JTWO Welcomes Alex Vineburg
ALEX VINEBURG
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Awesomesauce
Awesomesauce
By Alex Vineburg
When I was little, I would record vlogs under the name “Awesomesauce”. Every video would start the same with my intro that would go, “Hey Guys Awesomesauce Here”, and then I would go through the rest of the video. No matter the video, each of them started with my little spiel. There’s even a vlog where, shaking and sniffling, I still give the intro even though the power is out and there’s a blizzard outside. I would record my vacations, make stop motion animations, and even dabble in some short films. Needless to say, I was pretty cool (or Awesomesauce as some would say).
So cool, in fact, that my parents decided to send me to a creative arts day camp where I got to make little movies with my friends! I found myself always wanting to do something out of the box that others would find fun. We made a ton of little projects, like Hannibalistic (the story of a coroner, a detective, and 3rd century Carthaginian general Hannibal).
Flash forward to middle and high school, I would always choose to make videos for projects if it was an option, would record little shorts with friends, and became more interested in photography. I remember one time I made some classmates recreate an episode of Bill Nye for a science project. I would always make the most of every project, and do the most I could.
However when it came time for college prep, I sincerely thought I would be a graphic designer, even though I sucked at it and wasn’t really interested in it all too much. For a long time I genuinely didn’t really know what exactly I wanted to do, but something kept calling me back to film. So, I decided to take a film class senior year, which reminded me how much I loved working with cameras, but also in editing as well. That same year I began working as a freelance youtube editor as well! Everything kind of all came together at the right time, and looking back on it I don’t think it couldn’t have worked out better.
At Drexel, I’ve made so many incredible projects with so many amazing people. I get to go to school to make movies with my friends, which I treasure every day. College has taught me so much in the world of film and how to work on a set. I am so excited to start this new chapter at JTWO!
Based in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Alex is a filmmaker and student with a passion for cinematography and post production. He spends most of his freetime learning new programs and studying up on camera specs. He is a 3rd year student at Drexel University studying Film & TV, and has 5 years of freelance editing experience under his belt. He is excited to learn and grow as a filmmaker with his time at JTWO!
"WHERE GINGERS HAVE SOULS" BY KERRI SAGE
"WHERE GINGERS HAVE SOULS"
Director: Keri Sage
Twisted Gingers is the success story of a Brewing Company opened in December 2019 in Northwest Philadelphia by Mark Mayer.
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Twisted Gingers Brewing Company opened in December 2019 in Northwest Philadelphia. Mark Mayer opened a place to share his love of beer, unknowingly right before a global pandemic shut things down- and for many small businesses, for good. But it launched this brewery into a whirlwind of success, thanks to the community surrounding it and the dedication of the owner. Mark’s spirit and success inspired me to create “Where Gingers Have Souls”.
I think the biggest challenge while creating this film has been in the planning stages. Through the process, there were multiple communication issues with clients for previous [INC]ubator project ideas. Additionally, I encountered some technical difficulties as well as a learning curve with new programs such as Davinci.
MEET THE DIRECTOR
Kerri Sage is based in Philadelphia, PA. She is a film major at Temple University with a focus on Cinematography. With a background in photography, she decided to shift her focus to film. JTWO has encouraged and inspired her to learn more about coloring.
This project was created as part of the JTWO [INC]ubator Project. A semester long internship program built from the ground up to give young filmmakers, content creators, and all around hungry for a challenge individuals a place to stretch their creative minds while preparing them for the road ahead.
"BLACK BOOK TO BURNER" BY EVA CHEESEMAN
"BLACK BOOK TO BURNER"
Director: Eva Cheeseman
Exploring the world of street art in Philadelphia and why murals aren’t just a way to make walls look more exciting.
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Street artists face stigma in society, sometimes making it hard to make a living in an urban setting. This documentary is meant to shed light on the culture behind street art in Philadelphia and why murals aren’t just a way to make walls look more exciting. In Black Book to Burner, we will get to know some local artists and learn their experiences in this industry.
MEET THE DIRECTOR
Eva is a rising senior at Temple University studying Film and Media Production. She had the opportunity to intern with JTWO Films this summer and learn more about all things production as well as create her own documentary start to finish. Moving forward, she wants to pursue professional edition and post production in digital media.
This project was created as part of the JTWO [INC]ubator Project. A semester long internship program built from the ground up to give young filmmakers, content creators, and all around hungry for a challenge individuals a place to stretch their creative minds while preparing them for the road ahead.
