Photography senior Tara Bordeaux loves the art of storytelling. Stories are the way to enable people to leave their lives for a moment and take them to places they've never seen, she said.

Bordeaux writes, films and captures life in photography, but what she tries to keep quiet about is how she worked in Hollywood for almost 10 years before coming to UTA.

Bordeaux has worked on various films like Cloverfield, and worked with famous producers like Debbie Allen. Bordeaux has had the experience a person can only dream about, and it started with a leap of faith.

At the age of 17, she was living in her car because of a falling out with her stepfather. Among her possessions were a few articles of clothing and a personal journal. By the time Bordeaux was 18, she had two jobs. She dreamed of a better life in which she didn't have to punch in a timecard, she said. The little free time she had, she spent writing, watching movies or reading. She said that love for movies and storytelling kept her going.

"Ever since I was a child, movies have played a major part in my life," Bordeaux said. "I have always found that no matter what I am going through, whether a high or low period, movies have a way of touching my life at some point, good or bad."

Accounting tech Cindi Bordeaux, her mother, said as a child, Tara Bordeaux always showed an interest in movies. 

"She would make small videos of family and friends," Cindi Bordeaux said. "She has a good eye for photography and film. She catches what most people do not even see when they are looking at it."

During a conversation with her friend Latrina Bolger, Tara Bordeaux expressed she wanted to move to California to make her dream of filmmaking a reality. Her friend also said she wanted to make the move to pursue her dreams of becoming a dancer. Bordeaux said her friend became the push she needed to take that risk. 

Bolger, who has danced and choreographed with Mariah Carey, Keisha Cole and a few other famous performers, said Bordeaux got scared when it came time to make a decision.

"She was always listening to other people's opinions, and she wasn't secure in her own skin to go," Bolger said. "But when she talked about writing and filming, her face would light up, and I told her she had to go."

Bordeaux said she had to listen to her heart and not listen to other people, so she and Bolger made the move to the west coast.

There she worked for free or minimal pay on independent films and video production while maintaining a full-time job. Bordeaux spent hours reading and studying everything she could about filmmaking and gained experience through her jobs. In 2006, her determination grew even greater to thrive in the industry. Bordeaux decided to apply for a job as a receptionist at an established production company, Knockout Media. During the interview, she expressed she applied for the job to give her the opportunity to learn more about filmmaking.

She was told there was another opening for an assistant editor. But because she didn't have experience with editing, she wouldn't get the position. 

She continued to pursue the receptionist job. During her interview, Bordeaux mentioned her interest in the editing position to Karolyne Oak, the CEO and executive producer of the company.

Before Oak could tell her no, Bordeaux made an offer.

"I told her I would work for free for two weeks and learn enough in that time to handle the job and prove I wanted it more than anyone else," she said. "If they were not impressed, they could let me go without paying me anything."

She said two weeks later, she was given a key to the studio. Bordeaux said she learned everything she could to better herself as an editor. She has worked on editing behind-the-scenes documentaries for television shows like Criminal Minds, Lost, Medium, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and more.

"As my talent for editing grew, so did my passion for other things," she said. "I began to move into the camera department and taught myself the ways around the camera."

She became production coordinator and worked as assistant editor. Bordeaux seemed to be living her dream, but she became ill in 2008. For six weeks, she was hospitalized for Crohn's disease and almost died.

The long hours and dedication to her career became too much for her body. After talking to Oak and her mother, she decided to take a break from Hollywood and return to Texas to attend school. She enrolled at UTA to pursue a bachelor's degree.

While at UTA, Bordeaux said she realized she had a love for photography.

"I love the art of telling stories through images, but I also wanted to combine writing and film altogether," she said.

Photography professor Kenda North said Bordeaux's professional experience has given her motivation and purpose in her work at UTA. 

"Kenda really understood me as an artist and allowed me to pursue both my love of photography and my love of screenwriting," Bordeaux said. "Kenda has really been a mentor for me for the past two years and her personal knowledge and experience she shared with me is something I could not have learned from a book."

North said Bordeaux's willingness to explore new ideas and her strong technical background helped her become a better artist.

While Bordeaux continues her studies, she didn't want anyone to know about her professional experience because she didn't want people to only be her friend because of that.

Her best friend and roommate Courtney Welch said she didn't even know about it when they first met until she looked on her Facebook and looked at all her pictures with celebrities.

"I thought highly of her for not wanting favors or special treatment. It was hard to believe at first: One, because she's such a joker I thought for sure she was just playing a joke," the photography senior said. "And two, because I couldn't believe someone who has been able to do so many exciting things wouldn't want to brag about it."

Welch said she admires Bordeaux's work because she never gives up. Even when it looks impossible, Welch said Bordeaux is determined to make it work.

Bordeaux said she's learned plenty of skills at UTA that she will take with her when she graduates in May.

"One thing a book cannot teach you is how to work with other, how to network, and believe it or not, how to believe in yourself," she said. "All of that comes from interacting with others and taking those experiences to learn about yourself."

 

 

Tara Bordeaux credit line

Editorial Department (36 titles)
Criminal Minds season three
Medium season four
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season one and two

Miscellaneous Crew (24 titles)
Cloverfield
Chaplin Anniversary Edition
Camera & Electrical Department (16 titles)
Sons of Anarchy
Welcome to Gattaca
Lie to Me season one

Editor (14 titles)
Bill Maher: Monologues from Around the World
Interview with Alyssa Milano

Set Decorator (2 titles)
Martyr
Something Came Over Them

Second Assistant Director (2 titles)
Martyr
That Guy