JACKSON BRINK
Writer / Director of the Year 2022
Lee's Summit High School
Lee's Summit, MO

Jackson Brink, Makenna Baylie, Jordan Devoy, and Jordan Lacey - all 4 of us were involved in some aspect of making Landline.  I was wanting to accomplish a story that felt true to the time and that displayed a representation of homosexuality during the 90s.

​I was motivated because I was interested in creating a project that wasn't so centered on the love story but instead on the conflict and how it affects family relationships.

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All of Jackson Brink's short films will be screened at the OUR PRIDE Video Fest.  All Student Tickets are FREE.  Please order your tickets here.

Press Release

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As Jackson's advisor, I am so proud of the growth I have witnessed over the past 3 years I have taught him.  As a sophomore, he was quiet and lacking confidence.  During his junior year, he got more involved in theatre and started working with some upperclassmen on film projects.  This is when I saw him begin to flourish.

​He is constantly working on multiple projects at the same time and pushes himself to get out of his comfort zone.  His technical skills are some of the best I have seen in a high school student and more importantly, he is coachable.  He always listens to feedback and always wants to improve. 
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Karrie Smythia, Advisor

The Relics was something that I tackled on my own with the help of my actors, Danielle Omer, Sam Matthews, Grace Westbrook, Ryleigh Geneser, Gus Costanzo, Addison Foote, and Sergio Guerra.

I was motivated by the story I was wanting to tell.  I like to have a variety of films I create and a murder mystery seemed like a fun challenge.

My original inspiration was early 1950 noir films.  I wanted to accomplish the just whole complete film as it was a feature film script with a long-running time.  It was a great feeling to know I accomplished that.

After sending Jackson the information about the Our Pride Video Fest, he asked to meet at school over the summer to discuss his ideas.  We met for a few hours and I will always remember how beneficial and rewarding that meeting was for both of us.  We collaborated, I offered feedback, and he left with excitement and confidence. 

I have taught for 24 years and students like Jackson are few and far between. I have many students who have gone on to study at film schools and some are currently in the business.  I can't wait to add Jackson to that list and I am so excited to see what he accomplishes!

Karrie Symthia, Advisor

Jackson Brink, Olivia Palmer, Riley Fain, Adrianna Barnes - Grace Westbrook, Nick Harris. The first 4 all worked on a technical aspect and Grace and Nick were our lovely actors!

I was wanting to accomplish something that was personal to me and what was going on in my life at the time. I looked at a lot of independent films and their plot structure and cinematography to convey a coming-of-age story.

​I was motivated because of the importance of the idea of the queer experience and how it can affect a person, as it was something I was struggling with at the time of production.

As an aspiring filmmaker, it is important to me to create characters and different worlds that an audience can still relate to. When I go into the pre-production process of writing a film, I think of real, impactful stories that will leave the viewers thinking about it when the credits roll.

In my future projects, I hope to further that idea by expanding my perspective to different social topics that I have yet to touch on. Once I have an idea of what kind of story I want to tell, I always think of something that has or was personal to me previously in my life.

​So, by the finished product, it is evident of the care and dedication I brought to the complete film.

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The title of my film, Imperfect, had the aim to contrast from the ideology of being the perfect person inside and out.  As seen in the short film, that is not exactly possible, as it leads to serious consequences for the film’s lead protagonist.  To convey my themes and message following my intention, I decided to show the protagonist’s emotions and reactions through a mirror.

As the director and co-cinematographer, I wanted to capture the true essence of reality as a whole in the film with its themes. I believe without those specific techniques, the film wouldn’t come near as impactful as how it already is.

This is How You Die was something I had done completely on my own during a weekend at my grandma's house as I was dog-sitting.

I was wanting to tackle a paranormal story that would be different from a serious drama. I looked at films like Insidious and The Conjuring, James Wan specifically.

A challenge was filming this with one crew member and actor, myself!

​A tripod came in handy!