Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Lueck.
Hi Jessica, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I think I’ve always been a producer, I just didn’t know that’s what it was called when I was 12, running around with a camera, roping my sister and our friends into chaotic home videos. In middle school, it was fake movie trailers and music videos. In high school, I started exploring short stories, figuring out how to connect with an audience and what made something resonate. It was the first time I thought about the why behind a story, and what gives it that feeling, the one that makes people care.
I went to The Savannah College of Art and Design to study film & television and focused on producing, which felt like the first time I had a language for what I was already doing instinctively. I made shorts with friends and strangers who turned into collaborators, learned how to pitch, raise money, cast, schedule, problem-solve, and somehow still keep the creative spark alive. One of those projects even took us to Italy, which felt like a dream. I remember standing on set in a different country thinking, “Wait… we made this happen?”
After graduation, I moved to LA. Since then, I’ve worked on all kinds of projects from studio features, commercials, and off-road race events in the middle of nowhere. I’ve been a PA, a coordinator, a production manager and sometimes all at once. I take the work seriously, but I never want to lose the fun of it. I’m the person who’s always asking, “You okay?” because I care about the work, but I care about the people more.
Right now, I’m in a bit of a shift, trying to reconnect with the version of filmmaking that made me fall in love with it in the first place. I’m still figuring out what that looks like exactly, but I know it’s rooted in story, in people, in making something that feels both honest and exciting. I want to keep creating things that feel personal but still reach other people. Stories that are warm, a little weird, sometimes sad, but always human.
Still learning. Still chasing that same spark from middle school, just with better equipment and a little more life behind it.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Smooth road? Absolutely not. More like a dirt path with questionable signage, a few flat tires, and me holding a walkie asking if anyone knows where basecamp is.
This industry is chaotic by nature, and figuring out where you fit in it takes time—understanding that and giving myself grace has been the only way to get me through. There’ve been moments of total burnout, stretches where I wasn’t sure if I was even on the right path, and plenty of jobs where I felt like a cog in the machine instead of a creative. It’s easy to lose sight of the why when you’re running on fumes.
One of the biggest challenges has been learning how to advocate for myself while still being a team player. I’m naturally someone who wants to help and get things done, but early on, that sometimes meant putting myself last or staying in roles that didn’t fully align with what I wanted. I’ve had to unlearn that a bit and really ask myself: What do I want to make? What kind of work makes me want to show up every day? Because this job isn’t easy — and that’s part of what makes it exciting. It pushes you. But if I’m going to give it everything, it has to be for something that actually fuels me.
I’ve also had to wrestle with self-doubt — like, am I good enough to do this? Am I just faking it? But every tough project, every long day, every “figure it out as you go” moment has made me sharper, more grounded, and more confident in my own voice. The hard stuff taught me how to hold space for both the chaos and the creativity — and to trust that I belong here.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I work in film and video production, and like a lot of people in this industry, I’ve worn a lot of hats. I’ve been a production assistant, coordinator, and production manager on everything from studio features to scrappy commercials to live off-road racing events in the middle of nowhere. I specialize in creative coordination — the behind-the-scenes work that keeps things moving and ensures the vision lands on screen without losing its spark.
Other people do this job too; it’s not some secret formula, but what sets me apart is how I show up. I’m calm under pressure, I ask good questions, and I care deeply about the people I work with. I’m usually the one making sure everyone’s fed, hydrated, and has what they need. Not because someone told me to, but because I want everyone to feel like we’re in it together. I bring structure, clarity, and softness to environments that can be chaotic and high-pressure, and I think that changes the energy of a set more than people realize.
One moment I’ll never forget was while producing a student short film called Perfect Circle. We needed a scene to look like the aftermath of a house fire, but we had no budget left, we were using SAG actors for the first time, and there was zero wiggle room in the schedule. So we took down an entire interior set, packed it into a truck, drove it to a field where we wouldn’t get caught, burned it, loaded the charred remains back into the truck, and rebuilt it overnight so it was ready to shoot the next morning. I was awake for 36 hours straight, balancing finals on top of it, but we got the shot. That experience taught me more about leadership, problem-solving, and pure determination than any classroom ever could.
I’m proud of a lot: the shorts I produced at SCAD, the ones that made it to festivals, and the ones we pulled off against all odds. But more than anything, I’m proud of how I’ve continued to grow — learning to trust my taste, trust my leadership, and speak up for the kind of work I want to make. I’m not just here to get the job done. I want to help shape the story, the tone, and the experience, both on and off screen.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
The best way to work with me is to bring good energy. I care a lot about the vibe in the room. I think the energy you bring into a creative process matters. I work best with people who are kind, curious, collaborative, and genuinely excited about building something together. I love a team that respects the work, but doesn’t take themselves too seriously. That balance of fun but focused is where the best stuff happens.
Right now, I’m working on a short with my friend Ethan Hawthorne-Dallas called Zarbalatrax of Bugs and Beasts. He wrote the script and came to me early on, and it’s been such a fun process imagining how to bring it to life. The story is about a heartbroken young woman who meets a cursed animatronic fortune teller and, through him, discovers a past life where she was a knight at war with bug men. It’s strange and emotional in the best way. I’ve loved helping shape the visual world, tone, and texture, building out the imagery and figuring out how to make something so wild feel grounded and cinematic.
I get excited when something I read makes me feel something, even if I don’t fully understand it yet. I love collaborating on projects that are bold, a little weird, emotionally grounded, and driven by vision. Whether it’s helping bring structure to a loose idea or producing something fully built, I’m at my best when the story has a pulse and a point of view.
If you’ve got something you’re dreaming up and want someone who brings care, clarity, and a little spark to the process, I’d love to hear about it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jessicalueck6.wixsite.com/website
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicamlueck/?hl=en
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicalueck826/
