The Jake Rench Interview - Vision Vocal

Get to know the 22 year old videographer from the Chicago area.

What got you into videography and directing?

I got into videography & directing at a young age from skateboarding. I was fascinated with skate videos & wanted to create something I could call my own. I had a old Panasonic camcorder that recorded on mini CD's, I would stack up footage on there so my friends & I could play back our clips. As time went on I started getting more into post production & would spend more time on editing my videos. I would make skate videos of all our footage & get experimental with the editing, then post them on YouTube. My friends & I made two full length skateboarding & freerunning videos where we each had our own part in the video containing our best footage. We would all be so hype to film & be able to watch our own stuff. I fell in love with the process of creating videos & delved into different types of content. I would make skits with my friends, vlogs, I would pretty much film everything. I started shooting music videos for free & branching out to artists to collab. All of those experiences added together created who I am today. I still have so much to learn!

How long have you been doing it?

I first started filming about 10 years ago but I'd say I've been taking it seriously for about 3 years now.

How much control do you get when filming/ directing? Do you get to put a lot of your own ideas into a video?

It all depends on the type of project I'm working on, I do a lot of music videos, for those I have so much freedom to do whatever I want. Usually the artist & I will bounce ideas off of each other throughout the whole shoot. Sometimes the videos are on the spot run & gun type videos where I'll just capture whatever catches my eye. Other videos are more planned out with a full script, locations, etc. When it comes to other types of videos like wedding videos usually the client will guide me in the direction they want the video to be like & I'll do my best to deliver on that. Some productions I spend a lot of time on pre production while others barely none. Every production is different but I feel for all of them I have the freedom to create how I want which I'm very grateful for. Videos come out better when the artist trusts the directors vision, but it's also crucial for the director to be open to the ideas of others.

Who or what inspires you?

There's so many things that inspire me, I feel like inspiration comes at the most random times too. Spending time out in nature meditating brings me a lot of inspiration, loved ones in my life, music, the urge to create something better then my last. There's so many talented directors out there too which bring me inspiration, Terrence Malick is probably my favorite movie director. Malick's movie "To The Wonder" holds a special place in my heart. On the music video tip Lonewolf brings me a lot of inspiration, his editing style is so awesome! It always pushes me to keep getting better with my edits.

What are your goals for 2019?

In 2019 I wanna keep going crazy on the music videos, work with a lot more artists & create higher budget videos, especially in film studios & rented locations. My main focus is to keep improving with my craft so I can make the best videos I can. I plan to write scripts for future projects, start working on Far Journeys Pt.3, create more wedding/event videos, do more out of state or country shoots & anything else that comes across my path. I just want to stay busy & continue evolving.

What do you hope to be doing in the future, where do you see yourself?

In the future I hope to have done all the jobs possible when it comes to video production. I want to try everything out & gain as much knowledge as I can on every aspect of production. I'd love to work on movies & big scale productions, while continuing to create my own projects. I hope my future endeavors involve a lot of traveling, I see myself staying in different places for short amounts of time capturing everything along the way. I wanna have tons of footage to look back on when I'm old. I hope to be happy & create many memories with loved ones + spread love along the way.

Who is someone you want to work with/ dream collab?

Right now I really want to create a music video for this artist Summrs! I think my style of visuals would match his music perfectly.

What advice do you have for kids that want to become a videographer or director?

I would tell them to remember to be patient, It takes a lot of long nights putting hours upon hours into a video just for it to get 300 views. Don't be discouraged if its not catching on right away, your time will come if you put enough energy into it. The numbers don't decide whether it's good or not, continue creating art for the love of it. If you work from the heart space I believe you can manifest anything.

Do you have any crazy moments or cool stories from a shoot?

Some of the craziest moments came from filming skateboarding & freerunning cause we would be in locations we aren't supposed to be at. Lot's of encounters with cops & security guards which isn't too fun. Security guards in Chicago will chase you and push you off your skateboard.

How do you ensure that you and the artist you work with are all on the same page?

I think spending time on pre-production really helps with this. Discussing with the artist before we shoot, so we have a clear visualization in our mind of how we want it to come out. I think it also helps to keep the sets as low key as possible, having too many people on set can get distracting & you will waste time trying to direct everyone. Communication is super important when it comes to videos, having good chemistry with the artist makes everything run so much smoother, you can kind of feed of each others energy & already know what they are thinking before they say it. Keeping the shoot full of energy & fun goes a long way.

What do you look for in people that you work with?

I look for people who are being themselves! People who create what they want regardless of what people think. I also look for people who are professional & have positive intentions.

Hard things about being a young creator?

Money! Being a freelance creator abundance isn't always guaranteed or steady. Sometimes I'll have shoots back to back & other times I won't have a shoot for a week. I do Uber in my free time to bring in extra money but my goal is to do videography/editing full time. It's definitely a struggle at times but it's so rewarding getting paid for my videos, it still amazes me sometimes. I'm super grateful for all the artists that trusted me in bringing their vision to life.