JTWO Welcomes DP Aly Spengler
Introducing Aly Spengler
We are proud to announce the newest addition to our squad, award-winning Director of Photography / Visual Badass, Aly Spengler. We have been working with Aly for a few years now and we absolutely love her work. We couldn’t be more thrilled to add her in a permanent capacity as JTWO’s in-house head of Visual Storytelling.
She began her career producing behind the scenes fashion editorial videos and small-scale documentaries in the winter of 2008. While pursuing her bachelors degree, she worked with local Philadelphia organizations like FringeArts, Govberg Jewelers, iW Magazine, and the Philly iconic, MadDecent. She went on to produce videos for high-end luxury watch brands like Rolex, Breitling, Omega, and Bulova. After graduating with outstanding achievements and winning Best Portfolio in her graduating class, she quickly landed numerous high-profile opportunities working for Comcast, and some of the most elite names within the pharmaceutical industry.
While her core passion lies in documentary and features, she holds a unique admiration for motorcycles and 2-wheeled adventures. She has worked closely with some of the most famous female icons within the motorcycle subculture, as well as being invited to capture and produce work for both The Dream Roll and Babes Ride Out, two of the most prestigious all-female motorcycle events in the United States. These opportunities went on to land her collaboration works with Triumph, and Harley-Davidson.
Projects with Purpose
Because a large part of what we do here at JTWO is create projects through our Projects That Matter Initiative, we knew Aly was the perfect fit while we were looking to expand our team. She has been working on personal social change projects as a documentary filmmaker covering the recent Presidential Election and the Women’s March here in Philadelphia that has caught the eye of media outlets such as the Huffington Post.
In Aly's Words
“Teamwork is the most essential part of this industry. What we see in movies and on television wouldn’t be possible without a carefully curated group of individuals coming together to help execute a common vision. There is no “I” in team. This is not the industry to float on ones ego, but rather, help boost each other up and forward. I love this industry because it has given me the opportunity to meet and work with people from a wide variety of backgrounds. Writers, composers, directors, visual effects artists – those who grew up with riches, and those who grew up poor. We all have our own backstory and what lead us to this field and what keeps us driven and motivated. The thing we have in common is our passion for storytelling, whether it be in pre-production or the fine tuning in post. For some, finding a solid team can be hard to come by, but with JTwo, I have found a home.”
Chris Coughlan - "Originality in the Physical Form"
Chris Coughlan
Getting Started
Hello, my name is Chris Coughlan. I’m a recent graduate of Temple University with a Media Studies and Production degree.
When applying for the internship, I felt like this was my last resort. Nonprofessional sets weren’t giving me the experience I desperately needed. I’d been out of school almost a year. Not having a job right out of the gate pushed at my buttons.
Here at JTwo, my experience is like I’m at work. That has helped me feel more settled. I’ve been thrown right into working and creating. I’ve been one of the first to play around with the new A7S II. The FS7 looks quite appealing (Guys, this is my official request to try it. I’ve spent the past couple of days reading up on it). My goal is to work in the camera or lighting department. I want to help make the images that you see on a big screen.
At first, it was pretty daunting to be in the office. My bootcamp consisted of me in a room all by myself. That’s the very last place I’d hope to be. The inspirational videos are actually something I come back to when I feel in a rut. Especially when Jelani reminds me, or tells other people, that I look like Kenneth from 30 Rock. Thanks man, now I lack originality in the physical form as well.
I came to JTwo with the intention to hone my skills and work with higher grade cinema equipment. On top of that, I was looking for a team. Week 3 is coming to a close, and I’m happy to say I’ve been enjoying my stay. Opportunities to work on actual client projects are abundant. Your greatest learning experiences will come from these. Say yes to any of these opportunities. Volunteer as a tribute/slave to the Film Gods. I mean…be a PA.
You should absolutely read the blogs, they’ll do you justice. They may scare you, they’ll worry you, but they will HELP you. What’s most important is that you pay attention, they’re speaking from experience. Get through the bootcamp and reap the rewards of working on REAL things. I’m happy to say I’ve started shooting, and I will be going on my first set with the gang tomorrow. (UPDATE: I went, I shot, and had a blast with people of Bringing Hope Home.)
