2 minute read
Jonah Monet - Shooting Star
Written by Tabitha Vilardo
Jonah Monet, CEO of Switch Stand Productions, plays several roles within her company - screenwriter, director, actress, and producer. Jonah has been in the movie industry for less than a decade and has already written, directed, and starred in several films and television series. And she says that she’s proud that three of those movies were filmed right here in Hollywood South!
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When asked why she loves to film here in Louisiana, she replied, “The food’s like nowhere else in the world. The art, music, and culture draw people from all over. But my favorite thing about it … the people who call the state home.”
When we talked about how her latest movie, Go Fishin’, came about, Jonah explained that she met Scott Innes on a red-carpet event in Tennessee. He approached her with the idea to film a feel-good, hilarious, slapstick comedy during COVID-19 to make people laugh and smile amidst the global pandemic. When he asked if she could write the script for the movie, she accepted. Teaming up with Scott Innes Productions, they pulled the script together over a weekend!
Jonah, in addition to co-writing the script, also directed and is the lead actress in the film. Her character, Billy Bass, is beautiful and funny and looks like she walked straight off the set of The Dukes of Hazard. Coincidentally enough, she ends up starring alongside actors that were actually on the set of The Dukes of Hazzard. And you might just recognize the car that Billy Bass drives in the movie. It’s none other than the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am from Smokey and the Bandit!
I had the opportunity to be on set for the last day of filming, and it brought back childhood memories of when I thought you had to move to Hollywood to be in the “movies.” It’s inspiring to see the productions and filming that are taking place locally.
I was able to spend some time with Jonah earlier this year, and to say that she’s multi-talented seems like an understatement! In July, I was honored to be a guest on a talk show that she was working on. I witnessed as she determined the model that the program needed to follow and then put it into action as both director and producer.
And if the writing, acting and directing weren’t impressive enough, Jonah has also produced several seasons of Trigger Time TV, where she received the highest level of training by firearm professionals. She does her own stunt work and, in her free time, enjoys riding horses, swordfighting and Brazilian Ju-Jitsu. Like a real-life Lara Croft, she is truly a force to be reckoned with - in life and business.
Jonah Monet is an inspiration for women business owners everywhere. We should never stop learning our craft, continue to build our skillsets and knowledge and not be afraid to push boundaries.
I’m excited to see what’s next for Jonah and Switch Stand Productions. You can learn more about Jonah by visiting jonahmonet.com or her profile on IMDb.
