By Taroue Brooks
What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
My father was the one who inspired me to become my own boss. Having had a child hood that was less than ideal, I found it so amazing that my Dad was able to make something out of himself and to dedicate his life to helping people in his very own way. That’s the kind of person I knew I wanted to be; someone who makes his own Destiny
.
Tell us about your services.
Well as a videographer, my job is to bring the client’s vision to life. Whether that be a music video, live show taping, or even a romantic fairy-tale wedding. We go in, meet with the client or artist, and get to work designing, conceptualizing, and storyboarding their ideas onto paper. And from there, I decide what roles will do what on the day of the shoot. Once principal filming is over, the real magic begins in the editing room. The possibilities are so endless and really anything is possible. I love that “Wow” moment on the client’s face when they see the finished product. That’s what keeps me going.
What kind of experience should your client expect when working with you?
A lot of laughter. I have on-screen experience with acting and dancing as well, and have had great success leaning into that. Being able to speak the language of actors, dancers, directors, and so on has really given me an edge in my line of work. I feel like clients can expect someone who will not only listen to them, but also speak their language and that makes them feel understood, heard, and most importantly, safe. And also, a lot of laughter. My shoots are always first and foremost about having fun.
How has the Arts impacted your life?
The arts are so vast. There are literally no limits these days on what you can imagine and bring to life. I love going out and getting inspired by not just video and film but also architecture, theater, and museums. No time have I felt more artistic then when I’m just walking down the street and see a flock of birds or a reflection in the water on a lake’s surface. The arts, I think, are really about finding the happiness and joy in the small things. I bring that into my work and I think it has made me better. Both on and off set.
What are you doing to manage during the pandemic?
Currently that is a work in progress. I was one of the lucky few who had a backlog of video projects needing to be edited. And since I do that at home, the transition has been somewhat smooth. By the time we reach summer, however, will be a different story. We are currently trying to reach out to small business owners and other companies to look into opportunities to promote both locally and nationally. I think that small and local businesses are the backbone of our neighborhoods and cities and they need to be heard as well. They need our help just like anyone else.
Tell us about your favorite project to date.
That’s an easy one. I once got the opportunity to shoot for Jay Sean, an extremely talented music producer, singer, and songwriter from the UK. Not only was it a dream come true, but he also took time out of his busy day to talk to me on a personal level and give me some inspiring words of encouragement. At that point I had only been in LA for less than a year so it could not have come at a better time and I think about that day quite often.
What other projects do you have on the horizon?
There was a spring wedding we had to postpose as well as some music videos I can’t exactly divulge but the artist is well-known in the industry and I had so been looking forward to it. For now it seems, like with most of us, the deadline for quarantine keeps getting pushed back further and further so it makes it hard to lock anything down. Traditionally the fall and winter months aren’t as busy as Spring and Summer so we’re hoping for a speedy return to normal and wish all those affected and suffering a safe and quick recovery.
Jimmy V Page
www.jvpfilms.com
About
Originally from Washington, D.C., he received his B.A. in Film Production from the USC School of Cinematic Arts in 2008, along with a full-tuition Trustee Scholarship.
Today, he lives in Los Angeles, CA and continues to draw clients and artists from diverse backgrounds which include entrepreneurs, choreographers, the WNBA’s very own Los Angeles Sparks, Def Jam recording artist Karina Pasian, America’s Next Top Model Cycle 4 Winner Naima Mora, and Break the Floor Productions.