Today we’d like to introduce you to Jen Ryall.
Hi Jen, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My father was a radio DJ while I was growing up which taught me voiceover work at a young age (and how to use a reel-to-reel tape recorder). We lived in five different states before I was in high school. I adapted to always being the “new girl”.
After trying a season in volleyball, I embraced the Arts instead. I dove into acting and scored a leading role at my very first audition. I really loved the theater environment and used my experiences meeting people across the country as ammunition when developing characters. My parents settled on a very small town in Wisconsin for my high school years. The lack of things to do in Nowhere, USA (and a strict curfew) pushed me further into the theater. I was intrigued at the production and the creativity. I decided I wanted to take it further and chose Film Production as my college major. My many film magazine subscriptions painted an incredible picture of what it could be like on a movie set! Desperately needing to leave the small town behind, I moved to Minneapolis for the University of Minnesota Film program.
Occasionally, on campus bus rides, I would pass the local ABC TV station and made it a goal to work there! I applied for any opening I could find and, ultimately, interviewed six times for a position before finally being accepted onto their Marketing team. I loved it! I got to see the local news being created. I helped with ABC casting calls and marketing events. I programmed local commercials that I helped produce (and acted in a few!). Soon, I was approached to move over to the local CBS TV station – and I did! By this point, I was heavily invested in the local music scene and helped produce the morning music show. The CBS team embraced my creativity and my desire to grow but, I quickly felt like a big fish in a small pond and dreamt of more. I did what most young dreamers do… I sold all of my belongings, packed my car, and moved to Los Angeles with little money. In my mind, it was either NYC or LA and I was fed up with winter!
I had no leads, knew no one, and didn’t have a job. It was too overwhelming trying to dive into film and TV right away (got shut down, a lot!). It felt more obtainable to discover what the music scene had to offer. I set my sights on the best music artist agency in town (at the time) – Creative Artists Agency (CAA). I landed an assistant role to the head music agent (those interviews could be a whole other story!). The brief experience was a whirlwind. Think small-town girl meets The Devil Wears Prada times a million. I learned very quickly not to smile. I worked 14 hour days and was then given ‘homework’. Weekends flew by from behind the corner office blinds (set at exactly two inches above the window ledge or there was a problem). It was not at all the glitz and glamour everyone said it would be. Although, I did order lunch for Bono once and locked eyes with Jared Leto in the hallway. I moved on!
Staying in music but moving away from the agency life, I was given the opportunity to work on the artist management side. This was more my jam! While producing music videos, or tour collateral, or shooting album cover artwork, I recognized the studio environment and gravitated toward the moments when I could be involved in studio work. It reminded me of my college Film Production classes and allowed for creative moments of building content we could all be proud of. In a roundabout way, the studio felt like the scenes in the film magazines I loved in high school.
I left music and accepted a job with one of the major Hollywood studio players. Soon, I was producing content that was published in The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. I was creating and implementing marketing strategy for studio growth and producing all of the studio’s major events. It was an amazing opportunity but, after many, many years of being strung along with the promise of growth, it fell short. It also grew extremely corporate and unpleasant. I searched for years for the next step. I interviewed at many other studios and was told time and time again that I was overqualified. I wondered why my current studio didn’t recognize this or see my worth.
Until one day, I met an incredible woman who owned an empty historic building and was pondering what to do with it. I had an “aha” moment and approached her with a business plan to grow the property into a photo studio and event space. She gave me the keys to the building and my journey growing the business began (her only request was that I keep the name she gave to the property – Naked Eye Studio)! It was the scariest and most thrilling thing. I was not only producing and creating content with people I admired, but I was learning about cold calling, operations, accounting management, building permits, sales… I was doing everything! Sadly, about a year into our arrangement (and a few months into the pandemic), cancer took over and the building owner left us. It was devastating for me because not only was this an angel of a businesswoman that I looked up to but I was extremely worried about what would happen to the building. I had grown a very successful business in that building and I was stuck wondering if I would have to start over somewhere else.
