Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob Poag.
Hi Jacob, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story started in a small blue journal where I had an idea for a documentary on Dalton, GA and the carpet industry. Keep in mind that I was just 15 years old, I did not have access to any type of studio to even begin to make the film and had no film experience whatsoever. All of this was most likely going to be a problem, but I was determined. Around that time, the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world and it became apparent very quickly that if this project was even going to get to first base, we’d have to pursue it with Zoom meetings! After doing my research for any studios that I might hook up with to produce the film, I kept hitting dead ends as far as finding any opportunities out there for students my age. This is when the idea hatched to start our very own student-run film studio, where students could be given an opportunity to produce their scripts and be even take on budget and management skills. Over Zoom, we had 15 high schoolers that agreed to come on board and help work on this idea and over a very short period of time, S.T.E.P. Studio was born! We developed the script for the Dalton documentary over the next five months, shot the film in two months, and then spent the next year and a half editing the footage.
I am so proud to say that our documentary went on to be accepted into three major film festivals and we won awards in two of them. Not bad for our first time out! Later our film was given an Amazon prime debut which created so much excitement in our community. Thanks in large part to our quick success, we have now positioned our company as a nonprofit organization and have become S.T.E.P. Studio, Inc. Currently, we are in post-production on two other films and we are in the well into production of our largest film to date. This upcoming film focuses on a long-distance relationship taking place over the course of a year and was shot in a very unique filming style that we think is sure to surprise audiences. This film is slated to release in the winter of 2024 and will have a multi-theatre release. S.T.E.P. Studio, Inc has grown to seven branches (6 different colleges and one independent branch) and has we now have over 70 employees that are involved with our projects. We plan to keep expanding and to be able to reach more audiences with our films and we’re hopeful to continue to achieve more success.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Honestly, the largest obstacle that we’ve faced as a company and for me as the head of that company is our age. Due to the fact that most of us are still teenagers, it can be hard to gain traction and respect from audiences and other production studios. Everyone who joins our group understands that to compete with other studios we must work twice as hard and practice very disciplined time management skills in order for us to be able to compete at film festivals. Most of our team members are in college and are invested in their studies during the day. This requires them to work hard during the evenings in order to make our vision successful. That is why the work we do at S.T.E.P. Studio Inc is extraordinary. We are proving that young people do have a voice and can compete in the real world. Society puts teenagers in a box and says they should do a certain thing and act a certain way and we believe that is not the case. Students should be given the same voice and opportunity that all people should have. We consider ourselves trailblazers for laying the groundwork for future students who come after us.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
S.T.E.P. Studio, Inc. is the very first student-led production studio in the country and has grown into one of the largest student film organizations in existence. We have branches at six colleges that have students that write scripts to be approved and then to be put into production. We entertain film ideas such as documentaries, romance, dramas, thrillers, etc. We also do photography and videographer for those looking for those services. Above all, we seek to be a path to an opportunity to help students gain knowledge in the film industry and to help t prepare them for their future careers.
What matters most to you? Why?
S.T.E.P. Studio Inc is a nonprofit organization. We took this “step” because we believe that we are here to create a film, not for a profit, but rather for the opportunity. The film industry is one of the most competitive industries in the world and it’s even harder for students as we have discovered firsthand. The purpose of S.T.E.P. Studio, Inc. is to give students the necessary tools and environment to create professional-grade films and also teach them so that when they leave S.T.E.P., they are more prepared than most for the film industry. We also want to help bring awareness to topics and issues most Hollywood production studios do not create. Our aim is to help students chase their dreams and we strive to create opportunities for success in a very competitive industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stepstudiosinc.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s.t.e.p._studio/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stepstudioinc/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYxxAmnTPFi2A3DroHBmT0w
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13292948/
Image Credits:
Jacob Poag – President of S.T.E.P. Studio Inc
