Meet Tara Twal | Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tara Twal and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tara, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Balance is key as a full time freelancer artist. Before joining the film industry, I had a strict schedule of class, work at a part time job, sleep, and repeat. The second I got hired onto my first production, I quit my grocery store job on the spot and knew I was taking a risk doing so. My career since then has been strictly focused on staying within the film industry. Before I fully dive into my answer, I do want to emphasize that I am privileged as I still live at my parents house so I am not paying rent. I still have bills for my car, student loans, etcetera, but my parents support allows me to be able to devote more time into getting work. During the start of my career in 2021, I was accepting any job I could be a part of. I was paid on these sets and even though it was very low pay, I was still succeeding as I was making important connections. In 2022 after having a good amount of experience on my CV, I started to take pay more seriously and ask for an appropriate day rate pay. Even though it felt scary to do so, in the end it only helped as producers took me more seriously. Work was picking up, but sadly so was school. I was having a difficult time saying no to jobs to prioritize school during my junior year at College for Creative Studies, a school that rightfully demands your time. I was at a point where I was seriously considering dropping out. Now looking back, I am so glad I continued my education as college is an investment for the future. The jobs I said no to were never life or death, even though my anxiety felt that way. Understanding work life balance is understanding what you need to prioritize, and that can change as you get older! During my final year at CCS, I was taking jobs during class time with support from my professors as they saw my ability to create well made art while still working. They understood that classroom experience and real life experience both offer valuable lessons. I was able to bring my film production connections into the classroom for myself and classmates during school productions. Now, being a recent graduate, work is my priority. So is family though, and my health, my relationship, and balancing all of that is hard, but so worth it.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am Tara Twal, a filmmaker. I direct, produce, and write my own narrative and experimental work which I feel extremely proud of. Currently, I have two shorts out- “Toothpaste”, and “Hush Now” which I released the past two years. I have so many stories and screenplays written out, and when I am properly able to produce again I can’t wait to put together another amazing crew and direct more. All of my work is a part of me. “Hush Now” focuses on my femininity as an Arab woman, and “Toothpaste” focuses on my fear of adulthood. While my narrative work is a collective effort with an entire crew, my experimental work is a solo process with just me and my camera. My experimental short “BRAIN WORMS” was being shown alongside many other amazing pieces in the Grand Rapids Art Museum. It was my first exhibition and I still can’t stop smiling as I think about it. I am so excited for potential future exhibitions I may be a part of. Outside of my own work, I fill different positions on commercial and narrative production sets. I have a focus on assistant directing, being a sound utility, and production assisting. I got to where I am career wise by focusing strongly on improving my work skills alongside networking skills. It was not and is not an easy process to work in the film world, but I sincerely can’t imagine doing anything else with my life! You really have to be motivated by art to be a professional artist. I am still so early on in my career as I am just 2.5 years in, but the biggest lesson I learned in knowing your worth. By this I mean understanding what jobs you should be saying yes to, how much you deserve to be paid, and also understanding that you are not above anyone- this industry is a large collective workspace. One thing I like to emphasize about myself is that I will always be a learning project in the making. Even as a graduate, even with someone who has good experience under her belt, there is still so much to explore and grow with!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I happen to live in a very fun area right in the middle of many cities. Detroit is a beautiful place with so much history in it. My all time favorite spot ever is the Detroit Institute of Arts, so we would have to go there. It is filled with so much beautiful famous artworks with so many of my favorites. The museum has art from most art periods in history so there is something for everyone to enjoy there. We’d end the trip there with a visit to their theater to watch a film. Also close by me is Ferndale and Royal Oak.  I love all the delicious food options there as there are many small businesses. A lot of people go there to party, but my ideal ‘party’ is a calm bar with a small crowd. Ferndale especially has some of the best spots for an introvert who still likes to go out. The best part is the constant flow of art events like the Rust Belt, Arts Beats and Eats, etc. If you are in the mood for a nature adventure, theres so many beautiful parks and trails close to me. Stoney Creek is a fairly popular spot with a gorgeous nature walk, especially perfect in the fall. I am not much of a beach goer, ironic yes I know I am in Michigan, but Stoney Creek does offer that as well. I am truly so happy to be in Michigan. I do imagine myself leaving to see what else life has to offer, but at the time being Michigan offers me good work opportunities, closeness to loved ones, and plenty of places to experience.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to shout out so many people, but one person in particular really helped my career and personal growth- Fred Evans! I met Fred on my first production ever where he was the sound mixer and boom op. The set felt very overwhelming for me as it was a completely new experience, but Fred and many other crew members gave me much needed support. After we wrapped, I made sure to follow everyone on instagram to stay connected. I would see Fred working on fun projects and would respond to his posts not thinking much of it. Fred messaged me asking if I was interested in audio and wanted to be a part of his team. Him and his partner Jana Evans run an audio focused business called About Right Media Group based in Detroit, MI. He told me about all the work they do (production audio, foley art, and post audio editing) which I have never done before at that time. We started weekly meetings where he trained me in post audio and I was officially an editor for him! Shortly after, I expressed my love for being on set so Fred then trained me to become an audio utility. In this roll, my main tasks are putting microphones(Lavs) on talent, monitoring audio files/recordings, and whatever else the mixer may need from me! I have been doing this position with the company since 2022 which has provided me the oppurtunities to network, learn, and grow! Fred has been so important to my career as he has also been a mentor to me. Whenever I have self doubt, Fred is the first person to help my confidence back up.

Website: taratwal.com

Instagram: @twal.t.art