"THE FLOCKS THE DAY YOU WERE BORN" BY SIENA TWISS
"THE FLOCKS THE DAY YOU WERE BORN"
Director: Siena Twiss
The voice of Johnny’s dead mother reads a letter to her son; guiding him through his entire life. As she reveals herself as a soaring bird, we understand the everlasting love she has for her son.
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I chose to make this film because these types of projects are where I can get the most creative and have the most fun. This story came to me after writing a short monologue that eventually turned into the monologue read by the narrator. I think experimenting with film and different forms of storytelling is where you learn what is t you love about your craft. It is important to challenge yourself and I think this film challenged me in a number of ways that have helped me become a better filmmaker. In the end, I chose to make this film because it made me excited and felt like something I could do well while learning.
I think the biggest challenge while creating this film has been trying to put all these pieces together to create a flow and order that tells the story the way I want. There are so many moving parts within this project with the narration, shifts in time and experimental visuals, that the story itself was feeling confusing at points.
My other large challenge was casting and finding someone that matched who I had in my head. However, I think in the end, Ethan Binder was perfect for this character.
MEET THE DIRECTOR
Sienna Twiss is a third year at Drexel University studying Film & Television. She is an aspiring cinematographer and has worked on a handful of successful short films including a project featured in the Annapolis Film Festival. She has worked for several film production companies on the East and West Coasts including JTWO Films, Native Content, Wild Gift Productions, and Filmsters Productions. She will continue her filmmaking journey after graduating in spring of 2024 with a BS in film.
This project was created as part of the JTWO [INC]ubator Project. A semester long internship program built from the ground up to give young filmmakers, content creators, and all around hungry for a challenge individuals a place to stretch their creative minds while preparing them for the road ahead.
"ALEX BLOM CREATES" BY JASE GIBBONS
"ALEX BLOM CREATES"
Director: Jase Gibbons
Alex Blomstrom owns and operates Alex Blom Creates, a clothing brand that aims to spread kindness and positivity. However, this isn’t always what Alex had in mind for her future.
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Alex Blom Creates has been steadily growing purely through social media and the videos that Alex creates to post on her social media accounts. My goal was to give her brand videos that could both elevate the visual style of Alex’s brand and also serve as hero videos for Alex Blom Creates. Each video highlights a different aspect of Alex Blom Creates: Alex herself, Alex Blom Creates’ brand principles, and the products that Alex creates. This gave me the challenge not only to create three videos that were similar yet unique enough to be watched back-to-back, but also that would fit in with Alex Blom Creates’ current visual style. This challenge is what drew me towards this project, as it caused me to think deeply about every creative decision.
![230810_Jase_ABC_[INC]ubator_Poster_v1.2](https://b2972485.smushcdn.com/2972485/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/230810_Jase_ABC_INCubator_Poster_v1.2.jpg?lossy=1&strip=1&webp=1)
The largest challenge faced was working as a one-man band for majority of the shoots. All b-roll was captures as a one-man crew in small areas. All footage was shot on a 50mm film lens at f1.4 so focus had to be pulled manually, while also directing Alex whenever she was included in the shoot.
MEET THE DIRECTOR
Jase Gibbons is a DP and Editor dedicated to telling the stories of others. While studying film production at Penn State University, he creates films that showcase those who work to better the lives of others. Using an adjacent interest in digital analytics to promote different videos on social media platforms, Jase mixes the creative with the analytical to reach a broader audience.
This project was created as part of the JTWO [INC]ubator Project. A semester long internship program built from the ground up to give young filmmakers, content creators, and all around hungry for a challenge individuals a place to stretch their creative minds while preparing them for the road ahead.
JTWO Welcomes Intern Joe Roberto
JOE ROBERTO
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Growing up most kids spend their afternoons playing baseball, soccer, basketball, or some other sport. My friends and I were not like most kids in the sense that we spent our afternoons making “movies” instead of playing sports. One Christmas morning I was given a little video camera, and I was hooked. I would bring it over to my friend’s house and we would use it to create stories of epic proportions with brave heroes, evil villains, and tons of action. While we were too young to actually figure out how to edit, we were nonetheless passionate. As we grew up we began to stop making movies as it became boring especially if we could not actually watch them. This all changed once we got to high school.
