Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jacqueline Xerri. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Jacqueline , thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
I think anything worthwhile takes some amount of risk. I was at my full-time job for a year when I decided to resign and pursue my career as a freelance director and editor in order to take on more creative projects and dedicate time to writing my first feature screenplay.
The full-time position was a fantastic experience and I was grateful for the stability and community the job provided during a time of uncertainty in my life. But as time went on, I realized my personal growth was plateauing and the job was interfering with my long-term career goals. I knew it was time to make a change.
I had been out of the freelance world for quite a while, but I had faith that things would fall into place if I followed my heart. Once I quit, I took some time to travel and work on my screenplay and writing lab applications. I believe the extra time and work I dedicated earned me a semi-finalist spot in The Cinestory Feature Retreat, which I will be attending this October.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’ve always known I wanted to be a director. It started when I was only 12 years old, making silly short films and music videos with my friends. After years of making movies and developing my skills, I attended the College of Motion Picture Arts at Florida State University where I received a BFA in Motion Picture Production.
Along with developing my first feature film, I direct and edit commercials and music videos. My past commercial clients include 1800 Tequila, Jose Cuervo, Weber Grils, The North Face, 8Sleep, Cook Unity, and more.
Taking a client’s abstract idea and collaborating with them to transform it into a succinct and impactful series of moving images is my passion, one that I approach with care and craft. My main focus is storytelling, a pivotal vessel that helps connect the audience to the heart of the project. I pride myself on investigating my clients’ needs through meaningful conversation and genuine connection to unearth their motivations and goals. With this foundation, I develop unique visuals that stem from my dreaminess and wonder, two traits that provoke great joy throughout the process. At the end of the day, if we have fun creating together, viewers will have even more fun watching the end result.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
I would recommend Mindset by Carol S. Dweck. It’s all about embracing your failures and mistakes in order grow and learn.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I’ve been working on my feature screenplay for about three years now. For the longest time, I felt like I was getting nowhere, but I knew deep down that my story needed to be told. After some time, I enrolled in Corey Mandell’s Professional Screenwriting Workshops. For about a year, I took classes, completed writing exercises, and read screenplays. Taking time to enrich my knowledge of the craft has been invaluable. I wasn’t going to let my weaknesses stop me. Instead, I turned them into my strengths. Now, I’m close to the finish line.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jacquelinexerri.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacquelinexerri/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqueline-xerri-414235182/
Image Credits
IMAGE 1/IMAGE 2 – Director of Photography: Robert Bevis IMAGE 3/IMAGE 4 -N/A