Alumni Spotlight: Natalie Harris

NATALIE JASMINE HARRIS (NFFTY ‘18, ‘19) is a queer-identified, Black writer/director and producer from Maryland. Her creative work often exists within the coming-of-age genre, which she views as an essential tool to re-imagine liberation for young girls, the Black community, and LGBTQ+ individuals. Over the years, Natalie has screened three of her short films at NFFTY and many other festivals all over the world, worked for Elizabeth Warren's presidential campaign, and participated in fellowships with Warner Bros. and The Emma Bowen Foundation. Natalie is a 2020 recipient of the Directors Guild of America’s Student Film Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement and The Black Film Space 2020 Black Filmmaker Fund.

Our Interview with Natalie:

How did you discover your passion for filmmaking?

I discovered my passion for filmmaking through participating in social justice movements in high school. I went to some of my first protests during the Black Lives Matter Movement in 2015 and naturally took a camera with me to capture everything. I edited the footage into short documentaries that I showed to people in my predominately white high school with the goal of exposing them to what was happening in the real world. They never really understood, haha, but by making films that talked about social justice, I realized how large an impact filmmaking could have! Knowing that the stories I tell can be a part of larger conversations ignited my passion for filmmaking and keeps inspiring me to tell stories today. Now, instead of making films to help folks understand me or my struggles, my goal has shifted into making films that care less about educating people on my existence and more about representing it for those who are like me and don’t feel seen.

You’ve done everything from producing to writing/directing to editing in a handful of different film forms and genres -- how do you balance your personal projects with other exciting gigs? What kind of stories or artists are you drawn to when attaching yourself to a project? 

The balancing act is something that I’m still learning! I’ve learned that I need to be very passionate about the projects I dedicate myself to as a producer to balance them with everything else in my life. I’m particularly drawn to working with other Black and/or queer artists and to stories that center joy.

During the past election cycle, you had an opportunity to work with the Elizabeth Warren campaign, and to produce a documentary in collaboration with TIME Magazine about the historic significance of Kamala Harris on the presidential ticket. How did you find these opportunities? Have you always been interested in producing politically-related work?

Both of these opportunities came to me in pretty strange ways, to be honest! I saw an opening for Team Warren on Facebook, and the Kamala piece was pitched to me by a TIME Magazine producer who I went to college with. I’ve always been interested in creating films with a political lens, so using my filmmaking to support political campaigns felt very aligned with who I am. The Warren campaign was definitely the best work experience I’ve had thus far.

In the fall of 2020 you were invited to participate in the New Orleans Film Festival pitch competition (South Pitch). Was this your first time participating in a pitch competition? What was that experience like? 

Yes, this was my first time participating in a pitch competition! I actually have a stutter, so my anxiety tripled when I found out that I was accepted into the competition, but I knew I had to power through. Now that I’ve done my first pitch, it’s helped me understand how to do more of them. I’ve realized that pitching will probably never be “easy” for me, but it’s something that I’m getting more comfortable with since New Orleans.

What do you wish you had known before starting school at NYU Tisch School of the Arts? Do you have any advice for other young filmmakers hoping to make the most out of a film school education and experience?

I love this question! Many people ask me what I wish I knew while in film school, but never before film school. I actually transferred to NYU and often felt insecure about that. If any future transfer students are reading this, know that you deserve to be at your school just as much as everyone else! 

The biggest piece of advice I would give to those still in school is to take advantage of every opportunity and resource available to you now. Make as many films as you can and explore different genres, story structures, styles, etc., because it might become more difficult to play when you’re no longer in school. Also, learn how to pitch! This is such an essential part of filmmaking. No matter how successful you are, pitching never really ends.

Your most recent film, Pure, has been incredibly well received, and has already won a few awards -- including the DGA Student Film Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement! What has it been like to see the film achieve so much success so early on, especially considering your plans to develop the story into a feature? Has your experience showing the short to an audience altered how you envision a full-length version unfolding?

I’m still so humbled and shocked by the incredible reception Pure has received so far! How I envision the full-length film hasn’t changed much since receiving some of this recognition, but my perspective on Pure needing to be told has. I haven’t seen many films that showcase Black girlhood in the way that Pure does, and for a while, it made me question if people even care to see a story like this. The outpouring of love from viewers, festivals, and places like The DGA has helped to overpower a lot of my doubt and imposter syndrome about moving forward with the feature. Knowing that people care about the story and want to see it as a feature film helps me to keep fighting for it.

You have had multiple films screen at the festival, and you currently serve on the Alumni Advisory Board. How has NFFTY impacted your life or career?

Attending NFFTY for the first time helped me gain confidence in my work as a filmmaker. Being surrounded by so many young and ambitious filmmakers was so beautiful and empowering. I’ve formed relationships with other artists at the festival that I still maintain today! I’m actually working with Frazier Bostic, who I met at NFFTY in 2018, on a visual poem called This Too Shall Pass. I can’t thank NFFTY enough for helping me feel validated as a young filmmaker and for helping me form community with other young filmmakers all over the globe! It’s an honor to be able to give back to NFFTY by serving on the Alumni Advisory Board now!

What’s next for you?

So many things! I’ve been working on developing my short film Pure into a feature since January 2020. I’m also producing quite a bit, directing my first commercial in January, and working on my next 2 short films: the visual poem This Too Shall Pass and a Black Southern Gothic short film called Grace.