Today we’d like to introduce you to Abbie Steckler.
Abbie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I am a storyteller, an adventurer and an artist. I’ve always loved exploring and hunting for inspiration and collecting stories from the people I meet along the way. Filmmaking for me is an essential form of communication – in my view, it is the single best way to share important ideas while also providing excellent entertainment.
My journey with making films started quite early – when I was 12 years old playing around in our Connecticut backyard with my dad’s camcorder, a box of old Halloween costumes, and some very supportive friends. When I realized that making movies was actually a career (definitely while watching the featurettes on the Lord of the Rings extended edition DVDs), I knew that it was what I had to do.
Fast forward to now – living in Hollywood with several years of industry experience under my belt, I’m still just in love with making movies as I was back then.
My first years in Los Angeles were a rollercoaster of success and failure, all the while learning invaluable lessons about how to make the best media possible. I worked jobs ranging in duties from production assistant to editor, for both small companies and huge studios such as Freeform and NBC. I learned every step of the production process, the essential duties of each crewmember and the most efficient workflows to final delivery. I observed directors and producers and saw what types of leadership most effectively lead a project to completion.
However, eventually, one of the most important realizations I had was seeing how much time and effort goes into creating content that didn’t add anything substantial to the world – it was only meant to sell a product or bait a viewer. It was then that I decided I wanted to step out on my own and create a production company – one that was entirely focused around inspiring and informing.
Creating any type of video is such a rewarding team effort, and my goal is to put all of these skills and experience towards content that matters – promoting nonprofits and causes, spreading awareness and telling stories that both entertain and elevate thought. I stand by my favorite quote from the artist Banksy – “Film is incredibly accessible and democratic. It’s probably the best option if you want to change the world, not just decorate it.”
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?
There have definitely been challenges along the way. Honestly, one of the hardest decisions was leaving my 9-5 editing job to start my own company. I guess it’s always hard to leave something secure and steady for the unknown – but in movies when characters step into the wilderness it always seemed a bit more dazzling and romantic (maybe Frodo and the rest of the Fellowship affected my subconscious more than I realized?). It took me a long time to build up the courage and convince myself that there was never going to be a time when I felt “ready.” It’s a gulpy feeling, telling your coworkers that you’re leaving a good job for what looks very much like a black hole of nothing. But I couldn’t be happier I did it.
Even after setting off on my own, there have been countless struggles. I’m an artist at heart, and running a business doesn’t come entirely naturally to me. Because I’ve that, I’ve had to work doubly hard to set Little Scorpion up for success. I’m sure the work will pay off, but like anything else worth doing, it requires a lot of patience. And goodness knows I am anything but patient!
Finally, there are constant daily challenges that come up. Translation/communication mishaps when shooting abroad, weather delays and rescheduling, technology snafoos and gear malfunctions. Every project has its own slate of difficulties, but that just makes it even more rewarding to watch back the beautiful finished video.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Little Scorpion Studios – what should we know?
Well, I’m glad you asked – I’ve got a snazzy mission statement for you. Little Scorpion Studios is a production company dedicated to telling the stories of organizations and propelling them towards their goals. By informing and inspiring audiences, we strive to make the world a better place.
We specialize in creating videos for nonprofits and NGOs, finding ways to creatively promote causes that need more attention and support. A single video can be enormously helpful in reaching potential donors, either spread digitally through social media or screened at in-person events. At the nexus of entertainment and education, Little Scorpion knows how to make highly share-able videos that can capture an audience’s attention.
Little Scorpion is best known for making videos, including broader services such as production and post-production, along with more specialized options such as drone photography and graphics animation. However, we also offer a wide range of marketing services to help organizations solidify their brand.
In addition to nonprofit projects, Little Scorpion creates scripted content as well. We produced the short film “Smile,” which premiered at the Burbank Film Festival, and the TV series “A Girl’s Guide To Ghosting,” both of which are available on Amazon Prime.
Most recently, Little Scorpion launched our podcast “The 2033 Podcast,” which features interviews with up-and-coming young people, exploring together how we can make the world a better place by the year 2033.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I’d say at the heart of Little Scorpion is compassion. We care very much about the subjects we depict and the stories we tell. Every project we choose to take on, it’s because we feel it is worth sharing with audiences around the world. In a substantial way, our videos will uplift, inspire, or bring awareness to an important issue or cause. This desire fuels our every move – it pushes us to work harder and make every project the best it can possibly be. Furthermore, building up from this motivation, Little Scorpion always operates with utmost integrity and ingenuity. We may not be carrying the one ring to Mordor, but we think our mission has just as much potential to change the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: littlescorpionstudios.com
2033podcast.com - Phone: 203-219-5436
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbie_steckler/
https://www.instagram.com/2033podcast/
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