Hello, my name is Jordan Parham, and I am from Woodbridge, VA. FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, MY INITIALS BACKWARD SPELL OUT "PBJ," WHICH IS WHERE I GOT THE NICKNAME FROM. Welcome to my portfolio! Hidden in the tabs of this website is everything I’ve ever created and that I was the most proud of! It’s my reason for getting up in the morning and what I plan to do for the rest of my life. Everyone in the production industry has hopes and dreams of being a household name; although some cannot achieve that goal, I still have high hopes. My dream was always to bring joy to the faces of others—and never to die (since that was four-year-old me’s worst nightmare). I could fulfill both of these wishes through entertainment, and I’ll stop at nothing until I achieve them.
Ever since grade six, I wanted to be a film editor. Although my interests have slightly changed over the years, this was important because the year I took TV Production for the first time. I shot my first video in this class titled “How to Shoot a Hockey Puck.” This class made my mother the most proud because she knew I would follow in her footsteps—since, fun fact, she used to work at a TV station. Most importantly, this was when I knew my life’s purpose.
There was something about stitching together productions that fascinated me. To prepare, I practiced editing day and night. Without having access to a camera, I made do with what I had—my friend’s Call of Duty clips. This was my first look at what you could do as an editor. The power entrusted to you to create content to fill others’ day with was something 11-year-old I wanted as a career. I used to study YouTube tutorials for hours a day to learn the basics of editing a montage. The more I practiced, the better I became, and the more people wanted me to create their content. From a young age, this taught me that what you think may look great might not capture others’ attention; however, you must keep revising your work to get the best outcome possible!
I continued taking TV Production for my remaining two middle school years, and I enrolled in the TV Production CTE program at C.D Hylton High School to grow my knowledge in the production industry. Around the end of my junior year, I began to stray away from TV production and started looking towards a STEM career. I applied to colleges hoping to get a degree in physics, leading me to accept my letter from Virginia Tech.
After completing three semesters of physics, I realized that my heart still lies in production. While looking for a new major, I wanted to look more toward sports journalism. Fortunately, Virginia Tech offers a Sports Media and Analytics degree tailored more to students who wish to pursue a career in the sports industry. After I graduate from Virginia Tech, I see myself working in sports. My goal is to become a sports broadcaster—like Stephen A. Smith. I would love to be a face people see while watching their favorite sporting event(s) and a trusted source of information when reading statistics for players and coaches. Ultimately, I know I’ll achieve that dream and make all the work worth it.
