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Meet Ashley Lackinger of 3AM Thoughts Production

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Lackinger.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Ashley. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
3AM Thoughts Production (www.3amthoughtsproduction) was started in January of 2018. My friend Kristen called me and two other friends and asked if we wanted to start a production company together, and it was pretty much a resounding, “hell yeah!” Since then, we’ve produced a short film, two web series (a third is in pre-production), a commercial for a local non-profit in Chicago, and co-produced four sold-out live educational events. It’s been a whirlwind of a year and a half.

I’ve always loved filmmaking and storytelling, but it took me a long time to find my groove and my people (and when I say a long time, I mean it. I think it’s been about 7-8 years). I had grown up acting, but when I didn’t get into any acting programs for college, I tried a general theater program, but quickly realized it wasn’t for me. After a semester, I switched to study marketing and genuinely liked it. But I would often get really antsy without a creative outlet. I joined a comedy group in college and learned about writing and absolutely fell in love. I had two friends we would write together all the time. We would study scripts to learn formatting, give each other assignments, and read each other’s work. Shortly after, I started taking improv classes at Second City.

When I graduated from college, I took a day job in sales (student loans aren’t going to pay themselves, haha) but got that same antsy feeling, so I enrolled in classes at iO and took a writing class on the side. After doing improv for about a year, I really wanted to get back into traditional acting, so I did the the studio program at Black Box and absolutely loved it. I bounced around doing acting here and there, all while having a day job (which I still have), but started to get frustrated with having my creativity dependent on other people saying “yes” or “no.”

That’s what led me back to wanting to write and create. I started asking to PA and shadow film projects and realized what I really wanted to do was create my own work. After an insanely amazing and informative pep talk from my friend Kelsey, I decided to face the fear and create something of my own. I felt so incredibly vulnerable and out of my depth asking people to help me when I truly had no idea what I was doing, but I found some amazing people to teach me and rally around my idea. That launched ladyboss (www.ladybosswebseries); a docuseries where I interviewed women in, from, and around Chicago making a difference in their community, our city, and the world. I was able to meet the most amazing women and eventually segued it into a blog and had my friend Kristen do an LA chapter so we could learn more about the behind the scenes of filmmaking.

Ladyboss also introduced me to the eventual co-founders of 3AM Thoughts (it’s crazy how the world works!). Like I said, it’s taken me a really long time to find people I groove with, and who want to create the same content as I do, but it was well worth the wait and I’m still learning so much!

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?
Absolutely not. This has basically been off-roading without a seatbelt it’s been so bumpy. I have started and stopped a million times. I’ve questioned myself, questioned if what I want to create is “good enough”, and always felt like I didn’t quite fit in.

I feel like creating can be so vulnerable, and it’s scary to put yourself out there, especially when there are so many “no’s.” It can be difficult to not take them personally. But I’ve slowly started to realize that all of those “no’s” I’ve ever heard (and there has been A LOT of them: acting programs, improv programs, countless auditions, creative collaborations, contests and festivals, the list goes on, I promise you), has led me to realize I want to creatively be in charge and produce and create my own content. It’s so cliche to say everything happens for a reason, but I do think things in life have their purpose.

And even once I realized I wanted to be the creator and executor of ideas, there have still definitely been struggles. I didn’t go to school for filmmaking or producing or writing, so I question myself a lot. I try to get over that by asking lots of questions and google is 100% my best friend. I also have anxiety, which can cause me to overthink things and get way too in my head, but keeping busy helps me funnel that energy. I also think surrounding myself with positive, encouraging people makes all the difference. The other co-founders of 3AM Thoughts are SO supportive. We’re always hyping one another up, giving pep talks, helping one another, and brainstorming ways to make our ideas happen. It’s the coolest energy to be around and I’m so grateful.

3AM Thoughts Production – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
3AM Thoughts Production is a film production company founded in Chicago, with a branch in LA. Our goal with 3AM is to create meaningful, relevant, thought-provoking, and personal content with a focus on empowering intersectional and marginalized artists.

We want to tell the stories we wish we were seeing more of and give artists a chance to learn and grow together. You don’t have to be a professional or an expert to work with us – we’re all learning from one another and helping one another get better. Anyone is always welcome to shadow on our sets, and if you’ve always wanted to try something (for example; sound, directing, etc.), you have our 100% support.

We want to create an environment where everyone has a creative seat at the table and feels comfortable sharing their ideas.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Seeing our web series, For Better, come to fruition and be streamed on OTV! I had the idea about two years ago and it took so many talented people working together to bring it to life, and to see the final product is seriously the best feeling.

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Image Credit:
Kelsey Jorissen (main headshot)

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