Actress / Writer / Producer Jenna St. John has always had a love of storytelling and acting has been a major vehicle for her as a storyteller. Jenna’s father used to make up a story for her and her sister before bedtime while growing up. That sparked a love of stories. Jenna didn't grow up thinking "I want to be an actress," she was one of those kids that wanted to be a teacher and then a pilot and then a vet and then a paleontologist and the list goes on. Acting ended up being the way she could be everything she ever wanted to be and a storyteller as well.
Jenna will travel anywhere in order to play a great character, but most of her out-of-state travels are to New York. The obstacle that Jenna sees as being frustrating is when directors use actresses to "sell sex" in their films. Even though Jenna understands that sex is a part of life and many stories, she will ask a lot of questions when the topic comes up and sadly, nearly every time sex is used for "production value" and not as a medium for the story or character.
Born in Seoul, South Korea, Jenna moved to the states when she was 16. While in Korea, Jenna was on a television show for a few years called Middle School English. She just wrapped a film she wrote and acted in called Conquering the Rose directed by J. Michael Whalen. Actor George Katt and Emmy Nominated actress, Kera O'Bryon also star in the film. It will be completed in 2011. Jenna also just finished playing the title role in "Luna," a short film by Dmitry Yun. Jenna has also had roles in 6 Nonsmokers, Boxing Day, Zombthology, Cannibal Cheerleader Camp and Over and Over Qualified.
Writing has always been a part of Jenna just like acting, both stemming from her love of characters. Jenna didn't start to share her writing until she was in high school and eventually got her Masters Degree in Fiction Writing. Producing just kind of happened for the actress. Her first few producer credits weren't by hire but were given to Jenna after production started because she would end up being so involved in everything.
What does Jenna like more? Acting, producing or writing? Acting and writing both go hand in hand for her. Jenna is a very emotional writer and she has to trigger certain emotions while writing a character just like when she is acting. Both are pretty therapeutic and would have to take the cake on what she likes more. Jenna has recently been cast in Adumbral, a film noir mystery. Her goal - keep going after roles very different than the ones in the past. Jenna is looking forward to something to come along that scares her a little bit, in a challenging-out-of-my-comfort-zone kind of way.
Jenna has plenty connections in the local area and she thinks Baltimore is the most filmmaker friendly city in the area. They're the most helpful and really understand Indie Filmmakers - most of us aren't millionaires and yes, we're making resource heavy art. For Conquering the Rose, the cast and crew filmed at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore because they were so helpful in renting us an affordable Gallery and Theatre space. Jenna plays Rachel in Roulette by Baltimore Filmmaker, Erik Kristopher Myers. Most of it was filmed in or around Baltimore and with local cast and crew. You tend to run into the same crew and cast members again and again from Baltimore all the way through DC into Richmond, so it is hard to determine where to categorize the films and filmmakers, which is a good thing, a very, very good thing. Jenna thinks its evidence how much the film community is growing out here. You can learn more about Jenna St. John at www.jennastjohn.com.
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