We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jacob Daniels. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jacob below.

Jacob, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

When I became an adult, I tried to fit into the “prescribed path” that most people are conditioned for. You know the one: Get a job, rise through the ranks, incrementally upgrade your living situation, save for retirement, have a midlife crisis, hope your health holds up long enough to enjoy said retirement, and leave as much of an impact on the world as you possibly can. If my cynical writing didn’t already cue you in, I hated it! Don’t get me wrong, it’s a perfectly valid and honorable way to live, but it simply didn’t fit for me.

I entered the military after high school, I became an officer and pilot in the Air Force and served for 8 years in total, accumulating all kinds of knowledge and experiences along the way. After that I got a job in the private avionics sector, which I still have today (more on that later). I have always pursued different hobbies and projects, constantly gaining knowledge in areas I was curious about. but it wasn’t until the Covid pandemic hit that I found my true passion: filmmaking.

I started making short films at home with my partner, Walker. Shortly after I met other filmmakers in my area, they invited me onto their projects, and we built a kinship and respect for each other. On the other side of my life, my family was considering selling their old livestock sale barn property after Covid shut down their community marketplace in Eastern Iowa. I was talking to my best friend and business partner, Michael, after we finished a film one evening, and he brought up how great it would be to have a film studio we could use here in Iowa.

BOOM! Lightbulb moment! I told Michael about my father’s barn property, and that we could go tour it. We went, we looked, and immediately fell in love with the immense potential of the space. It was right then that Mediaverse Studios was born. We had already assembled a film family; people from various backgrounds and skillsets that we enjoyed making movies with, all with scrappy personalities and “give ’em hell” attitudes. So, despite having very limited funds we got to work.

I did so much research in those early days: “How to structure a business, what is an LLC, how to start a Co-Op, business insurance?” even market research with local filmmakers and finding out what needs should be met, what budgets are most common for projects, etc. Every question answered uncovered deeper layers of knowledge I had to learn, it was overwhelming! I built a business plan, starting with a mission statement and defining what scope the business should hold onto. We’re not swinging for massive production scaling, million-dollar clients, and insanely complex sets; we’re providing resources for the smaller businesses, the grassroots campaigns, and for the indie filmmakers. All people like ourselves that struggled to find locations or gear or good crewmembers. That felt safe, that felt like a good starting point. With the planning (somewhat) done, it came time for action.

Being decisive was the hardest part. The space is so massive and full of potential that it was easy to fall into endless brainstorming and never executing. It takes a very honest conversation with yourself and your team about “what can we do NOW with what we have available?” There will always be room for growth and refinement, but the key is to just start, and make an actionable decision. The first win will lead to the second, and you’ll build momentum. I felt supported on all ends of my life, in ways I hadn’t experienced in any other version of my life. It made the decision to chase this passion so much easier. I feel endlessly fortunate and blessed by my team. They showed up and worked insanely hard day in and day out. Their passion helped mine grow. Within a few months of cleaning, organizing, building a website and social media presence, and ordering matching t-shirts, we had prepared for our grand opening. We announced an open house /grand opening event, inviting the local community and Iowa filmmakers to tour, chat with the team, and experience Mediaverse Studios for the first time in October of 2023. It was a resounding success, the team fired on all cylinders! Roughly 200 people showed up, and the night was a celebration of everything the team had accomplished and all we had to look forward to!

Jacob, 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?

Our mission statement from our site is:
Mediaverse Studios is an all inclusive, collaborative space for artists and filmmakers alike. We love making movies, and we seek to help storytellers bring their visions to life through our facility resources, educational content, and consultation with our creative team. We will provide premium end to end service and creative problem solving to the region and cultivate lasting partnerships for today and the next generation.

We’re a full-fledged film studio and creative production house. We have an 8,000 sq. ft. facility on 6 acres of property in total. We offer film set construction and rental, as well as gear rental, podcasting, livestreaming, pre- and post- production services, event hosting, and even a full stage (and eventually screening theater) in the old auction ring.

Our latest offerings are a half-ton grip truck, a hospital room set, an old western saloon, and even a spaceship cargo-hold set!. We often put together the full strength of our crew and make an incredible narrative or commercial film work. We pride ourselves on being problem solvers and solution-makers and so far there isn’t a problem that we haven’t been able to figure out!

What I want people to know is that we want to be used as a resource for their projects. We are so thrilled when creatives ask to use our space for their film, commercial, or photo shoot, or when someone comes to us with a big idea and asks for help in making it a reality. I also want the filmmakers in Iowa to know that we’re committed to growing the craft in this State. We’ve seen a lot of momentum for Iowa filmmaking in recent years and we’re working to increase that momentum!

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

I’ve always believed it’s most important to lead from the front. Get in the trenches with your people, work alongside them, do the jobs nobody wants to, show them you’ve got their backs, listen to their advice, and respect their boundaries when they set them. Communication is the solution to just about every problem a person can face, so learn how each person on the team needs to hear you and feel heard. You also need to learn the resources each person brings to the table and how to delegate tasks that will suit their ability and bandwidth. Anyone can be a manager, but to be a leader you have to be strategic, empathetic, and dedicated to your team first. Team morale comes down to individual morale, and as a leader you need to connect to those that are struggling, Find out what they need, insulate them within the team rather than isolating them from the team. Connection is the cure to low energy and morale.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to assemble a team that shares a passion for the filmmaking craft, for telling stories and creating resources for other creators. We believe in this studio we’ve built, and we’re excited to put in the work. When morale gets low we have a saying (which even predates this business), “We Love Making Movies”. We know that creating a film, or running a film studio is a damn-near impossible task. But we do it anyway, the best we can every time, for the love of it.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

My life has been a series of pivots! Sometimes they feel like separate lifetimes that I get to retain my knowledge from. I thought I was going to be a mechanical engineer, then I thought I was going to be a pilot, then I thought I was going to be a corporate executive, then a vineyard/winery owner, now I’m a film studio owner making movies with my film family. If you’re asking how any of those things are even close to each other, I ask myself that all the time and I’m the one that lived it! Some things I’ve learned about myself are that I’m adaptable, a quick learner, and capable problem solver; these have served me well when life throws curveballs, new opportunities, tragedies, and pandemics. Very rarely will things be in your control, but always know there’s a path forward for you, even if it diverges from your plans… you’re never stuck. The nice thing is you’re always learning, and you’ll find ways to connect to your past experiences in surprising ways. With a solid support system, loved ones that will help you weather the storm, you’ll be in good shape.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mediaversestudios.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mediaverse_studios/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MediaverseStudios
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MediaverseStudios

Image Credits

E. E. Walker – Cellar Door art & design