Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob Zepeda.
Jacob, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Growing up I always had this inner desire to share a story. To be completely honest in regards to schooling, I was an average student. Sure I went about classes doing my Math and English but what really got me excited every day was my electives or art classes.
Whether that’s Theater or Band I always rushed to class excited to just express myself. For a long time, the idea of being a performer, That being from Acting or a Musician was always what I thought I wanted to do. It isn’t until I entered the last two years of High School where I picked up a DSLR and started taking photos.
It started off with just landscapes and buildings I found interesting, but towards my senior year of high school, I was tasked with doing a project where I had the creative freedom to do whatever, as long as it still kept to the subject which was the book Johnny Got His Gun. I decided to take my camera and make a little film by myself which looking back was definitely not my best work but presenting it to my classmates was an amazing feeling.
It isn’t until then when I realized “Wow, I really just shared a story that was mine “, it was different from Acting live on stage or playing music, I was the Captain of my own ship. I had a vision so I made it into an original story. From then on I taught myself the basics or film-making even attending Columbia College Chicago to hopefully get a Degree in Directing, which currently I transferred out to a community college for money purposes.
While doing that, I still to this day have been writing scripts and planning short films but soon photography brought its way back into my life. I started asking friends to model for me and do photo shoots which was a new thing being I only did landscapes. It slowing moved from being a hobby to a new way for me to share stories that weren’t moving picture. I started charging for shoots and word got around and it just took off from there.
In no way would I say I’m well known throughout Chicago but I’m making my way up locally from my hometown Aurora. Photography has brought up new interests and life skills I lacked such as communication, patience, and business management. I highlight now in my work Fashion, Women, Vulnerably, Minorities, in an attempt to share even more stories which comes full circle for me and what I thought was impossible to do while making some form of money at the same time.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Through my journey growing up, I had my fair share of hardships. Grew up in a loving household but throughout schooling, I got harassed and bullied up until high school. I had a speech impediment which for a long time was hard for me to pronounce my R’s while also having a severe stuttering issue. It made talking or speaking up for myself a challenge. Also went through my parent’s divorce while also losing some dearly loved family members. Another obstacle I had to overcome was my personal identity.
Yes, I am gay but it took me a fair amount of time to come to terms with that. I never believed in a higher power or faith so I had no one to fall back on besides my family which I could never open up to without them knowing the truth. I finally came out my Junior year of high school with a coming out video that I shared publicly for all my peers at school and family online to see. I was greeted with love all around from family and some friends but did in the process loose a couple close people.
I’d say a reacquiring constant struggle, would be my mental health, Depression, Anxiety has always played a hidden role in my life and at points it stops me from reaching my full potential within my art. I’ve learned to take it day by day and channel all those feelings into something constructive like my art. Like any artist will tell you, you have to push through creative roadblocks that halt ideas and make you think if its all even worth it.
What’s the point of doing what you love if you cant pay your bills or come up with a new idea? Its easier to fall back on a practical profession like education or medicine, What pushes me forward is discovering new ways to tell stories or learning from others art. I’d rather be broke and homeless with my trusty camera doing what I love than making a decent living hating to get up in the morning and that’s just how I see it.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Jacob Zepeda Films – what should we know?
I’m currently an Independent artist that works under the title of Jacob Zepeda Films. Pretty simple but down the line, I hope to form my own production company that makes films to compete in film festivals as well as running a photography studio so I can still do the two passions I love as well.
My platform I hope to stand by is a representation of all in the truest sense. I see a lack in mainstream media of minority being from women of color, sexuality, and weight. So with my photography at least I want to keep doing portraits that push boundaries of the standard of beauty, or at least what we now know of beauty.
I’m most proud that I’m doing this all by myself, it’s self-made and entirely my own creative control. I am 20 years old but I have so much potential to grow as an artist and with my hope to be brand.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
A strong support system for sure being from family, friends and romantic partners. All of which I have 100%, which keeps me going and trying to do the best I can. Besides that I believe a strong work ethic and creative drive is important, keeping track so you get stuff done but also having a passion for what you want to make. Its clear as day if someone makes some kind of art they are not fully passionate about it just shows.
Pricing:
- 1 on 1 sessions $25-80 (depending on session)
- Events $100-150 (Depending on event and times)
Contact Info:
- Email: jacobzepedafilms@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacobzepeda/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jacobzepedafilms/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jakezepedafilms?lang=en
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4nEA-culCU5GNaGCRZa1dg?view_as=subscriber
Image Credit:
Nanerly De La Mora, Lillian Zepeda, Kassi Garcia, Annette Soto, Bertha Gutierrez, Lupe Ramirez, Stephanie Nino, Ariadna Barraza
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