Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Salgado.
Jennifer, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Growing up in Houston, Texas, I was always exposed to the strong art culture embedded in the city. My mother constantly took me and my older sister to art museums, experimental film screenings, community theaters, the symphony, art classes, ballet lessons, and spent days reading and making arts and crafts. I remember finding some of these outings particularly boring as a kid, and experimental films were just a mere display of visuals that didn’t make sense to me. I didn’t realize it, but everything I was absorbing reflected in my writing at school. As my love for writing quietly grew, I simultaneously developed a strong passion for ballet. As an early adolescent, I decided a career in dance was my path, so I danced ballet for 11 years. When I entered high school, my journey to become a professional dancer came to a halt. The perfectionism rooted in the art form and myself proved harmful to my mental health and well-being. Something that was once a pure love turned into a harrowing, toxic relationship. Heartbroken and feeling empty without a passion, I coasted through the first few months of high school having no idea what I wanted to pursue in life. One reading comprehension class was all it took to find the spark that would revive me. A jaw-dropping plot twist of an episode of the UK show, “Black Mirror” was the inception of my affinity for screenwriting; I’ve never been rattled by such storytelling. It was then that I realized all of its brilliance begins and ends with the writing. I thought, “this is something I could really love to do.” In hindsight, it was an epiphanic moment, as writing has always been innate to my self expression. Now I think, of course I found my way back to it. My love for film and screenwriting was expanding like the universe, and by the time I was graduating, I knew writing and directing films was my life’s purpose. Although my passion was solidified, I had some doubts. Having just turned 18, approaching a new chapter with a passion that I felt burning but was too inexperienced to pursue, I was scared. I couldn’t handle another passion miscarriage. I applied to film schools in Los Angeles and New York, but ultimately chose to stick with my safety school in Houston. I was upset that I didn’t take the risk in exploring to go out of state and study film, but I pivoted. I found Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas and did everything I could to transfer to study their Digital Film and Media Production program. When I got accepted for the fall 2022 semester, I was ecstatic. As soon as I saw the titles of the textbooks in my portal, it was like a spark reigniting. Those 3 years studying at OLLU were the most formative years of my life. I had the privilege to be taught and mentored by Antoinette Winstead- author, poet, playwright, and director. I left every single one of her classes with the fire bigger and brighter than before. My time at OLLU fundamentally prepared me to write, direct, and produce my first short film and capstone project, Like a Hummingbird. This long awaited film about a young woman navigating broken family dynamics will be shared with the community this year, and I stand so excited to showcase it. After graduating in May of 2025, I took a small rest before immediately getting thrown into film work, one set after another. The work in San Antonio quickly spread to Austin, Texas. I felt a shift as soon as I arrived in Austin; I’ve never felt anything quite like it. There was a feeling of creative chaos, a zealous hunger for collaboration and growth that I shared in. I was on a high that I never wanted to come down from, so I chased it. I had a serendipitous feeling that I was meant to be here and that I’d flourish in this city. For 7 months, I couch-surfed at the houses of various friends who I met on film sets, until I officially moved into a place of my own in March of this year. I am eternally grateful for my family’s support in my pursuit of creating meaningful art. I’m beyond thankful for the inspiring friends and collaborators I met in Austin that prompted my move, for believing in me and my dream let alone welcoming me to stay in their houses for months to chase what I’m meant to do. I knew I wouldn’t regret that decision; I’ve taken so many experiences and stories with me from this profound journey. I now work between Austin, San Antonio, and Houston on film sets and different creative projects full time, while working independently on my own personal projects and films.