Jenna A. Bush
JENNA A. BUSH
Documentary Editor
Jenna A. Bush is an award winning documentary editor and Karen Schmeer Editing Fellow. As a member of the disability community, she is consistently striving for greater representation both on screen and in the edit room. Jenna was on the edit team for the TIFF-premiered PATRICE: THE MOVIE (Hulu/ABCNews Studios), which was nominated for an Indie Spirit Award for Best Documentary. The film which highlights disability rights and marriage inequality, screened at CIFF (Best Documentary Audience Award), BFI London, and in the DOCNYC Winner’s Circle. Additional credits include editing and writing the features FENCING FOR THE EDGE and MALLORY (Gravitas Ventures). Jenna's short documentary, HELLO TO JULIA, which she both directed and edited, screened at the Woodstock International Film Festival and received awards from various festivals including Best Editing. Her short MINOR DETAILS also received multiple accolades and aired on NJTV for many years.
About My Work
I recently wrapped a 22-month venture as Writer/Editor on the feature FENCING FOR THE EDGE, which is currently in the film festival circuit. This was my second time writing and editing a feature, with MALLORY being my first. I most recently enjoyed my time on the post-team for PATRICE: THE MOVIE as an Associate Editor.
As a filmmaker, many of my short films have played in a variety of festivals and have received a handful of accolades over the years, including most recently a Best Editing award for Hello To Julia. My shorts spotlight nonprofit organizations, usually disability related.
I also really enjoy the opportunities I have to consult on works-in-progress. As a puzzle solver, ,an artist, storyteller, and of course an editor, I find I bring a fresh creative eye to help the director see their project in a new light. Collaboration is one of my favorite aspects of this job. Connecting with directors/producers/editors/creatives over films so close to their hearts is such a gift and really nourishes my spirit.
Why Film?
Films inspire within us a sense of connection and a feeling of possibility. They play a vital role in shaping how we relate to the world, each other, and our own internal selves.
As a young child my most profound experiences of emotional connection came from watching films. The magical combinations of stories and music would bring me to tears. As a teenager, films informed me that despite how I felt, I was not entirely alone in how I saw the world. As I struggled to relate to my peers, seeing glimpses of my emotional experiences represented on the big screen turned out to be a lifeline that kept me connected to the world.
As an adult, creating films enables me to share how I process life - through story. It is how I internally organize the constant influx of excess information in my brain. Filmmaking connects me to the world. It provides me with an opportunity to explore alternate perspectives. It is a medium through which I can express the otherwise inexpressible and be felt by others. Films unite viewers on a deep emotional level bringing human connection to new heights. For as long as we humans have lived, stories have been our primal means of teaching, sharing, and joining together in this sentient experience.
Why Documentary?
Documentaries provide a sense of understanding and a deepening of empathy that one can usually only get by going through something first hand. The best documentaries do not tell us how to think, but rather challenge us to self reflect. Sometimes asking a question is more valuable than having an answer. This is why I do what I do: to challenge beliefs, foster new perspectives, amplify voices, and awaken compassion - all the while expanding my own capacity for understanding.
My Story
One of my earliest memories is from age six, when wrote my very first poem on a piece of cardboard that came with a pack of stickers. Not long after that, I created a guitar out of a shoebox, wrapping paper roll, and different sized rubber bands - on which I taught myself how to play some familiar four note songs. I loved reading and would get lost in books for hours on end. I loved puzzles so much that my grandparents started calling me the puzzler. I was always drawing and painting and crafting and writing stories and solving puzzles. The world was a confusing and overstimulating place, but I found connection and solace in art and creating.
In my early high school years, I got my first digital camera. Photography became an instant passion, as I loved capturing the world through the lens and showing others what I saw. I soon discovered Windows Movie Maker and quickly began making videos of outings with friends and dabbling in animation. During this time I also discovered some of my favorite films: THE TRUMAN SHOW, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, & THE HOURS. All these films featured such complex characters and moving music that made me feel like there might actually be a place in this world for me. It was such a powerful experience to have at that age, especially looking back with the hindsight of knowing that I am (what many are calling these days) "neurodiverse." Which also explains why I gravitated to those particular films!
In college is when I fell in love with making documentaries. My very first short documentary Minor Details was accepted to the very first festival I submitted to and won the Best Homegrown Documentary Student Short award. I took that as confirmation that this is in fact what I was meant to do. I also took this opportunity to minor in music where I got to revisit my piano and flute playing days, and was introduced to basic music theory.
After college, I began my work making documentary shorts and PSAs for local nonprofits, my favorite being for Special Strides Therapeutic Riding Center. It took ten years to realize why I had felt so connected to these particular projects. Learning about my own disability at age 32 was such a revelation that completely changed my entire outlook. While many say not to limit yourself by calling yourself "disabled," I soon learned that this ableist perspective did not apply to me. Adopting the disability label and understanding myself in this way was the most liberating thing I had ever done in my life. It also helped me come to terms with my chronic illness in a much (ironically) healthier way.
In 2019, is when I had my first opportunity to edit a feature documentary MALLORY. Considering my physical limitations, I was afraid this might be a one off chance. When Covid hit, however, the industry shifted and more remote and flexible opportunities became available. Since then I am so grateful to say that I've had the opportunity to work on 3 more documentary features.
Aside from my film work, I spend my days doing crosswords, practicing Taiji, and riding horses. I also draw and crochet. I recently taught myself the basics of HTML and CSS, which I used to help my Taiji instructor build an extensive online course and associated website. When the mood strikes, occasionally I'll dust off the old acoustic guitar. I used to knit and do pyrography, but those hobbies have not come back around in a while. I absolutely love animals and miss having a dog. Hoping to remedy that sometime soon.