July 23, 2020

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Mia Ginaé Watkins

NFFTY has grown into a wonderful community of over 2,700 filmmakers from around the world. Alumni have experienced success in many areas of the media industry. To celebrate these achievements, we are highlighting NFFTY alumni here!

Mia Ginaé Watkins (NFFTY ‘16, ‘17, ‘18) is a writer, filmmaker, video editor, and visual artist. Her award-winning film work has been exhibited at film festivals in the US and Canada, including the Toronto Short Film Festival, Tacoma Film Festival, Citizen Jane, DC Black Film Festival, and Portland Unknown. In addition to her other creative pursuits, Mia is currently working in the video game industry. She got her start working as a video editor for Sony PlayStation games, and is currently the Community Outreach Specialist at PlayStation.

OUR INTERVIEW WITH MIA:

You say that writing is your first love, and you self-published a novel at age 16! How has being a writer influenced the work you’ve done in the film and video game industries? 

For me, there has been a lot of influence both ways. Film has influenced my writing when it comes to expanding on characters and themes. I’m really thankful for the film history and aesthetics classes I took in college; it really helped frame the things I watched in a new light. As far as writing influencing my film work, it’s similar. When I do long-form writing, I focus on using my words to paint a picture for the reader. When it comes to film, I focus on using my words and the set and the actors and whatever else is in the frame to paint the picture... but making sure it makes sense. I think it took me a while to wrap my head around that. 

In the video game industry, part of my job is creating internal video content and showcasing how awesome the teams are. It’s my job to tell a story about our employees. I always ask myself, “What do we want people to know? What’s the story that we want to tell?”

You are also a very talented photographer. Where do you draw inspiration for your photography, or what subjects do you find yourself most drawn to? 

Photos that play with space really inspire me. Recently I’ve been really interested in Afrofuturist portraits and photoshoots. I haven’t done a whole lot of DSLR photography in a while, but I’ve spent the last few years playing with Polaroid cameras. I love how nostalgic they are! I recently organized my family photos and found a Polaroid 600 Square Instant Camera that was hiding away in the house. The photos I take are mostly of friends and family. Digital photos are great, but I want to create physical memories I can look back on.

A good portion of your film work is in music videos. What is it about that particular genre that you enjoy or find exciting? 

To me, music videos are a medium for boundless, limitless creativity, which can make it challenging or fun or... both! When I hear a song I really like, I imagine a movie in my head and I get so obsessed with bringing that image to life. I do both music videos by original artists as well as fan music videos. Fan music videos are like fan art to me. The latest fan music video I did was for a drum & bass group called Ivy Lab; I had a blast making that with my friends. 

You’ve spent time working at PlayStation, both as a video editor and currently as the Community Outreach Specialist. How did you find yourself in the video game industry? 

My brother and I grew up playing Sonic, The Legend of Zelda, Sly Cooper, and more. I’ve always been a gamer at heart and wanted to jump into the video game industry. Four months after graduating from college, I applied for PlayStation’s internship program and started on as a video editor. It’s been a fun and wild ride! I continue to meet so many amazing people each day and it’s awesome getting to know what’s behind-the-scenes in the gaming industry. It’s been a dream.

What were some highlights of working as a video editor in gaming, and how did you decide to take on a different role at PlayStation?

I really enjoyed working on the in-game cinematics! It was cool seeing the games I worked on come together. I was also tasked with creating digital content to promote games, so I was kind of seeing the games that we were working at different stages. I’ve worked on Death Stranding, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, Days Gone, MLB The Show series, and a couple of others. 

In the midst of editing cut-scenes and digital campaigns, I also took on the task of creating our department’s internal newsletter. My focus is on telling the stories of employees and the projects they worked on. PlayStation is a huge company, so the newsletter gave me the opportunity to learn more about people’s contribution to our games as well as the chance to form new connections! My work on this project caught the eye of another sub-group within my department and led me to my current position as a Community Outreach Specialist. It was great timing. I had been a video editor for two years and was looking for more opportunities to grow within PlayStation.   

Do you have any advice for young filmmakers looking to transition into the world of gaming? Are there particular skills you found especially useful when entering that world? 

Whatever passion you’re pursuing, whatever is calling you, lean into it. I never would’ve imagined video editing being my foot in the door in the video game industry. I would spend summers in middle and high school editing AMVs and GMVs (anime music videos and game music videos) non-stop. Folks close to me weren’t really sure if there was a career in what I was pursuing, and at that time in my life, I wasn’t really sure where video editing was going to take me. I just knew that I really enjoyed it. All that time in my basement gave me skills that benefitted me in college (I traded in my basement for editing suites), which led to where I am today. So to answer this question, I would tell young filmmakers to trust your gut. Let it guide you. Keep this in mind as you make your way in the world. I’ve met some talented cinematographers, editors, and motion graphic artists in the video game industry. Video games need filmmakers too!

How has NFFTY impacted your life or career? 

It was so incredible meeting talented creators my age from all walks of life. I had so much fun connecting and learning from my fellow filmmakers. The festival really facilitated a creative space to grow as an artist and I left inspired and encouraged to continue on my path. 

What’s next for you? 

I’m finishing up my fantasy novel, which focuses on three protagonists trying to understand their magic in the midst of a dying world. I’m also writing short film scripts, and leading a virtual writers group on the weekends, as well as a virtual improv group. Definitely keeping myself busy! Thank you for this interview!