Welcome back to our “Meet Motion Source” series, where we give you a “behind-the-scenes” look at our team. This article features our newest addition, Jamie Arnold, who joined the team as our new associate producer. While she’s only been around for a short time, she has jumped in head first on projects and isn’t slowing down.
Jamie was born in a small country town in the middle of Pennsylvania, called Roaring Springs. (To put things in perspective, her backyard was a huge apple orchard that went on for acres!) From there, she lived in the Nashville, Tennessee area for many years, so you could say she’s truly a country girl at heart.
She went to a Paul Mitchel Cosmetology school, The MUD Makeup Academy for print, film and beauty makeup artistry and Full Sail University for Entertainment Business.
How did you get into production and what has your journey been like so far?
I have always had a love for production since I was a little girl. Originally, I wanted to be an actress, however having stage fright is not the best for that job. Over the years, I became so intrigued with how the behind the scenes crew made a movie, TV show or commercial. I knew I wanted to be a part of "making things happen" on sets. Director was pretty high on my list as a kid as well.
I went to cosmetology school in 2005 and was the one that was always thinking outside the box. I knew what I wanted to do and that was work in production.
I was definitely the over the top creative black sheep that would sometimes skip out of a day of class to go assist a higher up artist on a film set at age 18/19. Other students and teachers looked at me as if my dreams were just that, dreams. I was not looking to be working in a salon the rest of my life.
After cosmetology, I went to NYC to expand my knowledge of makeup in the production world. There were countless years of pounding the pavement of working for free or next to nothing just to build up a portfolio and experience. During this time I also was going to school online with Full Sail University for Entertainment Business. I thought this would be a good thing to have in my back pocket for the business side.
After a lot of hard work and dedication over the years I started working on larger films and TV shows as an assistant in the MUAH (Makeup and Hair) department. It all came to a head when I was working on the show Nashville on ABC in my mid 20s and I was offered a key position after my first season with them. I continued with this production for 3 1/2 seasons. Over time, I have worked on so many projects from TV commercials to film and print. I was in the union for some time and I also became a signed artist for print and film in Chicago, Wisconsin and NYC. I have had some of my work also published and featured on an international basis.
I recently had a little girl on August 28th, 2020. Over the past year, I have attempted to work on longer running projects for Lifetime and Ion Television that were hitting 16+ hours a day on set. I quickly realized that my love for "the big time" had now been rightfully outshined by motherhood. I'll be honest, I would leave production if I had to for her. However, I came across a listing for a producer role for Motion Source and everything about it made my heart beat again. Thankfully, everything lined up perfectly and gave me the flexibility of family life as well.
What do you love most about your job/filmmaking?
Oh there are so many things....
I love the idea of creating a living, breathing world that is expanded outside of your head or a page. No matter who you are on a crew, you are a part of being a storyteller.
Film was a way to combine all my artistic interests- drama and dance, music and movement, acting, makeup and hair, costume, writing, interior design and fashion- it was a profession that I could do into old age and still never master.
Over the years I was able to travel and work with so many different people and wouldn’t have to work in an office 24/7- there would be variety and new challenges and creative problems to solve. The constant changing of the working environment always appealed to me.
I’d be able to make something that touched and moved people and myself the way certain film projects have affected me. I wanted to spend my time creating emotions through artistry, human interactions, to capture something about the human experience that expressed what it’s like to be alive.
When you’re not at Motion Source:
When I’m not working, you can find me running around the house like a maniac with my daughter and our 80 pound pit bull, playing acoustic guitar/singing, refurbishing furniture, and interior decorating.
Fun story from set:
Early in my career, I was working on a film that actor Judd Nelson (probably best known for his role of bad boy John Bender in The Breakfast Club) played the dad. I should preface, you have to have seen The Breakfast Club to understand this story…
We were in the passenger van going from one location to the other. When we ended up getting out of the van, Judd extended his hand out and I handed him my earring and closed his hand. When he opened his hand, he threw the earring down on the ground, laughed and said, "Jamie, you are lucky I like you. You have some balls". Judd proceeded to walk ahead, and as he turned around, looked at me and threw a fist up in the air.
Pretty cool to have one of your favorite movie scenes played out in real life.
Personal Mantra:
“Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over it became a butterfly.”
“This too shall pass.”
Fun facts/quirks:
I can do a mean "Predator face". Almost all of my fingers are double jointed. I've been a pescatarian for over 15 years. If I was doing one other thing in life, I would have a dog shelter for pit bulls.
Her role on set may have changed, but her dedication to the craft of filmmaking remains constant. Keep an eye out for Jamie on your next project, and make sure to say hi!
