Jared Cohn: Pursuing His Passion While Telling Stories that Matter (2020)

by Cyrus Webb

There are few people I have been introduced to that are as passionate about creating as Jared Cohn. He is a Writer, Producer, Director and Actor that has made a name for himself and doing the work (and telling the stories) that he is passionate about.

We were first introduced to each other back in 2016. During the time he was promoting his film that he wrote, produced and starred in called Wishing For A Dream. It tells the story that so many creative individuals can relate to: having a dream and what it takes to see that dream realized, both the good and the bad.

We reconnected in 2020 as he was celebrating the release of his powerful film STREET SURVIVORS: The True Story of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash and gearing up for the debut of his Lifetime movie HER DEADLY GROOM.

Our chat was inspiring and shows why Cohn is such a respected figure in the entertainment industry.

JARED ON WISHING FOR A DREAM:
"It's still like an ongoing struggle.  I'm still in character. It's very real... Making the film was kind of like a documentary---but not a documentary. When I write a script I try to invoke something that makes the viewer think. I wanted to make something personal, hopefully that would resonate with some people."

JARED ON THE BUSINESS:
"If you go on the internet and you're looking for feedback, you have to have thick skin. I'm so grateful that there are people who are supportive. It's a tough business. It helps to know some of your work is received well."

"It's like a roller coaster: Some days you feel unstoppable, and other times you're like why am I doing this? It comes in moments. It's a crazy town...it's a crazy industry, but I can't do anything else. I selected this path, because I am a fan of entertainment. That's what I wanted to make my life about."

JARED ON WHAT KEEPS HIM GOING:
"You have to have that sense of this is possible and believe in that. If you don't believe in yourself no one else is going to believe in you. You have to keep going."

"It's always about the next thing. If you're just focusing on what you're doing right now when it's done you're going to be idle. I like to have multiple things going on. I'm constantly writing, looking at other projects. I'm a creator. It's all about content. At the end of the day that's all that matters."

Stay connected with Jared and Trap Light Media on Twitter at www.twitter.com/traplightmedia and Instagram at www.instagram.com/jaredcohn1.