We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jeremy Applebaum a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jeremy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I’m pretty happy as a creative. I actually spent about a decade in a ‘regular 9-to-5 job’ working as a full-stack web developer. It wasn’t a bad job—I was mostly happy there—but like many in this field, I had a calling and wanted to pursue it. Sometimes, when things get slow or really tough, I consider going back to a 9-to-5. The stable, consistent income would be nice, but then I remember all the things I’ve experienced, the places I’ve seen, and the amazing people I’ve met—none of which would have happened if I hadn’t taken the leap to follow my passions.

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 think my background is a bit different from many in the entertainment industry. As I mentioned earlier, I worked as a full-stack developer for about a decade, even though I graduated from DePaul with a degree in digital cinema. I was involved in the early-stage startup scene, went through the Elmspring business accelerator (which no longer exists), co-authored a patent (https://patents.justia.com/inventor/jeremy-applebaum), and eventually sold it. But mid-COVID, after seeing how busy things were in the film industry and feeling some frustration in my current job, I decided to take a leap into full-time filmmaking.

It was a big risk, especially since I didn’t have a plan. I just saw the industry booming and wanted in. The first two gigs I landed were as a grip for News Nation and then as a grip for a short film. I booked both within a day or so of leaving my job, and the work lasted about two full weeks. I thought, ‘This is great, staying booked should be easy.’ I was a bit wrong on that front, but three years in, I’ve been fortunate to work with some big clients like Kraft, Chase, and Audible.

I believe the reason I’ve been successful is that I understand what it takes to succeed. Building a startup is tough, and so is building a career in film and TV. It takes hard work, and you have to figure out how to survive until you make it. I haven’t given much thought to my ‘brand,’ but I think I have a reputation for being very good at what I do—whether it’s G&E or DP—working hard, and being willing to help out other departments when needed.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I think a big thing society can do to support artists, creatives, and create a thriving ecosystem is to stop dismissing creative careers as ‘not real jobs.’ The reality is, working as a creative can be incredibly challenging, both mentally and physically. There’s often a misconception that because it’s something people enjoy or find passion in, it can’t be as difficult or legitimate as more traditional roles.

Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?

Despite having a fairly strong background in a tech and general supporter of cryptocurrency I never really got into the hype. At the peak of their popularity I understood people liked them and were excited about them but it always felt like a rug pull to me. While the idea in theory was great and I hope one day we can get it to work in a more stable method, I just don’t think it’s there yet.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://jeremyapplebaumfilm.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rynnner/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeremy.applebaum