Local StoriesMay 31, 2024

Meet Jamal Adams

Local Stories

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Jamal Adams. Jamal was introduced to us by the brilliant and talented Weam Namou.

Jamal, thank you so much for joining us today. We’d love for you to bring our readers up to speed – can you introduce yourself and share your story?
It’s too much to type, but I would love to share that with you during the interview. The short version is I graduated from the Motion Picture Institute in 2019 but my love affair with cinema began when I was six years old. The journey from there to right now is a long one that I would love to share when we talk.

Let’s talk about your work and career – what else should we know?
I am a Director, writer, and editor, but I can work any position on set that can be done in a wheelchair. I love every aspect of filmmaking and I enjoy working on sets in any capacity even if I’m just a PA pouring coffee and fetching snacks. I went to film school for two reasons; to direct Marvel movies and episodic television. Becoming a member of the Director’s Guild of America would be an absolute dream come true and the equivalent of hitting the career lottery.

So, as we mentioned to our audience earlier, you were introduced to us by Weam Namou and we really admire them and what they’ve built. For folks who might not be as familiar, can you tell them a bit about your experience with Weam.
I remember seeing the job posting on my school’s career opportunities page. There was also an article about her in the Detroit FreePress. I didn’t apply right away because another graduate that I had worked with before commented on the post and I thought she would be better at the job than me. Being the 1st A.D. requires you to crack the proverbial whip to keep things on schedule and that’s not really my personality. As a Director, I don’t have to do that at all. However, I looked at it as an opportunity I couldn’t pass up so I decided to apply, with zero expectation of being hired. I met with Weam, she liked me and hired me. I really appreciate her ignoring my physical disability and hiring me because she thought I was qualified. From that point, I became her right hand, man and biggest supporter during her journey. As a result of our experience making this film, me and her have become friends and she has made me part of her family. I truly appreciate that and it means a lot to me. Three months, after shooting wrapped, I was hired as editor. I hadn’t edited a feature film before but she had faith in my abilities. I’m grateful for that and the success of this project on the festival circuit validates a lot of things for me.