The first day of high school I walked into my final class of the day called media. I didn’t know it at the time but my life was about to change for the better. This class taught my friends and I all the skills we needed to make actual video content. As soon as we were able to write, direct, shoot, and edit an entire video we were hooked. We found ourselves spending as much time as possible in our media classroom and with our teachers in an attempt to learn as much as we could. We each began to develop our skills and push each other to create the biggest and best videos we could.
When it was time for graduation some friends pursued work in other fields, and some pursued film. I felt unsure about what I wanted to do and so I decided to go to Immaculata University without declaring a major. Within the first five minutes of my intro to biology class it hit me that if I continued on this road I would never write, shoot, or edit a video ever again. That thought drove me to see an advisor, and by the end of the day I had declared myself an Interactive Digital Media major. From that moment on I looked for any and every opportunity to make videos. I began to shoot videos of almost anything happening on campus. I soon became the go-to video guy on campus for the next four years.
Upon graduation, I knew I wanted to continue to expose myself to different areas in production until I am able to find what I like best. I was so excited when I found JTWO and saw the type of environment they foster as they work. I am ecstatic to continue to grow my skills while interning here.
This project was created as part of the JTWO [INC]ubator Project. A semester long internship program built from the ground up to give young filmmakers, content creators, and all around hungry for a challenge individuals a place to stretch their creative minds while preparing them for the road ahead.
Jtwo Welcomes Intern Brooke Gollmer
UNIVERSAL FEELINGS
By Brooke Gollmer
My name is Brooke Gollmer. I go to Temple University, and I will be graduating next Spring in 2023. I would like to focus on post- production, but I am a jack of all trades and a quick learner. I got into film making because I like to listen to people’s stories and find the synchronicities of life through the thoughts and feelings we have universally. The universal feelings that we have are what connect us to each other, so if you are observant of those thoughts and feelings, you will be able to present them on screen in a way people relate to. I believe that curiosity is important because it can reveal to a person a lot about what is around them, maybe even things that are always there and go unnoticed. Being passionate within the presence of our purpose is one thing I live by.
One project I finished in November truly defines who I am as a person and a filmmaker. My Air Conditioner broke, so the mechanic came to fix it. As he was fixing my Air Conditioner, let me remind you I have never met this man in my life, I was having a conversation with him, making him feel at home, and he asked me what I did. I told him I was a student filmmaker, so he asked me if I would film a music video of him to surprise his wife at their wedding. I said yes because why not. So, as he was fixing my Air Conditioner, he gave me his pitch of everything that he wanted to see within the music video. I listened and took notes, not knowing if he was truly serious about filming this music video, and we exchanged contact information. Still not knowing if he was genuinely serious, I made a storyboard with the vision he was describing to me and sent it to him.
I matched his vision pretty well, we ended up creating a short film before the music video which lead to the video being 13 minutes long, starting with the short film representing his wife and how she is a rose growing from a hard place, followed by a song called Flor Palida which he did a cover of changing it up a little for his wife. 13 was an important number for Reynaldo Deane and his wife, so I had to pay attention to detail and hid the number 13 throughout the video in subtle ways. He paid me for it, more than I asked for, which gave me the courage to say hey maybe I can do this storytelling thing for a living. I love to create and you cannot create without love. Finding love in everything will show that everything is already created with love, so if you re-create that love then it will be understood by the audience.
This project was created as part of the JTWO [INC]ubator Project. A semester long internship program built from the ground up to give young filmmakers, content creators, and all around hungry for a challenge individuals a place to stretch their creative minds while preparing them for the road ahead.
Jtwo Welcomes Intern Alyssa Capitini
CREATED FOR THIS MOMENT
By Alyssa Capitini
Have you ever wondered why you desire what you desire? Or why your brain is wired a certain way or why you’re so drawn to that one thing? You continue to pursue that thing knowing it gives you a sense of fulfillment and enjoyment but uncertain why that is until one day it all clicks. It all clicked for me one day and since then I’ve been on a nonstop journey of creative expression through the eye of the camera. I realized that from a young age I’ve always desired a life of creative expression.
From dancing to singing to painting that was how I expressed my enjoyments as a little girl. I’ve looked back on old family videos when my dad would record me with his camcorder, and all you can see and hear is little five year old me saying “let me hold it!” Fast forward to middle school and I had developed a passion for photography. I remember my dad buying me a small point and shoot camera and I thought it was the best thing in the world. I would take my brother to soccer practice and while I waited I would take pictures of the flowers on the field or action shots of the kids kicking soccer balls in the goals. This all brought me a sense of fulfillment and enjoyment but it didn’t click until high school that this was more than a hobby, but rather a lifestyle that not only can bring myself fulfillment but others as well. I moved onto high school being accepted into an accelerated 4 year video production program. My time through high school was full of learning moments and experiences in a variety of film settings. I loved every bit of the program but could not help shake the feeling that I felt and thought differently from my classmates.
