Today we’d like to introduce you to Jake Loskutoff.
Jake, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m a sports dork and music nut, born and raised in San Diego (go Padres!). When I was 13 years old, I spent my first paycheck on a Canon SLR film camera and would document my settings in a journal so I could look back on what worked once the film was processed.
Fast forward nearly a decade and when my collegiate volleyball career ended, my passion for photography, sports and music did not. With a degree in communications from the University of Colorado in hand, I set out to establish myself in New York City, working from the ground up.
Intern turned Production Assistant, turned Associate Producer, turned Producer, everywhere I went I was given a camera and some light direction. It wasn’t until I noticed editors were using my footage the “wrong way” that I asked my then girlfriend (now wife) to teach me how to edit. She’d sneak me into her college classes and show me the ropes, and thus, I quickly became a one-man band.
I bounced from Fuse TV to MTV to Tupelo Honey Productions working on great projects with the Beastie Boys, Wyclef Jean, the New York Yankees and more. In 2006, Fuse TV sent me out to cover the 2006 Vans Warped Tour. Three months on the road in a visual wonderland gave me the experience of a lifetime and enough footage to make a reel.
Fresh off the tour bus and with what I was sure was the best-reel-ever-made in hand, I moved to LA with confidence that I would book a job immediately. But six months later, the only thing I was excelling at was video games. I caught another break when the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball returned one of many emails, and I began producing and shooting for their live broadcasts and weekly recaps.
From there, I slowly worked my way up the chain and into the director’s chair. I’ve been lucky enough to be in this business for 17 years now, and I still bring a journal on set to take notes, just like that kid jotting down his camera settings.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
On the macro level, it’s been as smooth as a careered freelancer can expect. Work lulls come and go, but that’s part of the draw, especially when I can take advantage of those times to reconnect with my wife or head down to San Diego for a long weekend.
Digging deeper though, on the micro level, there are TONS of challenges I face every day. The complexities of owning a business, staying on top of technological trends, being a solid role model in my community and being a good husband and friend, all boil down to time management and balance. Something I’m still trying to figure out.
In late 2018, I added training into the mix, preparing for my first half marathon, the Malibu Half! Time management be damned! After a successful half marathon, and with the support and encouragement of friends and family, I doubled down and began to prepare for the 2019 Los Angles Marathon, getting up to 22 miles in training, before I fractured my tibia nine days before the race.
But it’s true to me that if there’s no challenge, there’s no reward. “If it was easy, everyone would do it” is a mantra of mine, that I’d repeat over and over on my long runs, and now carry with me through recovery. The same can be said for running a production company. As a creative, all I want to do is create, but sometimes (often), administrative demands get in the way. Now I’m telling myself “running a business isn’t easy. If it was, everyone would do it!”
LIFEinaVAN – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Ah, time to brag about myself. My least favorite part of the business, but one that is so vital these days, with social media and such. LIFEinaVAN is my baby. It was born in the back of the bus on the Warped Tour, as a vehicle to make epic content! Today I’ve kept the focus on sports and athletes, but music still has a place in my heart. As clients go, I’ve worked with and for broadcast channels, brands, agencies, and influencers.
From Fox Sports and ESPN to Tone It Up and Mini Cooper. From VaynerMedia and IMG to Showtime and the NFL Network. But what I like to think separates me and my company from the rest is the creative eye for making good stories, visually compelling. There is an edge to my work, whether the content is in fashion or baseball. This day and age, everyone is producing content, so to stand out, it not only has to be a great story, but it has to visually pop. The look I’ve developed, both in how I produce, shoot, and most notably edit, stands out.
It has pace and fluidity, grace and grit. There’s a hard edge or dramatic sharp backlight or a fluid focus and quick snap. I like to think my directing style is collaborative, caring, nurturing, supportive and motivating and that (usually) brings out the best in my subjects and crew alike.
It still boggles my mind, but I was recognized by the Television Academy in 2015 with an Emmy for Multi-Cam videography. I have received seven Telly Awards for producing, editing and shooting, and was recognized by the Journalism Awards for Best Sports Story in 2010. But what I am most proud of is that collaborative, warm and caring environment which I have created at LIFEinaVAN. I won’t take a job I’m not passionate about.
I’ve formed strong bonds with my clients and crew, and I consider most of them friends. I listen, while still relying on my experience and expertise, to provide input and opinions. But at the end of the day, it’s the relationships and the journey which matters most.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I am very proud to be still working in an industry I love, even though it’s competitive as hell. I’m proud of the path I took and all the hard work that got me here. I’m also proud that I’ve only worked on one reality show! I am SO PROUD of my clients and honored to be a small part in their success.
I am thankful for new opportunities, humbled by repeat clients and I show up to work every day, thinking that day’s job could be my last, so be the best me I can be. Even though my work is always with me, the flexibility I’ve created allows me to escape with my wife and dog for a long weekend from time to time, and that is what I’m most proud of.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.LIFEinaVAN.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakeloskutoff/
Image Credit:
Brandon Bakus, Annie McElwain, Maria Noble
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