We recently connected with Jimena Pacheco and have shared our conversation below.

Jimena, appreciate you joining us today. Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?

After over 10 years in the professional market, I still see that Production is always misunderstood. It is necessary to make things happen but it’s difficult to explain when someone asks you what’s that or what you do at work. It leaves you with a big question mark… where to start with the explanation. Sometimes it´s easier to say: “I do everything”. This is true but I think this answer contributes more to the misunderstanding of our sector. Despite all this, I made a pact with myself to contribute to a better understanding of Production, each time I encounter a person who is not familiar with what I do, I take the time to share interesting examples or fun facts to better explain what a person in production does. I must say I have had nice experiences with this approach.

Jimena, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

From being persistent for many years to becoming a paleontologist, I decided to pursue a career in film. My mom gave me good advice before choosing what to study at the university. Why not study Media Production & Journalism, this would allow me to explore different options that could help me to pursue a career in Film. Which we know that it´s not easy and there are millions who have that same dream.

This decision expanded my horizons and I started to be more interested in production for any communication project, from television, digital media, and radio to name a few and of course my favourite at that time… Film! I wanted to make things happen, more specifically creative projects. This approach got me to the world of live entertainment production, which is a different rodeo than media production. To summarise, I am passionate about those projects that nourish the soul and bring timeless experiences and memories to people.

What I offer, especially to artists/creatives is making their vision a reality. I tell them, do what you are the best doing and let me engineer all the gears behind. Basically, I do what they feel frustrated to do because they don´t like dealing with those “squared” (boring) things.

To tackle those tasks, my background in media, digital and live entertainment production plus my project management skills, more precise in Agile Frameworks, have transformed me into a “Swiss Knife”. This allows me to understand and easily adapt to the requirements of the project, and use different approaches to manage the project and make it happen.
I am always open to connecting with new people, listening to what they are struggling and helping them materialize their creativity.

Let´s connect!

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

As a curious professional, I always find new things. And sure! There are always things and/or resources I would love to know earlier. But if I stay in the regret zone, that feeling doesn’t contribute at all and it becomes an obstructive feeling. I believe it is powerful to assume yourself in a discovery journey every day and everywhere: at work, with family, in a relationship, and most importantly personally. I believe that is one of the keys to being creative, it’s our internal world that wants to be shared with the world outside us.

So, to answer this question, I’m making peace with that idea and I prefer to be amazed by the things I discover in every project I work, every experience I live. I’m starting to understand my parents and grandparents, this kind of answers only come with the passing of the years.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I chose this question because it’s a situation that I live in my closest circle: Home.
In my family, me and my brothers are the first generation interested in art and culture as a professional path. I remember(with a smile) the faces of my parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, even neighbors! When I told them what I was studying or what I was doing to make a living. You know, those eyes and mouth betray someone who doesn’t understand. Once you see that face, you have to be prepared for the comment: are you sure you are going to make a living of it? But tell me what exactly do you do? I learned that using popular references helps people to understand better, but then they think you work for that show specifically. They tell that to their friends or other relatives and then you have to detangle the mess from that broken phone.

This experience contributed to developing my patience and helped me to understand who my audience is. Being an observer and listener. I think I was in a good spot in this matter until I met my husband!

I have a scientist at home. To be more specific… a geologist. So imagine trying to explain what I do for a living or sharing your career goals. Same eyes and mouth of: I don’t understand. But what’s adorable is that he wants to help you with a question mark on his head. There I was once again, seeing that my message wasn’t understood and finding different ways to explain what a producer/creative project manager does and where I could work.

I think curiosity, listening, and empathy are essential for non-creatives, to understand and see the importance of the work that creatives do.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chimenius/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vjimenaphz/