Conversations with Atlanta's Movers and Shakers, Reshaun Jones

Producer and Film and TV Writer, Reshaun Jones

A few weeks ago, we connected with producer and film and TV writer Reshaun Jones.

Originally from Hampton, Virginia, Jones is a bi-coastal writer and director and producer for film and TV, who splits his time between Atlanta and Los Angeles. Most recently, he directed The Nick & JJ Show and shadowed the writers' room on The Last Call for Bounce TV. He has been mentored by executive producer Lamont Farrell, who has worked on more than 350 episodes of television, in preparation for a staff writer position. Jones’ most recent TV pilot even caught the attention of Will Packer’s team.

The Nick & JJ Show was a different experience because I worked with kids, and working with kids is a different world,” Jones said. ’ The kids were amazing and professional, and overall, it was a great experience.”

“My main love and passion is writing, and my TV show pilot has won a few awards,” he said. “I got into a room one time with Will Packer’s team, and they were interested in my pilot. However, it wasn’t a good fit at the time. But, I do know that it’s only a matter of time before it gets produced. I realized that’s just how this industry is—you have to keep going, and those who keep going are the ones who end up on top.”

Reshaun Jones

Jones attended Old Dominion University. “I never knew I wanted to be in this industry, but I knew I liked television,” he said. “When I was younger, I used to watch The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air all the time. I loved Will Smith’s movies and wanted to be in that world. I never thought about taking theater until a pretty girl asked me to take a class with her. She ended up hating it, but I was entrenched in Shakespeare and loved it!”

It was during college that Jones realized he had a talent for writing. “When it came to English, I would stretch the boundaries,” he said. “I once wrote a paper on the mindset of Black households, incorporating hip-hop and The Fresh Prince. My teacher had never seen anything like it before, and I ended up receiveing an A. I was also big on typos—even when I text my friends, I’ll correct their grammar!”

Jones initially pursued acting and moved to Los Angeles in 2010. “I booked a couple of co-star roles on ABC’s Revenge and Pretty Little Liars,” he said. “In 2015, I had a producer session for FX’s Snowfall. The process was crazy, but I ended up going pretty far, where I met John Singleton and Eric Amadio. That experience made me want to get into writing more because I wanted more power. With writing, I could control the world. I always say, "I would rather create Wakanda than be Black Panther, because I’d rather create the world.”

Jones didn’t broadcast his love of the arts to his parents. “I quietly watched the TV shows they watched,” he said. “They didn’t know that putting on New York Undercover or taking me to see Spike Lee films was nourishing my creative gift. But, Do the Right Thing changed everything for me.”

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for our full conversation.

“My favorite movie is Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing,” Jones said. “I even wrote a paper about it in college, and my professor was so inspired she watched it for the first time. Being able to convey a vision to the world through film is powerful. I remember feeling the heat from the screen in that movie. How hot the day was.”

Jones also admires director Michael Mann. “The way he filmed—sometimes you could see the camera shake,” he said. “I got to a point where I didn’t even need to see a director's name in the credits because I could tell by how the camera moved, certain angles, who it was.”

My most recent inspirations are Jordan Peele and Ryan Coogler. “They’re making films we didn’t grow up with—Black horror films like Get Out and Us,” he said. “Coogler is about to drop Sinners with Michael B. Jordan, and I’m excited to see that!”

Jones shares about his most memorable project. 

“The most memorable project I worked on was Pretty Little Liars,” Jones said. “There was a scene where I had no one to act against. The director and producer were both great, but I remember thinking, ‘I would’ve done this differently!’ That’s when I knew I wanted to be behind the camera.”

Atlanta Film and TV: Do you have a piece of advice for aspiring Directors and Actors?

“To become a writer or director, you have to start writing and directing,” Jones said. “One of my issues was thinking I could make a big-budget film overnight. That’s not how it works. Start somewhere. Issa Rae created a web series that became popular before HBO came calling. Work with your friends—don’t focus on what you don’t have, but fall in love with what you do have.”

Reshaun Jones

Atlanta Film and TV: Do you have any G.E.M.S. (Great Educational Moments with Movers and Shakers) you would like to share with our readers and viewers?

“If you have an idea, write it down,” Jones advised. “Use your iPhone’s notes app so you don’t forget it. And stop coming into the industry thinking you deserve anything. You have to put in the work. Study. Get on stage.”

Jones shares a few final words for our readers and viewers. 

“Keep going,” Jones said. “There are a lot of opportunities, and you never know where they’ll lead. I started as an actor, but writing and directing pulled at my heart. Keep your mind open to learning different aspects of the industry. If you know how to direct, learn how to edit. If you know how to edit, shadow someone who works in sound, because you never know! You might fall in love with it.”

You can connect with Reshaun Jones on Instagram @reshaunjones or at Reshaun.Jones@gmail.com