Jeremy Waltman
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Biography
Jeremy Waltman, MFA ’08, has experienced significant success since his time at The FSU Department of Art. His work can be previewed on YouTube and full features are available on Amazon, Xfinity, IndieFlix, Reelhouse, Simplemachine, VHX, Cinecliq, and a few other film sites.
After graduation, Jeremy spent time in Philadelphia and New York finishing a graphic novel, teaching and shooting Locomotive. Following this, Jeremy moved to the Appalachian Mountains, where he began teaching while shooting It Plays Like Love.
Waltman’s 2015 film, It Plays Like Love, stems from a screen play in which a playwright writes his failed relationship into a play. During the process, the various actors begin to incorporate their own relationship problems into the play. The film shows how art can help people heal and allow them to put themselves into their work to process past difficulties. The movie’s theme strives to determine if we can define love or can we only experience it.It Plays Like Love screened at film festivals across the world and won four awards out of six nominations at the 2015 Atlanta Independent Film Festival.
An earlier project, Locomotive (2013) follows a musician who broke up his band to pursue a solo career. After failing to find success, he tries to reinvent himself and reconnects with a past flame. Along the way, he encounters various struggles, including many clashes with his former bandmates. Locomotive won a Royal Reel Award at the International Film Festival in Canada.
“On My Mind” is a music video, for the song by Ted Limpert, which explores the themes of loss and love.
Jeremy has recently accepted a Tenure Track faculty position at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He will be joining the Communications Media department and will be teaching film/video, screenwriting, design, and gaming.
Q + A
What have you been doing since graduating from FSU?
After Florida, I spent time in Philadelphia and New York finishing a graphic novel, teaching, and shooting my first feature film, Locomotive. After that, I moved to the Appalachian Mountains to teach and shoot a second feature, It Plays Like Love. In between the features I’ve worked on concept art, design, and storyboards for other projects. Locomotive is on Amazon, Xfinity, IndieFlix, Reelhouse, Simplemachine, VHX, Cinecliq, and a few other film sites. It Plays Like Love will be available online later this year, after it’s current film festival run.
What did you learn at FSU to get you there?
If you can come out of any place with one friend you’ve done something right, and I was able to gain several during my time in Florida. We keep in touch, have great dinners, and work on projects together.
What advice would you give to art students?
Make work. All the time. Then make more work. If you don’t find happiness in that process then I’m not sure where you find it.
Locomotive:
DJ Dicey found success with the band he was in. So he decides to break up the band and try his hand at a solo career. Except now he’s failing. The old band doesn’t want him back. Desperate to reinvent himself, he turns to his old love, a groupie.
It Plays Like Love:
It Plays Like Love (Behind the Scenes)
A theatre company unravels when its two lead actors, both working to save their broken marriage, are cast in a self-indulgent play that makes them recreate the director’s recently failed relationship.