Sunday, June 15, 2025
Before Jared Cohn was directing movies with multi-million-dollar budgets or working with networks like Lifetime, he was just a kid growing up in Baldwin.
He walked the halls of Meadow Elementary and Baldwin High School, graduating with the Class of 2000. His path to filmmaking, however, wasn’t one he always envisioned.
“I wish I could say I knew I wanted to be a filmmaker when I was a teenager in Baldwin,” Cohn said. “But honestly, I was a little lost.”
After high school, Cohn enrolled at Northeastern University in Boston, majoring in liberal arts. He wasn’t thinking about cameras or scripts—until a roommate, an aspiring actor, changed everything.
“I went to visit him on set, and something clicked. I always loved watching movies and TV, but that was the moment I realized, wow, this is something I want to be part of.”
That epiphany led Cohn to Los Angeles, where he spent several years exploring acting and filmmaking. But feeling like he was spinning his wheels, he returned home to regroup. Back in Baldwin, he enrolled in the New York Institute of Technology, where he earned his film degree in 2010.
“I needed to hit reset. That time on Long Island really helped me get focused,” he said.
After graduation, Cohn dove into the industry with a mix of scrappy indie projects and self-funded productions. But it was the 2011 Lifetime thriller “Born Bad” that became his breakout moment.
“That was the turning point,” he said. “It wasn’t a huge budget, but it was my first real movie with a crew, real production value. It gave me hope.”
Cohn’s credits have since ballooned to over 60 directing projects, many through The Asylum—the indie studio behind cult hits like “Sharknado”. He credits the company for giving him a shot, saying, “They really put me on the map.”
In 2023, he published a book, Fifty Movies Made: Lessons Learned on a Filmmaker’s Journey, which chronicles his experiences behind the camera and the realities of working in Hollywood. Packed with behind-the-scenes stories and practical insights, the book serves as a guide for aspiring filmmakers navigating the industry.
“I am starting to think my Facebook page looks like his because I put everything he does in L.A. on mine,” his mother, Karyn Cohn, chuckled. “I am so proud of him. After reading his book, I didn’t know all about the ups and downs he went through in the industry.”
But even as he’s directed action movies, horror films, thrillers, and even TV shows, Cohn says it’s always about one thing: the story.
“I’ve made $50,000 movies and $10 million movies, and the ones that stick with me are the ones with heart,” he said. “Genre is secondary to character and emotion.”
That passion is evident in his latest film, “Still Smiling,” a true story that tackles domestic violence and female empowerment. The film stars Shohreh Aghdashloo, Billy Zane, Peter Facinelli, and Shiva Negar, and will premiere June 26 at the Dances With Films festival at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
“It’s a heavy story,” Cohn said. “It’s about a woman whose husband tried to have her killed. But it’s also about survival, about strength. It was a privilege to work with a team of incredibly strong women to tell that story.”
For Cohn, the premiere represents more than just another title on his IMDb page.
“I’ve lit people on fire, flipped cars, and shot crazy action scenes,” he chuckled. “But this film? This one means something deeper.”
As “Still Smiling” begins its festival run, Cohn is already at work on several other projects. But no matter where his career takes him, he says he’ll always carry a piece of Baldwin with him.
“Long Island is where it all started for me,” he said. “Baldwin made me who I am.”
