Meet Jorchual Gregory Vargas of JGV Studios in Panorama City

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jorchual Gregory Vargas.

Jorchual, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I am an actor and filmmaker from Valencia, Venezuela. The City where I started my journey as an actor and filmmaker through little programs that unlock my curiosity for the art of filmmaking. Back in 2014, shortly after accomplishing my first official short film in my city as a member of the art department a movement for the rights of Venezuelans started which unlead to a tragical experience to me and my family which forced me to leave the country after almost a year of the events.

Leaving to Panama, then to Los Ángeles where I had the opportunity of studying for two semesters in the New York Film Academy in the filmmaking program giving me the basics for a career in the industry. I started working in all departments, but I found my self mostly in the art department. Working hard for over a year in the art department people started to know me as a production designer which lead me to explore plenty of film stages and accumulate props and set dressing pieces.

While this I realize that there are plenty of small studios that are a complete empty space that offered the only sqft of creativeness, but I thought, “what if this empty space would have art resources? Flats, props, set decoration. It would make my work easier” so I decided to create a space dedicated to that. A location where creative minds could come in and create with all the resources available in a location without the need of bringing much from outside. Space suitable for filmmakers and photographers alike.

That’s how JGV Studios started. It was a long process that took me over a year and a half to accomplish, from planning to finding the right location and funding. It wasn’t easy for sure being the fact I am a foreigner and having only 24 years didn’t make it easy at the moment of getting investors or being approved for locations. Fast forward today, and after the struggle, I was capable of creating a space that is continuously evolving to become a stopping place for all creative minds.

I have been fortunate enough to have the support of friends and family that helped me spreading the word, allowing my studio to host feature films, commercials, photo shoots, rehearsals, auditions and more in the short period that’s been open since November 2018.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Some of the most difficult things were to obtain a location and the right funding as mention before I am 24 years old and foreign. I have been in the US for four years only which doesn’t account for a long life of credit history.

Despite having a quite good credit not having a long credit history affected me on trying to get loans or getting locations for my studio. I had to scout for over eight months to find a location that would accept me and my vision, I have to thank my real state agent for all the patience through this process.

Being the studio, my first official business didn’t make it easy at the moment of pitching it to investors as I would be a high risk, also that I am the owner of nothing on this land, so any loan that I was offered were unsecured loans with very high-interest rates.

Please tell us about JGV Studios.
My company is a creative space for people to come in and create their film or photography sets with the available resources on location such as flats, lights, furniture, set dressing, props, seamless backdrop and more. Easily accommodating 50 people in a 1600 sqft building with a green room and makeup/wardrobe room.

What makes me proud of the company is the same thing that differentiates me, the fact that is a flexible space that can virtually host any idea with the available resources on location, helping budgets to stay in budgets and making the work easier for whoever uses the space.

I am also happy to help and accommodate the needs of my clients at my studio. Some of the other services we offer the rental of our resources for out of studio uses, also, I have a team working with me ready to assemble and take down the sets created by the clients, so they don’t have to worry about the setup nor the wrap.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would be more careful about what companies that specialize in accounting, managing or paperwork I would work with.

As the ones I was in touch with were very disappointing making me lose time and money. Would wait on creating the company legally once I have everything better lined up.

Contact Info:

• Address: 14630 Titus St, Unit B, Panorama City, CA, 91402
• Website: www.jgvstudios.com
• Phone: 818-6172575
• Email: info@jgvstudios.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/jgvstudios
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JGVStudios/
• Yelp: https://yelp.to/qTKq/uWyLBQ7noU
• Other: www.instagram.com/jorchual

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