Today we’d like to introduce you to Jake Baine.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jake. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have always been a creative person from what I can remember. I always took to cameras although my interest in creative activities manifested itself in many different forms. In middle school, I wanted to be a DJ/Producer, although that fell through. In high school, I went through my first young heartbreak and being a sad, angsty teen, I thought to buy a GoPro would take my mind off of my ex at the time. I got really into shooting videos with that GoPro, so much so I was called “GoPro” around the school because I always had it on me. At first I was annoyed but then I took a liking to it. After HS I went to ASU (Arizona State) for journalism but got a gig touring with a DJ as his videographer while in school and after that gig, I knew I wanted to dedicate my career to video and production. I was also at ASU during the 2016 election and to me, that was the complete breakdown and death of proper journalism and really turned me off from that whole profession. So I dropped out of ASU for those reasons (and financial to be honest) and went home. From there I spent about six to seven months living in an apartment alone since my parents wouldn’t let me live at home if I wasn’t in school. It was a pretty dark time for me. Being a 19 year old fresh out of HS as a drop out whilst all my friends were gone to college weighed heavily on me at the time.
One morning I got a message from a friend who sent me an article from Cosmopolitan about a company that was looking for a videographer to travel around Europe for five months, all expenses paid. I thought “why the heck not?” and applied. It was a worldwide contest, and to be honest, I’m not sure how I managed it but I was offered the job. I took it and spent five of the craziest and most amazing months traveling taking videos. It really helped me get some exposure and helped “legitimize” my career choice for me in my mind at the time which was great. When I returned stateside I re-enrolled at Texas State University while continuing production full time. I’ve since moved on to persuing more accredited set based work and expanding my network within the industry to get onto sets as a cinematographer. I’ve also been doing my passion project films. Currently still finishing my degree in advertising at TXST.
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?
Definitely, a rocky, anxiety filled road. Don’t get me wrong, the journey has been amazing and I’ve gotten to do and see things that I feel many don’t get the opportunity to experience. For that, I am very grateful for the opportunities given to me. But it isn’t without a cost. For one, it’s full of anxiety and doubt. It’s not a typical career path, so a prosperous future is not promised and I’m sure many artists/creatives can agree that this fact will keep many of us up at night. It is also very time consuming. You can get more jobs than you can keep up with at times and then can go for three months without a single gig. You might get jobs that fall on family vacations or plans you had with close friends. It definitely challenges your ability to balance your personal relationships and can often times leave you a bit lonely. I know I have hurt some very important people in my life from my dedication to my work and sometimes you gotta remember that being with someone you care about is more important than a job at times.
But, not to be a negative-nancy, the road is also full of amazing friendships, fun workdays and some of the most creatively fulfilling projects ever. Wouldn’t trade it for anything!
We’d love to hear more about your work.
So I do freelance work as a DP/Filmmaker for smaller clients. I don’t tend to take on more significant projects since it’s just me and there’s only so much I can do as a one-man band. One thing I like to “specialize” in is making the process a collaborative one. I know that some production groups approach the process with an almost scientific angle that can, at times, take the fun out of it. I just want everyone to have fun and enjoy what we/I come up with.
I’m most proud of how much I can do with how little I have compared to other productions. Not to toot my own horn or anything. I’m probably best known for smaller commercials or spotlight based videos on a person or a small business.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment so far has probably been being able to say that pursuing my passion has taken me to 36 countries. I am a firm believer in travel being the school of life and the lessons I’ve learned while out and about have been priceless. I still can’t believe it sometimes!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jakebaine.com
- Email: contact@jakebaine.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jakebaine
Image Credit:
all frames from my own work
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