Photography by Kathy Tran.
Tiffany Vollmer isn’t satisfied doing just one thing. When she was in college, her mentor told her that although she could be successful in design or acting, she would have to choose one. Vollmer didn’t. She wears a bracelet that reads, “prove ‘em wrong.”
At 5 years old, Vollmer modeled as a flower girl in bridal shows on live television. As a student, she participated in theater and films at Stephen F. Austin State University and the University of North Texas. At UNT, she was in a student-run soap opera, produced a television show and led the makeup department.
She lived in New Orleans for eight years. In that city alone, she wrote, directed, produced, was in a dance company, worked with a theater company and did makeup for royalty for the Mardi Gras parade. Then she took on the most exciting project of her career, voicing Bulma in Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT for a decade.
“I think that people have gifts that they are given. And it’s something that you can be grateful for, and you can procure that passion and that fire that somehow was ignited in me,” she says. “Or you can really try really hard to go away and keep getting sucked into it.”
Vollmer, who’s now an instructor at MediaTech Institute, took that job right around the time she had a daughter, at 41 years old.
“I think that God was watching out,” she says. “It’s like, here’s this beautiful baby and this new life that you have to provide for, and also, here’s a job to go right along with it.”
Preparing for her new life as a mother, Vollmer moved back to Dallas. When she returned, she reacquainted herself with the creative community by becoming a member of Women in Film Dallas. The group offers networking, educational opportunities, scholarships and recognition for women in the film industry.
Vollmer took on a leadership role as the membership chair for 2020. Later, she was asked to run for president of the organization. Remembering how the board of directors supported her when she had COVID-19, she agreed.
“If I could give back to this organization that has given back to me so much, then I will absolutely do that,” she says. “I didn’t want to see the momentum of what we were trying to do fade.”
As president, she’s the public face of the organization, and she attends and plans events. She recently became head of a committee called the Social WIFs of Dallas, which plans the “movie of the month” meetings at local women-owned restaurants. There’s also a group that meets at Halcyon every Wednesday to brainstorm and peer review projects. And she has a podcast with Vice President Gail Cronauer, “We’re Just Say’n’,” where the two interview members of the organization.
WIF Dallas’ major event is the Topaz Film Festival, which will be Oct. 18-24. The organizers are hoping to hold it in person, and anyone is welcome to attend. Awards will be given to women who are helping and improving in the industry.
Vollmer has never chosen to stick to one thing, and she won’t start anytime soon. Even if she decides to give up her teaching job, her WIF Dallas role and all other responsibilities, she’ll still be a mother. Her daughter already has parts for her to play in her anime cartoon about an elf princess.
“I’m the tree,” Vollmer says. “She’s definitely the apple.”
