Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacqueline Lehr.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I found my interest in filmmaking when I was in kindergarten. I had a friend who was able to get me onto the set of Disney’s “Flubber”, starring Robin Williams. Ever since then, I knew that I wanted to make movie magic. As I grew up, my fascination with photography and filmmaking gained momentum as I was always making little videos with my friends and editing them on Windows Movie Maker. I would also take my Dad’s Nikonos underwater film cameras into the ocean just to practice exposure and framing in a real environment. My family has been scuba diving since we were all early teens, so I’ve always wanted to connect the underwater world with my career.
In college, I was accepted into the film program at Cal State University, Northridge where I had the privilege of being Director of Photography in all of my projects. In my senior year, I received the honor of being the first woman to be awarded the ARRI Alexa Grant. The grant gave me access to an ARRI Alexa XT camera, ARRI Master Prime lenses and a lighting package that helped make my dreams come true for our senior thesis project.
Once I graduated from film school, I began working at HydroFlex, which is a rental house that only rents out underwater housings for the big cinema cameras. I enjoyed my time there learning from the best underwater cameraman in the business, Pete Romano, A.S.C. Once I left HydroFlex I began working as an Underwater Camera Operator, Underwater Camera Technician and 1st AC.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I’ve found freelance life to be the best and hardest years of my life so far. There’s been months where I don’t have a single day off and all I want to do is sleep for 48 hours straight. There’s other months where I’ll only work a few days and spend time off in my house having an existential crisis. I learned quickly that you have to be very good at managing your money because it’s feast or famine in this industry.
Another aspect of freelancing is that it’s all word of mouth. So if I’m not actively connecting with people and reaching out when I’m available, I won’t get any work. So I’ve learned to expand my network and meet new filmmakers whenever possible.
I’m in my fourth year now and I’ve finally learned to enjoy my time off and make the best of a busy workload when I have it!
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I mainly work as a Camera Operator, 1st AC, Underwater Camera Operator & Underwater Technician. For those who may not know, a 1st AC is the person who handles a lot of the technical aspects of the camera on set, including lens changes but most importantly pulling focus on each shot.
I also do freelance work with companies like ZEISS, who manufacture some of the best lenses in the film industry. Working for them has given me amazing opportunities to not only learn about equipment but to meet and network with people from around the world. I’ve been to Sundance Film Festival and various other events with ZEISS and it has really opened up my network to collaborate with other filmmakers. I also shoot content for ZEISS when they want to showcase their new lenses in an underwater environment.
I’m very proud of my specialized niche of underwater camera work. Not only does it bring me pure joy whenever I work an underwater job but it helps me stick out amongst the crowd. I co-own a RED Epic camera and UW housing with my boyfriend who’s in the same line of work. Owning your own gear gives you an advantage because you don’t need the money to go rent equipment, you can wake up one day and decide to go diving with your professional gear. In my opinion, having a niche is the best way to achieve success at a faster pace and I’m very happy with this path that I’ve chosen!
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is a hard word for me. I have moments where I pat myself on the back because I’ve come a really long way since I started. Then there are other days where I question myself and wonder if I will ever achieve the ‘success’ I’ve been reaching towards for so many years. To me, there are different levels of success and the bar is raised as more achievements are made. Right now, I’m very comfortable with where I’m at in my career. I’m about to join the Local 600 Union for camera personnel, which is a huge marker of success in this industry. Once I’ve officially joined the union as a 1st AC, I will work to climb the ladder to become a Director of Photography. I have a few projects coming up this year where I’ll be working as the Director of Photography on land and underwater, which is exciting because I strive to create movie magic and tell important stories through a camera and lens. I’m excited to flex my creative muscles even more this year and share some really special content with the world. Overall it will take me many years to finally achieve the success I want for myself in this industry, but all I can do is be patient and enjoy the journey!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jacquelinelehr.com/
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacquelinelehrrr/
Image Credit:
Taylor Woods, Robert DelTour, Parker Brooks
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