Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Joanna Pasiecnik. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Joanna, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about how you got your first non-friend, non-family client. Paint the picture for us so we can feel the same excitement you felt on that day.
When relocating to Atlanta, my sister, Jil, and I, co-owners of J and J Productions, recognized the importance of networking and gaining experience in the entertainment industry. To achieve this, Jil enrolled in improv classes at Dad’s Garage, while I pursued sketchwriting classes at Sketchworks. Our strategy involved actively participating in classes, offering assistance on various sets and live shows, and expanding our network within the community.
After months of collaboration and skill development on different projects, we successfully assembled a dedicated team to embark on our own ventures. Creating sketch videos became our focus, which led to local recognition and capturing the attention of other small production companies. Subsequently, these companies started hiring us to transform their sketch scripts into short videos. Initially, we contributed our production skills pro bono, gradually transitioning to a fee-based model as our demand grew.
Our decision to charge for services was influenced by factors such as project significance, our passion for it, the client’s budget (with a preference for directing funds towards the crew rather than ourselves), and the project’s feasibility for a production company of our scale.
Joanna, 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?
I come from a small town in Western Massachusetts. I’ve always appreciated coming from a small town, and the experiences I had being a part of a small community. The unique experience of growing up on a farm and working on a farm for most of my life is something that I believe gave me strong values in what hard work can do, and how it can shape your own goals. Growing up on a farm it really is a all hands on deck kind of lifestyle where no job is better than another and I think this mentality is the one thing that has always really stuck with me. That being said I never really felt like farming or any type of agriculture was where my passion was lied. I grew up loving TV, Film, and media, it’s the way I express myself. I’ve always used characters as analogies, and even to this day relating to characters and their experiences makes me feel understood as well as helps me other stand others. I strike up most conversations with people by finding out what kinds of TV shows or movies they like.
I strongly believe what I watched and grew up on shaped me as a person and a lot of my personality, I learned how to hold a strong conversation from watching Oprah, I learned humor from Friends or Will and Grace, I learned about life from watching all types of different people and their stories, and I felt most comfortable being around that environment.
My passion for movies and storytelling led me on a journey to figure out how I could turn this passion into a profession while navigating high school and contemplating college. Luckily, my high school offered a film and television program, which became the catalyst for my entry into the industry.
Upon joining the program, I immediately knew that producing content and creating videos were the avenues that brought me fulfillment and happiness. The challenge then was finding a job in the industry that allowed me to make a living, particularly in the role of a producer.
To prepare myself, I delved into autobiographies of individuals whose careers I admired, treating them as study guides to navigate the industry’s ins and outs. Insights from figures like Kathy Griffin, who emphasized the value of taking any job for the learning experience, Tina Fey, who advocated for consistent writing practice, and Mindy Kaling, who encouraged building a robust social network, served as beacons in my journey.
Starting as an intern, I sought specific internships that exposed me to various roles on set. I willingly took on tasks ranging from getting water for talent to managing lights, editing, assisting with the camera, gaining skills in all crew departments. This approach not only allowed me to develop a comprehensive understanding of the industry but also fostered strong relationships with individuals I could potentially collaborate with in the future. Even when I eventually held a producer position, my willingness to jump in and assist earned me respect, and trust from the crew members I would go on to hire.
After years of working in different crew roles and learning from others, I felt confident enough to produce my first project. Collaborating with my sister, Jil, we successfully led a small crew for a sketch, honing our craft by starting small. Over the next two years, I continued producing sketch videos with different crews, always prioritizing a small and intimate setting. This period served as my ongoing training ground to become a better producer and advocate for those working with me.
My ultimate goal is to run sets where fun and safety are paramount, ensuring everyone feels valued and included at the table. I feel all these different approaches to learning a non traditional position helped me learn how to become a producer and how to earnt the position.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
From the very beginning, my primary objective has been to share narratives that I haven’t encountered before and to amplify the voices of as many individuals as possible. Storytelling, being an incredibly potent medium, has the capacity to inspire, forge connections, and provide a sense of visibility and acknowledgment. I firmly believe that representation is not solely a concern for the socially conscious; it’s a universal imperative.
Even with as much representation I have as a white woman, being someone who has navigated life with a curvier physique, the lack of representation of diverse body types has personally impacted me. Reflecting on my own experiences, I recognize the profound effect that greater representation, especially of figures like Ashley Graham, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, or Amy Schumer during my middle school years, could have had on reshaping perceptions. My mission is to contribute to a narrative landscape where everyone, regardless of their background or body type, can find stories that resonate with their own experiences and make them feel valued.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
The onset of the Covid pandemic posed significant challenges for everyone, particularly those engaged in large-group activities and close-knit collaborations. At that time, I found myself in the midst of co-producing the largest set I had been part of—a live-action, fantasy web series titled “The Campaign.” The show revolved around a group of college friends reuniting over a game of DND, only to find themselves sucked into the game, requiring them to work together to find a way back home.
Our production, being relatively smaller in scale, faced the added complexity of team members juggling full-time jobs and other commitments. With shooting scheduled on weekends, the pandemic prompted a necessary pause in our shooting schedule. As co-producers, we regrouped to strategize how best to utilize our time during this hiatus. This involved editing together the episodes we had already shot, creating marketing campaigns from existing footage, and ensuring our actors and crew were informed about our intent to resume production when conditions allowed.
Maintaining engagement, excitement, and a sense of readiness among the team during the hiatus proved to be a challenge. The significant break could have potentially disrupted the flow, but thanks to the dedication and excellence of our team members, we managed to navigate these challenges successfully. Despite the interruption, we returned to set, and with the collective effort of our outstanding team, we were able to finish the project strongly.
Contact Info:
- Website: jandjproductioncompany.com
- Instagram: jandjproductionsatl
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jandjproductions1264/videos
Image Credits
All images are owned by me