and my work out into the world in spite of these obstacles has ultimately strengthened my resolve and my ability to keep my eye on the next story I want to tell.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
The title of “filmmaker” especially when beginning, can fall under a large umbrella of roles. When making a film, I often wear many hats including writing, directing, producing, and editing. Although each role contributes to the same goal: Telling a strong story, they all require different skills that take many years to develop. I am most frequently a writer, which is a ritual that I partake in every day, and although it is the least glamorous of these roles, is the most essential in crafting a compelling story. From there I become a producer, securing funding and navigating the more logistical side of the process while collaborating with other producers to not only delegate the workload, but also gain different perspectives. When it comes time to shoot the film, I become the director and make the key decisions of casting, locations, costumes, makeup hair, shot choices, etc. in order to craft a singular vision. While it is essential that I, as a director, possess a vision, I can’t bring it to life without likeminded collaborators who utilize their talents to seamlessly weave every aspect of production together. As I hone my skills and experience, it becomes clearer that the process is collaborative through and through and cannot be done well without creatives who possess a vision of their own. What separates me, and allows my sets to run smoothly, is my obsessive need to prepare. Collaborators often comment on my level of preparedness, as I like to visualize every detail of production, which not only ensures a professional environment, but also imbues me with the confidence required to lead a large team. Many filmmakers prefer planning less and allowing the spontaneity of the moment inform their decisions, and while this is an appealing way of working, I find that preparing allows me to be more open to spontaneity and change, as I don’t lose sight of what I had originally planned. Over the course of my filmmaking journey, one of the things I am proudest of is the development of my style/artistic voice. I think this is something that takes a long time to craft, and while it is something that I am still working towards, I am beginning to better understand myself through the work.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
As someone who grew up an only child, I think it is only natural that I became a creative. Often being forced to entertain myself, I would frequently read, watch movies and build Legos as it provided me with an escape from isolation and boredom. I was always fairly shy and would keep to myself, although I would show those whom I befriended a more lively and energetic side. For ten years of my childhood, I played Baseball and other sports including Basketball and Soccer, and although I enjoyed athletics, I began responding to art and creativity in my teenage years. I always possessed an interest in crafting stories and would often look forward to creative writing assignments in school. My interest in people also blossomed from an early age, and contributed to my interest in writing character driven stories that explore humanity from many different facets.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jakeabrahamfilm.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakeabrahamfilm/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-abraham-3802122a8/
Image Credits
Gaven Dean
Jose Aragundi
Meredith Smith