Ultimately, while waiting for months to hear from the person that inherited the building, I started a search for a new location. I developed a backup plan. I luckily got connected with a broker who not only helped me find a new venue but helped me negotiate (during a pandemic!) my first commercial contract! In searching for a new property, it was important to me that the new location have guts that could be celebrated. It was important to find a hidden gem with some history and a local community to help embrace it. Through this journey, The Clara Los Angeles was born. My husband and I spent a good chunk of the pandemic renovating the property, restoring its historical elements, and bringing in artists we admire to create magic! Eventually, the new owner at NES discussed continuing a partnership with that property thus now I have two incredible venues.
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?
One of my biggest challenges was overcoming societal pressures and expectations put on a Midwest career driven woman. Times are slightly different now in that it’s becoming more accepted when a woman does not want children but, when I was in my early to mid-twenties, it was very much looked down on to be a woman who not only had a growing career but who did not have a desire for children. Nearly everyone I knew was married with kids (or on that route) and it was extremely hard to push through. At times, I wondered if it was my “duty” to give in and join the pack but everything in me screamed not to. I wanted to be authentic. I wanted to prove there were other paths to happiness and that I wasn’t selfish for not following the norm. It was a lonely time. Many friends and family did not understand and pulled away. It became easier to get through this after moving to the West Coast. I found more women who shared my views and values on the subject and have also created great friendships with people that have children (but who do not judge my decision to not have kids).
A second hurdle that I still struggle with is imposter syndrome. I sadly have had a couple of horrible bosses throughout my time in Los Angeles and I think this has fueled low self-confidence. Despite the consistent evidence of external validation, I sometimes lack the internal acknowledgment of my accomplishments. It’s become a helpful cure to surround myself with other female entrepreneurs and share our wins together but I still find myself fearing failure or feeling unworthy.
We’ve been impressed with The Clara Los Angeles and Naked Eye Studio, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The Clara Los Angeles and Naked Eye Studio are revived historical properties turned into creative campuses for photoshoots, film shoots, commercials, and events/weddings. My goal with both properties is to focus on community growth and connection through creativity. Whether that’s producing an art show, inviting small businesses in for a local marketplace, shooting magazine covers, or launching a new product, our spaces thrive on cultivating the creative journey with memorable content. I was inspired as a kid looking through all of the film magazines and seeing connections. If I can be a part of creating a piece of art that connects with even just one person, I will be grateful.
A large part of our mission is to celebrate the history of the properties and the community surrounding each venue. The Clara Los Angeles was originally a bank from 1923 located in the Arts District in DTLA. It has three pieces of artwork painted by local artists (Josh Everhorn and Branded Arts). We sponsor neighborhood clean-up action and are active in community partnerships (crew catering from local small business or adding local breweries on our bar tap). At Naked Eye Studio (located near USC), we are volunteers at the West Adams Historical Society and encourage college students and local youth to partner with the studio for senior thesis film projects, art shows, and productions. NES was originally an Art Deco themed auto parts store that was transitioned into a theater and restored now as a studio.
The studio offerings are exactly what you see… authentic blank canvases awaiting transformation!
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
My family ended up in Washington during one of our moves. I was convinced (after spending lots of time combing the beach and tide pools for treasures) that I was going to be a marine biologist! I spent years mapping out charts with whale sizings and I was fascinated with the local neighborhood touch tank. Following that, my first concert was Paula Abdul and I dreamed of being her backup dancer. I would sew material into different skirts and dance outfits and pretend I was on tour (fast forward 25 years or so and I actually met Paula Abdul while working on XFactor – mind blown). Regardless of which phase I was going through as a kid, I always poured my heart into whatever I was passionate about and kept at it until I succeeded to meet the goal at hand. My favorite things were almost always associated with the Arts or the outdoors!
Contact Info:
- Email: jen@theclaralosangeles.com
- Website: https://www.theclaralosangeles.com/ AND https://www.nakedeyestudiorental.com/
- Instagram: @theclaralosangeles AND @nakedeyestudiorental
Image Credits:
Joseph Cultice, Aaron Pryor, Tim Street Porter and Lily Tapia Photography
