Filmmaker & Podcast Host Andrew Jenks Talks NYU, Bobby Valentine & Serena Williams
DJ Sixsmith
New York native Andrew Jenks started making movies when he was a teenager. By the time he was 21, Jenks had already created projects for HBO and ESPN. Although he didn't end up graduating from NYU, Andrew's time at one of the best film schools in the country jump-started his career.
"I was at NYU 10 plus years ago and I was there on scholarship." Jenks told CBS Local in an interview. "You couldn't just go and make a movie, that required film and expensive cameras. Now we have iPhones where you can film with the push of a button. I've shot scenes that have been on national TV with an iPhone. I learned from that experience that if you want to go make a movie and believe in your story, there's not a lot stopping you."
Jenks' work has taken him all over the world, including to Japan where he did a documentary on former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine. Jenks and his crew spent eight months in Japan while Bobby V won a championship.
"I love people that tend to not want to be on camera. When I first approached Bobby V, he said there was no way he was going to do a documentary. It was a crazy experience because I was there for eight months and we climbed Mount Fuji with him. Bobby is in better shape than most of us, that was an interesting experience.
Today, the New York native is the host of a podcast series called "What Really Happened?", which is produced by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and his team. The series goes back in history to look at people and events from a different perspective. This season, Jenks starts off by examining the career of Serena Williams.
"Serena Williams' career winning percentage is 86%. Roger Federer is lower than that and you can't find another athlete in another sport that has as high of a winning percentage as she does. That's been overlooked."
This season of "What Really Happened" will also feature deep dives into the life of comedian Dave Chappelle, the movie John Carter and the Balloon Boy Hoax.