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s an amazing feeling to be seen as an artist and for people to see a gift in me from witnessing my work. However, it can be difficult to navigate the fine line between identity as an artist and identity as an individual. After receiving positive feedback on my capstone film from my audience and peers, the pressure continued to mount. The need to constantly outdo my previous work became the only goal and philosophy in my mind. I woke up thinking that, I went to sleep thinking that. Tenacity is key to success, but my harsh inner critic convinced me that my art defined me. This couldn’t be more wrong, but I was losing myself. I was using my ideas and creative work as a metric for my self worth. My drive to create started to feel like performing for an exam. This feeling didn’t sit right with me in my soul, as this is not why I make films; I’m not performance based. By forcing my creativity, I felt disconnected from my artistry and I inevitably became blocked. In the last year, I’ve been challenged with the concept of work-life balance. With so much change and relentless work within a year, I didn’t slow down and take a second to remember who I was, why I create, or why I moved here in the first place. The decision to create art shouldn’t revolve around a self-dictated schedule to reach certain milestones or to catch up to what everyone else is accomplishing; I don’t work that way. I must connect with the urge to create- first and foremost. Any other reason outside of that feels like betrayal to not only me, but the art itself. I make films because my soul needs to for my heart to beat. It is my way to understand my deepest feelings and the experiences we share as sentient beings. Life can be distracting and taxing, but it’s important to find ways to stay grounded and true to myself and my artistry. It’s taken me time this year to grasp this, but coming to terms with it is slowly unblocking the river. I’m beginning to remember. Finding your voice and pace as an artist takes time, and that’s okay; I’m in the middle of it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As a filmmaker, I am very particular about not putting myself in a box. I have a deep, rooted fascination with the human experience and examining the everyday things that make us human- obsession, desire, memory, longing, imperfection, to name a few of a never ending list. I love to put overlooked details under a microscope and reveal something that makes those “little” things feel enormous. I love to build grandiose worlds inside the mundane. I get inspired by anything that shows proof of a soul, that someone cared. I approach film the same way, but through different subjects I find inspiring. My college thesis film, Like a Hummingbird, centers on a dysfunctional relationship between a daughter and her mother. My current project, Performance, is an experimental film that I’m directing and acting in about my tumultuous journey of accepting flaws and surrendering to them to reconnect with the higher divine self. My next big project- that’s been in development for a year now- will be a culinary film that expands on the obsession and devotion a chef possesses, why they give everything they have to something so ephemeral as a dish. All these stories can be mundane experiences. For me, it’s a matter of not only creating, but revealing the deeper meaning in living them- like seeing two atoms, of the ordinary and extraordinary, collide to create a universe; a realm of endless beauty for you to find every time you watch, in every frame. Apart from my writing and directing endeavors, I frequently work as an assistant director, which I love and enjoy. I love to do everything I can to protect the director’s job in executing their vision that I believe is sacred. I also love to lead in production design, as it’s a playground for me to build a world that exists outside the script, down to the tiniest of details. A new avenue I’ve taken is music- as a creative director, videographer, photographer, and editor for Austin based artist, heartbreakP. Playing so many roles has made me learn new skills on a tight schedule, much like a creative boot camp, and I absolutely love the hustle it’s been. I’m learning to fuse music and visuals to help create the perfect mesh of art reception in the most meaningful way, and it’s so rewarding. No amount of new knowledge, skills, or experiences will get me full. I always need and want more, and this is only the beginning.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Connection fulfills my soul like nothing else, aside from filmmaking. It can be meeting someone on the street by chance, and hearing their story for just 10 minutes can shift your perspective- a moment so brief but so beautiful. Then you walk away with that interaction lingering on your mind all week. That’s one of my favorite kinds of connection because you think it’s random in the moment, but it feels so fulfilling afterward. Community makes me happy. Random acts of kindness make me happy. Flowers make me happy. An ice cream cone with rainbow sprinkles outside on a hot summer day, or when I’m sad, is a guaranteed source of happiness for me. Dancing in my tiny apartment alone makes me really happy. Being with my family and loved ones makes me the happiest.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Nellie Clark, Lauren Minarik, Jenny Stewart, Mariana Rocha, Rayanna Ortiz, Camila Calderon
