Broghanne Jessamine - Founder, Elemental Women Productions
Broghanne Jessamine
Broghanne Jessamine is the Founder and Managing Artistic Director of Elemental Women Productions, a New York City based production company. They produce theater, film and more that empowers womxn's voices while exploring, developing and sharing their stories with the world.
Originally from Scotland, Broghanne moved to New York City in 2012 to study performance at The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. Since emigrating to New York City, Broghanne has worked in Theater, Voice over and Film. Prior to moving to New York, Broghanne participated in numerous performing arts cultural festivals throughout Scotland and in Germany to bring theater and performance that explores social issues to a wider audience.
In her work in acting Broghanne found a passion and need to form a company that truly focused on developing and producing womxn's work. Creating a community of womxn artists joined in their want to share the stories and lessons they wanted growing up and so EWP was born. Elemental Women Productions is committed to bringing new and existing works written for and by womxn writers to life, and exploring issues and themes that are highlighting their experiences and parallel current events.
I’m so excited for you to connect with Broghanne, check out work and Elemental Women Productions, and follow along as she continues to empower womxn's voices while exploring, developing and sharing their stories with the world.
I'd love it if you'd introduce yourself, what you do, and what you're working on.
My name is Elizabeth Broghanne Jessamine, I go by my middle name, Broghanne (pronounced like broken but swap the “k” for a “g”) I am originally from the North East of Scotland and moved to NYC in 2012. I am an actor (primarily theatre and voiceover) and I am also the founder and Managing Artistic Director of Elemental Women Productions (EWP), a NYC womxn focused production company.
Right now, I am working on producing a film about sisterhood and also planning what we are going to be doing for 2020 as a company along with auditioning and working as an actor and model outside of EWP.
How did you get started?
I got started in acting when I was 6 I think, my mum sent me to Saturday classes in Acting, Dance and Singing and I have never looked back- well apart from a brief stint where I thought I could also be an architect and build hotels, but that was always in conjunction with the acting.
What inspired the work that you're doing?
There are a lot of things that inspired me to do what I am doing. When it comes to founding EWP and producing womxn driven work. I woke up after having years of experience as a female actress and model – and also waitress- where I had been harassed, type cast, put in a box, and made to feel that I had to stay quiet. To take the power back after a particularly hard and traumatic project I decided I wasn’t going to do that anymore. I wasn’t going to stand by and have my voice, my story and the stories of other womxn pushed down and manipulated to suit a generally male gaze and world.
What is your biggest passion? Do you feel like you're living your passion and purpose?
I would say my biggest passion is to share stories. Tell them truthfully and tell them for all those who cant tell them. I am definitely on the right track for my purpose. I have had the opportunity to create work and be a part of work that makes people think, makes people feel and impacts you after you leave.
What is your joy blueprint? What lights you up, brings you joy, and makes you feel the most alive?
I am most alive in a very particular moment; it is the moment where the lights goes down in a theatre. Right before the performance begins and the audience and performers seem to hold a collective breathe. There is nothing like that moment for me. The magic and connection that is felt is like nothing I can truly describe.
Outside of the theatre, I have a wonderful senior dog who brings me so much joy even from just looking at her. I catch my breath sometimes because she is so cute.
Also reading, sitting on a balcony on holiday or the beach when there is a thunderstorm.
How do you live intentionally? Are there tools/resources/practices that you rely on to help you stay mindful and grounded?
I try to always remind myself of where I am and how far I have come. Sometimes when I feel turbulent, I have been know to write a list of everything I have accomplished. Sometimes that list if focused on my career, the company or sometimes just in life.
I also at the beginning of the year create a list of 100 things I want to do that year. I don’t have to do them all but there is something about writing things I want to DO that helps me, especially when I get to look back and score off different ones I’ve done or see what I did instead.
I also have a wonderful husband who helps ground me when I get a head of myself or feel I am not doing enough, fast enough and a therapist that calls me out on my triggers and avoidance and over thinking.
This is still something I am working on and trying different strategies out for. We are always learning and always growing so these tools we use must as well.
What would your younger self think about what you're doing now?
I think my younger self would be both very surprised and also very proud of what I am doing now. My life has definitely not gone entirely where I thought it would and there are a lot of things I would wish I didn’t have to experience, but I have done my best and kept true to myself and my story and I am proud of what I have achieved and so I would hope she would be too. Even though I don’t have a private island or a BAFTA (yet).
Do you have a go-to mantra or affirmation?
I have two. Don’t Give Up- because I work in an industry where you face constant rejection and so giving in and up on my dream and my purpose would let those people win and I wouldn’t be able to share the stories I need to share.
And my second is “Let’s Go” I used to as a child say this to my Grandad all the time “Let’s go Grandad!” would come out of my mouth, I would grab his hand and try to force him to run alongside me or I would run ahead into whatever we were doing. He would always end phone calls to me with saying this as a reminder and I still say it to myself when I am about to enter a situation I’m not sure about or when I am nervous and excited. Let’s Go.
What is your biggest dream?
To tell stories that matter and to stay true. I want to leave this world knowing I did my part to share the stories and lives that matter. Even if only a few people feel seen or not alone from my work then I will be proud. But to maintain this throughout life and success can be hard and so I think that it truly is my biggest dream. Everything else I can live without achieving.
To learn more about Broghanne visit her website www.broghannejessamine.com and on Instagram @broghannej and to learn more about Elemental Women Productions visit www.elementalwomenproductions.com on Instagram @elementalwomenproductions and via email elementalwomenproductions@gmail.com
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