If I could give you the biggest tip of them all, research it before you ask a question. Half of my internship has been research and studying that research. Be prepared for whatever it is you are about to do. Learn more about what you currently do, you do not know as much as you think you do. I haven’t been yelled at or scolded just yet, but I’ve been avoiding it by staying on my toes and trying to get ahead of the game. It’s mostly because I worry myself. It’s probably a matter of time before my feelings get bruised.
Here’s to good luck and preparation. I look forward to the next blog, as I’ll likely have much more to say. You’re reading this because you proved yourself. Now, you have to keep that up.
Jake Price - "Don't Get Too Comfortable"
Jake Price
Rowan University
It’s been a while since I wrote one of these. I’ve been interning at JTwo for about six months now and I’m loving every bit of it! A lot has happened since my last post, so I’ll run you through some quick updates:
- I DJed the JTwo New Years Eve party (lit)
- I wrote a more unified script for the interns video (now titled “The Studio Life” by Justin)
- I started shooting scenes for said video
- Oh, there’s a new intern this semester, Scott. He’s a cool guy!
- I got to star in a video for Comcast. I felt like a big star, having a makeup and wardrobe department at my disposal. But don’t worry, I’m still humble about being an amazing actor.
- I went to the Addy Awards with Scott and Travis and we took home 3 awards for JTwo!
- I started working on another video series to help with revamping the JTwo U program.
- I did some client work for Century 21 and a lot more client work for FAAR.
- Also, another intern, Chris, started a couple weeks ago.
So that’s a rushed overview of where things have been going, but I think what’s most important isn’t what I’ve done, but what I’ve learned. Sure, I learned skills here and there with editing or when using a camera or light, but I think some of the bigger things I learned had to do with my own work ethic. When I first started at JTwo, I was eager to show my bosses what I could do — this hasn’t changed — and I think I really kicked ass my first semester. I’m not saying I stopped trying, but I noticed that I definitely didn’t feel the same need to try as hard when I came back from my winter break. I felt more comfortable in the office (for the most part, a good thing!), but I got a bit too lax about it all. I came in late a few times and sometimes forgot to say when I was going to be in or not (my schedule this semester is confusing and changes week-to-week). For the most part, things have been great, but I learned that I need to always stay hungry for more work, always be at 100%, and always communicate with people. These are life skills I learned through trial and error, but hopefully you, future intern reading this, can see where I went wrong and do things right for yourself.
But, like I said, getting comfortable around the office isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Working at JTwo for six months means I’ve had more opportunities to bond with the people around me (the dogs, too). Some of the best parts of being at JTwo are the (unfiltered) conversations that pop up randomly throughout the day. I know that when this internship ends, that will be one of the things I miss most – the people.
I still have a month left, and after coming to terms with some of my flaws in the past, I’m committing to turning myself around and having an amazing last 4 weeks of being a JTwo intern.
Until next time,
Your friendly neighborhood Spiderman
Crista Pillitteri - Rowan University
Crista Pillitteri
Rowan University
When JTWO Films took me in, I was a college senior. Yet, I still had a ton to learn. As an intern, I could have never expected the amount of experience they would give me.
…Or that I wouldn’t leave.
In my previous internships, I watched my supervisors during the shoots. I shadowed as they setup the wires, and they held the camera. I listened as they ran the show. But at JTWO, I was part of the crew. I had responsibilities, and as an intern so will you. I ran a camera. I setup the audio. I edited videos. And I had an opinion. Because I knew that the work I was doing was serious, for real clients, and because JTWO treated me as part of their crew, I worked harder. And it made me better.
JTWO gave me opportunities to both perfect a craft I was interested in, and to figure out new ones. I came in wanting to be a cinematographer and left dabbling in After Effects.
With JTWO, you can go in any direction, once you (and they) realize what your passions are. As an intern I did work with editing, camera, interviewing, graphics, and social media. You’ll quickly realize that there are so many areas for you to fit your interests into.
I think what is most important though, what really made JTWO different from any other internships I could have done, is that the JTWO guys genuinely wanted me to grow as a filmmaker. They took time to keep pushing me. And having people behind you like that is something that is a really big deal when you’re still trying to figure out where you’re going.
