Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeremy Paredes.
Hi Jeremy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am a first year Literature, Media, & Communications major at Georgia Tech. My passion for filmmaking started in middle school during my travel club soccer seasons. When my team traveled to other states in the southeast for tournaments, I would video everything from checking in to the hotel to the team eating lunch between games and just having fun together. I loved capturing these special moments and made several fun vlog-style videos of our road trips. Entering my freshman year of high school, I joined the school’s Audio Video Technology & Film program. Using the school camera, I filmed my first ever high school football game. I had a blast. I continued to shoot and edit hype videos for fun, teaching myself different editing tricks and pushing the boundary of what I could do. By my junior year, I was taking pictures and creating videos for different high school sports teams across Georgia, ranging from football, baseball, and basketball. I created hype videos, athlete features, and short documentaries. I loved being able to combine my two passions: filmmaking and sports. Being an athlete myself gave me a unique perspective. One of the things I loved most was getting to know the athletes as people beyond their sport and sharing their stories, challenges and successes. Through the time in high school, I was fortunate to earn multiple national awards, including 2 Southeast Student Emmys. Towards the end of my senior year of high school, a Georgia Tech Football (GTFB) creative director saw my work, loved it and recruited me to join GTFB’s creative team. It was an amazing opportunity! Currently, as a freshman at Georgia Tech, I’ve filmed football games and practices, team events throughout the season, creating a variety of content for our athletes and GTFB social media platforms. When I’m not shooting for GTFB, I’m either shooting other GT Athletics or doing freelance work in Atlanta ranging from lifestyle and community features for my media brand, Jdopefx.
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?
While not a direct challenge of filmmaking, it is how filmmaking helped me persevere through my toughest times. I have struggled with severe eczema all my life. When I was a young, other kids would see my dry, cracked, rashy red skin and ask if I had skin cancer or if it was contagious. They whispered behind my back. While they didn’t do it to be hurtful, it still hurt and made me ashamed of who I was. Over time, I learned to block out how others saw me. Second semester of junior year, I had a major setback and my eczema overtook me. I was in a constant cycle of itching, scratching, having broken skin and being in intense pain. I was not able to attend school, soccer or film. I couldn’t do any of the things I loved. Infection set in, and I was rushed to the hospital, my body in septic shock. After a week’s stay in ICU supported by an incredible medical team, I was able to continue my recovery at home. With the support of my family, friends, and faith, I stayed positive through the bouts of eczema. I put all my energy towards creating videos; teaching myself editing and special effects was an escape for me. My love for filmmaking helped me push through the low times. With the help of a recently approved medicine, I am successfully managing my eczema. I’m back to my old self, hanging out with friends, playing sports, and actively working on various media and video content for Georgia Tech and the greater Atlanta area. My journey with eczema continues; it is a condition I will most likely have to live with. However, eczema doesn’t define who I am. As an ambassador for the National Eczema Association, I share my story with the hope of helping others who suffer from eczema but also to raise awareness of the physical and mental impacts of this condition.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a photographer and filmmaker, creating a range of media covering sports to lifestyle and commercials. I am currently a student intern for Georgia Tech Football’s Creative Media Team. I travel with the team, filming at practices and games and producing photos and videos for the players, coaches, and GTFB’s social platforms. I also run my own media production brand, Jdopefx, producing content for different companies and athletes throughout Georgia, including Franklin Sports, the Georgia High School Association (GHSA), and 11 Alive Born to Compete, among others. This past February, I had the amazing opportunity to work for NBC Sports during the Beijing Winter Olympics as a Digital Production Assistant. As a shot selector, I helped sort, cut and edit together key moments throughout the Games to be used for highlights, features and content for social media. Being immersed in the Olympics culture and working with the highly talented people at NBC Sports was an incredible opportunity of a lifetime. I am most proud of having the opportunity to mentor younger creators and being able to pay it forward. I really enjoy providing insight and helping guide these young creators aspiring to learn this craft. It’s rewarding and gives me joy to see these younger photographers and filmmakers taking huge leaps and improvements in every project they work on.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My family members are some of my biggest supporters. My parents have always encouraged me to chase what I love doing, and my brother, Josh, has done everything from carrying my equipment on shoots to being my second cameraman. My aunt, Michelle Tesoro, has been one of my inspirations. She is an Emmy award-winning motion picture editor, most known for her editing work on the Queen’s Gambit. My high school’s coaches, faculty, and staff throughout my time there as a student always supported my work, pushing it out online and giving me the creative freedom to run with ideas I had. Having their support means the world to me. Finally, without Georgia Tech Football and the creative media team, I wouldn’t have the amazing opportunity to shoot Georgia Tech Athletics that I do today. My success and journey has been shaped and influenced by many people in my life, and without these people, I wouldn’t be the person or artist I am today.
Contact Info:
- Email: jeremy.paredes0321@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.jeremy-paredes.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jdopefx/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jdopefx
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHyFnfhpSjDINZz0kf2gXww
Image Credits
Rodney Cofield,Jr, Alex Brizendine, Ian McFarland
