We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jacob Sto Domingo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jacob , thanks for joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

The realization of wanting to become creative and the overall pursuit of visual arts through video and photo has been the biggest risk that I constantly think about. It was never a clear-cut decision for me, but I always enjoyed taking photos with my mom’s phone when I was younger. I would even get in trouble for it. One day, I was taking photos of my favorite soda, but I got yelled at by my mom because she needed to leave for work and needed her phone. I was always proud of showing my dad pictures I took on my phone. Later down the line, during high school, I took a Video Production class, which piqued my interest in filming. However, I never thought of it as a career I could pursue. After high school, I wasn’t sure what route to take. I just knew I wanted to make money, and community college was free. In my mind, I felt it was a great opportunity to be able to get an education without having to succumb to student debt. Three months in, however, I soon found out that pursuing a biology degree simply was not for me. I felt miserable and was at the lowest point of my life, mentally and physically. It got to a point where my dad came home from work and found me in my room, panicking and crying about an upcoming math exam. Thankfully, he understood what I was going through and told me to do what I thought was best for my health. Soon after, I dropped out of community college, and for roughly a year, I had to pick myself back up and come to a stable peace of mind. I started bringing back hobbies from high school, one being film and video. Fortunately, I was able to pick up a quality camera, a Sony a7IV, and started taking photos and shooting videos. I fell in love once again. But now, through social media, I found a new love for making short films and cinematography. I loved shooting with friends and being able to express ideas and emotions visually. After picking up on my love for film, my parents offered me a film school to further my studies, named Full Sail University. I knew film was for me, and I wanted to see a tour of the school before making my final decision. It is the greatest risk I have ever taken due to financial reasons. My parents believed in me and were willing to take loans to pay for my tuition, housing, and even a car. Even in their 50’s, they continue to work to support my passions. Four months in, film school has opened my eyes and I hope to become someone great and pay my parents back for all they have done for me.

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.

My name is Jacob Sto Domingo. I am a photographer, videographer, filmmaker, and editor who currently attends Full Sail University, pursuing my bachelor’s in film. I love cinematography and creating aesthetically pleasing visuals, and I hope to one day become a director of photography. I also love telling stories, specifically about the human condition, because I feel that creating pieces of visual art that resonate with people is a wonderful thing. I aspire to have a platform on social media where I can share work that I enjoy in hopes of bringing that same enjoyment to other people. I try to be as authentic, raw, and genuine as possible. I feel this quality translates through my work and is what I want to convey to other people. Overall, I just like to film or take photos of whatever my heart desires.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Take the “safe” route. Don’t do this. I soon learned that I shouldn’t force anything and stay true to myself. As I mentioned earlier, I went to community college for roughly 3 months. Before that, I knew in the back of my mind that I had no passion for what I was studying, but I thought I should just see it through and get a normal, good-paying job. In hindsight, I should have trusted my heart, but now it is a lesson I am grateful to have learned. Now, I am pursuing what I love, and is the greatest change I made in my life.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My mission is to chase my passions to the best of my ability and be able to make a living out of doing what I truly love. Filmmaking is complex and involves many different aspects. It is an art and skill I will continue to learn till the very end. I was fortunate enough to learn early that this route is what I live for, and whenever I have any self-doubt, I think to myself, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” One way or another, I will succeed.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jammerjakes
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jammerjakes