Today we’d like to introduce you to Valeria Serratos, Meagan Pistacchi and Samantha Martinez.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Jester started out as three best friends creating moments to forever look back on. Each one with a different skill set, Meagan, Valeria & Samantha were all artists who grew up together sharing the same passion of co-creating. The name Jester came from an artwork Meagan had previously submitted for a Comedy Tragedy logo for a photographer Max Beck on Twitter. Although it didn’t win, the artwork would later inspire the theme of being a Jester. In October of 2020, we got our first gig, shooting a music video for an artist by the name of 949Big G who had reached out via Twitter after he saw some of Valeria’s artwork & photography. Later that same connection would turn into a good long-lasting friendship. In November of the same year, a friend of ours invited us to a restaurant called Tres Muchachos in Costa Mesa for their grand opening and shortly we became great friends with the owner. He was very inspired by our tenacity for wanting to be working creatives.
We asked to take pictures of their lovely atmosphere and food for practice and began a slow process of helping them grow their social media content. After a few months of working together with 949Big G, he introduced Jester to a collective of artists known as My World Records which he was working with at the time, Jester instantly clicked with the artists and continued to work with them collectively and individually. So many wonderful people gave us opportunities to work, learn, and grow in just the span of a year. Jester is forever grateful for the amazing support and love we got from being able to collaborate with such amazing and driven people. Jester evolved from three best friends posting vacation vlogs & painting in our rooms to a multimedia company that is consistently growing and wanting to help others bring their creativity to light.
Jester is always learning something new, and although we may not be a master of all, we are without a doubt a jack of all trades. Having three perspectives on creativity allowed for broader perceptions and different expressions of self-discovery as well as skill sets to bring to the table. Each of the girls works every day on their craft and are in constant practice either by collaborations with other artists or solo creative projects. Jester is always jestering. We started by being artists ourselves and got to where we are by trying to help other creatives alike.
Alright, 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?
There have been quite a few obstacles with the growth of Jester as a whole and individually. The three girls went to high school together and continued their knowledge and love for the film throughout college, with most being very basic knowledge. Meeting the collective, we did so quickly, we had to adapt and prove ourselves that we could deliver real quality work. We knew the basics, but we realized to play and be good at the game you had to know more than just what was required. Everyone we were working with were pro’s in their own right, so we took it very seriously to be able to keep up and learn all we could from those kind enough to teach us. Realizing to be able to compete, we needed better equipment, more time to dedicate to the craft, and better communication between the three of us. Over time, the experience became our greatest teacher and we grew, but we had also lost a few connections as well. But that never stopped us. We were artists, getting to work with other artists in a very real way for the first time, something we didn’t want to lose the momentum of.
So we made the most of every opportunity, but of course, phase one ended. We learned how to network, how to handle technical issues, and how to manage time better, but there was a lull in getting consistent work for a good six months. Our personal lives became more of a priority this time. Samantha was to move to Tennessee with her family, and Meagan and Valeria were dealing with personal issues like family and mental health. Not to mention the stress of wondering how we could realistically make this work; the stress of believing in ourselves truly and establishing an identity. With Samantha moving and the dip in work, we couldn’t help but feel like things were ending; we were uncertain of our futures in both a work sense and a personal sense. We were not conventional, but we were infectious. A friend of ours had mentioned if they didn’t met us when they did, a lot of their creative ambitions wouldn’t have been as prominent in their lives. We met a group of amazing people at an important time in our self-discovery, and we brought a passion into the mix. It was scary to be working with people who knew exactly what they were doing most of the time to put ourselves out there in a very honest and vulnerable way.
But it has also been some of the most rewarding challenges we’ve yet to face. After many tears, talks of possibly going our separate ways, the girls felt in their hearts that Jester’s time was just beginning. So they all did their best to grow in small ways as they found their groove once more. Thus Phase Two is upgrading the foundation and getting back out there. Jester has truly trusted its gut in knowing all good would work out so long as we gave it our best effort.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
From music videos to live events, photography, graphic design, as well as custom artwork and social media management, Jetser specializes in many different mediums. Currently, we are most known for our BTS footage for musical artists and restaurant content.
Jester is most proud of its behind-the-scenes work for the production of “ Tabasco” for its visual components and the style in which it is edited.
The way Jester adapts to each of the projects they are creating, along with the out-of-the-box elements we each provide; is definitely what continues to set us apart from others.
Each of the girls has their own skill sets. Samantha specializes in custom artwork, writing, and design. Valeria specializes in photography, videography, editing, digital edits, and design. Meagan specializes in videography and editing, 2D animation and design as well as photography and writing. All the girls pretty much share the same skill sets but are more versed in some than others. Each member is a well-rounded creative director and filmmaker, as well as much more. Jester intends to be its own kind of publication and multi-media production house. We hope to shift into short films in the near future!
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Covid was a huge factor in why we were able to go as full in as we did. With college being put online, we had more time to give to any creative opportunity. Luckily the connections we fostered were doing things the safest way possible and kept moving forward. I think the only way we were able to stay sane during it all was by the excitement of all the right components coming together in such an odd time for the world. We learned to adapt to any given situation and that being able to stay connected was important to our mental health.
Pricing:
- BTS: $150-$200 per shooter, 8 hour day , 10hour max. (BTS Photos & Videos included + BTS edits)
- Custom Artwork: $40 – $200, depending on the medium
- Video/Photo Shoot: Prices may vary depending on type of shoot. Please email us for inquiries!
Contact Info:
- Website: filmbyjester.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/filmbyjester/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@filmbyjester
Image Credits
All the girls in front of Tres Muchachos in order Eliza Hope, Valeria, Meagan, Samantha and Amber Romero All the shirts and boys, celebrating with dinner & delivery of shirts! Designed by Meagan and Valeria for the creative collective formerly known as My World Records Meagan with Tres Muchachos owner Alejandro and artists Vyce and 10Colder at Tabsco shoot
