Today we’d like to introduce you to Jackie Schroeder.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jackie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Everything started for me because I was in love with whatever was playing on my little television in my playroom or at the movie theaters that I grew up going to. I remember being in awe of everything playing out on the screen and being confused but intrigued to know how it was all happening.
My first thought, of course, was that I needed to be an actress in order to get to do whatever these people were doing. I wanted to be on set, living in these fantasy lives, in these beautiful little worlds that happened to be caught on camera. I soon realized the cameras and all of the people behind them were making the magic happen and the stories come to life — and as soon as I knew that, I wanted in.
In elementary school and junior high, I did “broadcast team” working behind and in front of the camera, never thinking much about it, at least not that I can remember. Once I got to high school, I acquired a couple of cameras of my own, and I eventually got an iPhone. I was constantly snapping photos. I took a couple of intro photography classes but wasn’t that interested in the idea of Photoshop or digital photography. It didn’t do enough for me. I started to fall in love with 35mm film photography soon afterward.
I shot film a bit in high school, but was told it was a high risk-low reward, expensive and “dead medium” and without encouragement, I lost my way with it a bit. I eventually took some video classes and made awful short films, but finally felt I was in the groove like I was getting somewhere in unfolding what it was exactly that I loved.
I created a news club at my high school my senior year. Every other day, I got to school early, set up a camera on a tripod, set up a teleprompter with the help of a kind teacher, and sat in front of a green painted wall and read the news and then edited it. After editing, I sent it to all the TV’s in the school via USB. The news club was just me. I was the sole camera woman, teleprompter reader, editor, and distributor. I don’t even remember my motivation for creating this or even being super excited about it then. Now, that I look back, it’s kind of cool that I’d take the time to do something I liked while also being myself in a time like high school, where you’re so conditioned to not.
After high school, I knew that I needed to do something in film, since I still knew I loved cameras and movies so much. I didn’t want to get too far away from home, and Columbia College Chicago was just about the only place I wanted to go. It was 40 mins. from my parent’s house and somehow had an awesome Television and Film program. I got super lucky. I moved downtown in the Fall of 2014.
Columbia was an awesome school, where I learned about lighting, cord organization, set ettiequte, codecs, and just about a million other things. It was a place for me to become more of myself and a safe place for me to nerd out about all the things I had been dying to talk about. I met awesome industry professionals that also happened to be my professors and got to pretty much skip past gen-ed’s. I began exploring Chicago and creating work that I was proud of. I created documentaries, shorts, and worked on live sketch shows — I was definitely in my element.
I graduated last December from Columbia with a BA in Television Production. I am now, as of Summer of 2018, an intern at an overwhelmingly wonderful Post-Production commercial house downtown where I get to be around people I admire and occasionally get to PA on some shoots. I’m excited to see where my passion will lead me next.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It’s never a smooth road in an industry like the one I chose or many other artistic paths. There will always be struggles along the way but I think my best advice would be to not beat yourself up. Don’t compare yourself to other people that are your age or doing what you do, and feel like you’re not doing enough. Your path is singular to you.
As a young woman in this industry, I think confidence is very important. I have been to many interviews and many sets where people have said they were nervous about my small size carrying heavy lighting equipment or cameras– do whatever you have to do to show the people you’re trying to impress that being a young woman is beneficial to their set. Come early to do multiple trips from the van, load things onto carts, think outside the box so that you can prove them right and hopefully set a new norm for the industry. A norm where women are wanted on set for their patience, focus, and strength.
Of course, be yourself. Don’t half-ass anything. Tell people what you love to do and they will want to help you find your way, they can’t read your mind, so be vocal.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into your business story. Tell us more about the business.
I currently do freelance shoots at events and festivals of all kinds here in Chicago. I love when I get to create short documentaries and interview people I find compelling and special. Any video I create that communicates untold stories while also creating something captivating to the eye is when I am the most enthusiastic and proud of my work and what I do.
For good reason, society often focuses more on the problems rather than the opportunities that exist, because the problems need to be solved. However, we’d probably also benefit from looking for and recognizing the opportunities that women are better positioned to capitalize on. Have you discovered such opportunities?
I think finding opportunities for women comes from talking to women that you look up to and going from there. Women love helping out other women, especially when you’re in the same field — they can usually relate to you and see a little bit of themselves in you.
Contact Info:
- Website: jackiedot.com
- Phone: 847.494.0129
- Email: jackieschroeder29@gmail.com
- Instagram: yield2theart
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