MONDAY MORNING HOLLYWOOD
At seventeen, Jairaj Walia discovered his calling when he took a summer course at USC's film school. It was love at first frame. Jairaj spent the next five years learning the craft through directing short films. By the time he was twenty-two Jairaj had written and directed sixteen short films; among them was In the Foxhole which traveled the film festival circuit all the way to the Hallmark Movie Channel as part of the Film Positive Initiative. Next up is Jairaj’s first feature film, an indie comedy loosely based on his own life which he wrote and directed. "Pendejo," staring Denny Trejo, is set to hit the festivals in 2012.
What was the first job you ever had? My dad hired me to wash and wax his car for 50 cents. I was also given the grand task of shining all of his shoes for a staggering $1. When I got a little older, my first real job was filing at my family’s business, Personnel Plus Inc. During summer break I would work at the office and help them sort papers and file them away. I think my name is still in their “hall of fame” for filing.
What made you pursue a career in Hollywood? I have always been interested in the entertainment industry and have always loved movies. I started out wanting to be an actor, but as I began learning more and more about filmmaking, I realized that I wanted to be behind the camera.
What was your first job in the movie/TV business and how did you get it? I worked on a TV series called Showbiz India. It’s similar to Entertainment Tonight, but focuses on Bollywood. I did some camerawork and editing for them in LA and New York.
Do you have a favorite story from the trenches? Working with Danny Trejo on Pendejo. You think of him as an intimidating guy who is always slicing and dicing someone in the movies, so I thought it would be a good idea to put him in a romantic comedy. He was brilliant, but when he first came to the set, I was somewhat reluctant to go over and talk to him. I was pleasantly surprised to find that he is one of the nicest people you could ever meet. He kept calling me “Sir,” which really threw me off my game. Here is this actor that I have grown up watching, who looks like he could easily massacre anyone, and he turns out to be the most polite and respectful man in the room. So Danny and I pretty much spent the rest of our time working together calling each other “Sir.”
What is your dream job? If I can make movies for the rest of my life and make a living at it, I will die a happy man.
What do you do on a typical day off? I usually spend time with my dogs. I also spend time with family and friends, and go to the movies. On days when I’m really tired, I just sit in one place and try to empty my mind. By doing that, the creative juices start flowing and I’ll get a new idea for a movie.
What inspires you? Films inspire me. There are certain movies that remind me that I am a movie lover. Some films manage to make me forget that I know how they are made – what technical tricks they used. Certain movies just make me eat popcorn and drink soda until either the movie ends or my treats are gone. But the movies that take me back to when I knew nothing about filmmaking are the films that really inspire me! Another thing that inspires me is my parents’ work ethic. They’re not in the entertainment industry, but they came to America from India with a total of $21. They scraped and worked and built something from nothing and today they own and operate one of the largest temporary staffing agencies in Southern California. It inspires me to know how they got to where they are, what values they still hold dear, and the fact that even though they have succeeded in their industry, they still care.
What advice do you have for aspiring filmmakers? Never give up.
What are you doing now?I’m finishing up post-production on Pendejo.
What do you hope to be doing ten years from now? Ten years from now I hope to be doing exactly what I am doing today, directing feature films. I just want to keep making movies, not just for the next ten years, but until the film of life calls “Cut.”
To learn more about Jairaj and his upcoming film Pendejo visit http://www.pendejomovie.com/
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