Page 15 - Poze Magazine Volume 85

POZE MAGAZINE

Jayson Johnson
So I did.
I started creating shorts—nine so
far—that have screened at over 90
film festivals worldwide, picking
up six awards along the way. That
stretch of independent
filmmaking was as grueling as it
was gratifying. It also made me
see that to keep creating on my
own terms, I needed to formalize Jayson Johnson
my hustle. I needed my own That’s how Strike Five Films came to Strike Five isn’t just a
production house.
life. The name itself is a declaration: production company;
So I did. it flips the baseball adage of “three it’s an ethos. Alongside
I started creating shorts—nine strikes and you’re out” on its head. our films, we also run a
so far—that have screened at Because in life—and especially in film-inspired
over 90 film festivals filmmaking—you can’t give up so streetwear line that
worldwide, picking up six quickly. You have to be willing to lets people literally
awards along the way. That swing, to strike out, again and wear the stories they
stretch of independent again, if you’re ever going to believe in. It’s another
filmmaking was as grueling as advance your goals and succeed. way to spark
it was gratifying. It also made Strike Five was something I gave to conversations, build
me see that to keep creating myself because I couldn’t find other community, and bring
on my own terms, I needed to companies willing to bet on me, my our cinematic worlds
formalize my hustle. I needed ideas, or my vision. So I created the off the screen and into
my own production house. company that would. daily life

9