Today we’d like to introduce you to Khitam Jabr.
Hi Khitam, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up, the option of pursuing something creative wasn’t something that presented to me. The career paths that brought glory to the family were limited to doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. I thought I wanted to be a dentist. So much so that I have my degree in Chemistry and even applied to dental schools. Before sending in my secondary applications, I lay cuddled up to my mother one night and spilled my guts about fulfilling her dreams, not mine. She told me to do what made me happy, but I hated that what made me happy didn’t make her proud.
Post graduation in 2014, if I wasn’t on a large commercial set as a production assistant, I was photographing bands or filming weddings. This led to directing and shooting music videos for bands based in Kansas City like The Philistines, Emmaline Twist, Katy Guillen & The Girls (now Katy Guillen & The Drive), Calvin Arsenia, and Chris Meck & The Guilty Birds. From there, I went on to production coordinate on big-budget commercials, and I was even a casting producer for a show called The Rap Game, which aired on the Lifetime Network. One of the most memorable projects I worked on involved filming a documentary in a maximum security prison in Topeka, KS, with my buddy Mikal Shapiro. During this time, I was also pursuing music with my best friend, EJ. In college, we would perform at talent shows or coffee houses. I played guitar. Post college, we played random gigs from record stores to garages to the battle of the bands. EJ has such an ethereal and beautiful voice; people noticed anywhere we played. A couple of years post-graduation, we got serious, pulled together a full band, and even recorded a well-respected five-song EP that we released with a packed show at my favorite venue in Kansas City, Record bar.
In 2017, shit happened. I left the band and moved to New York City to pursue my purpose, which is in film. I’m 27 at this point and had to renter the industry as a PA again. It didn’t take long before I was coordinating, and then BAM, a global pandemic baby. I went from being a booked freelance person to having all the free time but somehow managed to land an in-house job at a sneaker start-up from a tweet a month into the pandemic. The financial stability was very nice at that time but working for that company was a specific chaotic cringe-worthy experience that I was glad to exit about a year later. I felt guilty about thriving when so much went to shit for people.
In 2020, I directed a full-length fashion film called “Summer Hindsight” that placed in an impressive amount of festivals. I had the privilege of filming a digital show that centers around the Black cultural zeitgeist with my buddy Mamoudou N’Diaye and the hilarious Yedoye Travis and Becca O’Neil. Post sneaker start-up exit, I did a healthy amount of art coordinating for one of my favorite Production Designers, Taylor Horne. Working with him landed me on set with her and David Blaine.
Since I got into the industry, I’ve toggled between being on the production side of things and filming/directing content. This year I made a point to do more gigs where I’m holding a camera. As a result, I’ve gotten to work with Barclays, GREAT, Redken, Matrix, Ulta Beauty, & Turo this year, to name a few. I made mine on screen debut in a music video I also directed called “Discoloration” for my pals Katy Guillen & The Drive.
At heart, I boil myself down to a storyteller, which inherently makes me a writer, which got me interested in this industry in the first place. Now that I have a healthy amount of experience under my belt and have found my footing in New York, I feel seasoned enough to tell the stories I want to tell. I’m writing a short film that I plan to be in production by January 2023. I’m so excited that this will be my first proper narrative project. It’s been nice to be able to pay the bills, but I’m ready to do more soulful work.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
How boring would it be if life were one smooth road? My path can be likened to the streets of Soho with the cobble streets and beautiful architecture. The drive-through always hurts, but the visuals are stunning along the way. Having studied Chemistry, it took me a while to shake my imposter syndrome and acknowledge that I am creative. Being on this side of 30 has helped me say it with my entire chest. I finally have the experience to back that claim up even though I’ve been a creative all along, Chemistry degree or not, and that’s on therapy!
Most of my struggles have been on a personal level. It took me a while to let go of any anxiety I had from deviating from a more traditional path, having come from a pretty cultural middle eastern family. I moved to New York without the support of my mother, who means the world to me. It was doubly frustrating knowing that had I been moving to New York for dental school, I’d have her full support. Present day while she still doesn’t know exactly what I do, she seems to have come around, and I love hosting her in the big apple.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
What I’m known as would depend on who you ask. I hope it’s primarily a film director, haha, but I do much more than only that. Some might know me as a photographer, camera operator, creative producer, production manager, or editor; at the end of the day, if I’m known as anything creative, that’s a W in my book. The music video I directed and produced for Calvin Arsenia’s rendition of “Toxic” ranks up as a project I’m most proud of. Three years later, I’m still grateful for the generosity of the film production community in Kansas City. A crew of 20+ professionals volunteered two days of their lives to make something truly special.
More recently, the crew delivered once again, and we made a music video for Katy Guillen & The Drive that is an homage to the movie Thelma & Louise. The shoot days were the best two days of my life. The video for “Bottom of Your Belly” comes out on 8/8, and I would love for you to check it out. I am most fulfilled when I am directing something I’m passionate about. My versatility makes me invaluable. I’m also very good with people and can read any room, which is important when working with others. I like to lead with selflessness and collaboration, while many leads with their egos and create a miserable experience for all involved. It doesn’t have to be that way. It does take a village.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc.?
My favorite app on my phone is the Notes app, haha. That’s where I jot down anything I come across that inspires. The 4 Agreements is a book that completely widened my perspective on humanity’s involvement. Patti Smith’s book Just Kids has been my favorite read in the past decade after moving to New York. I listen to NPR’s Up First podcast daily to stay informed of current events.
Contact Info:
- Website: KhitamJabr.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/khitam.mp4
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/khitam.jabr
- Twitter: twitter.com/khitamjabr
Image Credits
Travis Young Jeff Evrard Khitam Jabr