My peers all desired a career in the Hollywood industry, and for some reason I did not desire that same path. I questioned why I did not feel the same and often tried convincing myself that would be the path I take. It wasn’t until I dipped my foot into other aspects of the production industry that it all clicked that there are other paths to this vast world of film. After visiting New Mexico on a missions trip my Junior year and experiencing the life of the Navajo tribe and the impoverished life they live I realized there are so many stories to be told of places most people don’t even know about. During that trip I was able to build relationships with children in the community and tell their stories on camera. A documentary I created my Sophomore year on the school’s musical showed me there are stories to be told even right in front of me at my own school.
Continuing my passion for photography in College helped me to instill confidence to the people I got to take creative portraits for. The music videos I’ve helped create have taught me there are people in this world that need help also expressing themselves creatively and I have the tools and the skill to do it. All of these experiences in so many routes of film have taught me that my path in this industry is my own and its unique to me. I was able to have confidence in high school and moving forward in college that I knew my own path and why I was driven to create. I want to continue creating for the rest of my life, in whatever capacity that may be. I want to not only express myself but share the stories of others, and create stories that are waiting to be told. I am excited for what the next chapter of my life looks like as I finish up school and continue my internship with JTWO films. I hope to grow in creative ways where what I produce can impact those in inspirational and thought provoking ways.
This project was created as part of the JTWO [INC]ubator Project. A semester long internship program built from the ground up to give young filmmakers, content creators, and all around hungry for a challenge individuals a place to stretch their creative minds while preparing them for the road ahead.
Jtwo Welcomes Intern Benny Flora
IN WITH THE OLD, OUT WITH THE NEW
By Benny Flora
The waves rolled in under a quaint and colorful town in southern Italy. A small, aged villa that had been converted into a hotel housed a single family of Americans; a mother and three sons. It was March and on the colder side, and so an off season for visitors. The family ran out of their picturesque cottage and sat looking at the ocean. There were two brunettes and a blonde kid. The blonde one happens to be me, the writer of this very blog post, and the middle of the three brothers. So I can speak from experience when I say it was a truly breathtaking environment. My oldest brother, 15 at the time, was the tallest and clearly undergoing puberty, with awkward mannerisms and an asymmetrical face (sadly for him he is still ugly). My little brother was short with long straight hair, and a little chubby (in a couple years he would outgrow both of us). And I was on the brink of puberty, with straight blonde hair and sporting a European soccer zip-up. Carefully painted tile lined the walkways of the hotel and moss hung from the stone walls. We had everything we needed out there in southern Italy… Except one thing was missing: Video games! As a 13 year old kid I could not go without my video games for more than a week. I loved them as much as any other 21st century adolescent, and I was eager to return home so I could crack open the latest Dragon Ball Z game that had released while we were abroad. I could not wait to play it. But we still had about a week left on this trip, so I began to play the game in my head, seeing the characters in the beautifully aged palaces and streets of Italy in order to appease my cravings. I tried to get my brothers in on it, too, but they weren’t interested. Funny enough, viewing Italy in this way did not increase my love for Dragon Ball Z or even video games; instead it allowed me to see how much story and life can exist in a setting. Suddenly, I was imagining stories that came from the smallest and most ancient cracks in the stones lining the European streets. I came up with stories that came from the blocked off and crumbling staircases in the background of our tour of the coliseum.
Naturally, upon our arrival back home I busted out my new game and played it for hours. What was strange though, was that it was not as exciting as my imagination made it out to be. Surprisingly, not playing the game was actually more fun than playing the game. I longed for the streets of Italy that let my imagination go crazy. Video games did not satisfy my imagination anymore. I wanted to see the stories in real life, not on my screen. I started paying closer attention to details in life, the things that make an object look worn or old or aged. Those are what the stories originate from; every crease, bend, bruise, or crack has its own story.
Years later, when it was time to decide where to go to college, I had my sights set on sunny Los Angeles. I had to get out of the cold weather, and I wanted to be in an action-packed environment for film school. When I finally got there, I quickly noticed that everything is a whole lot newer than the Philadelphia area where I am from. Suburban sprawl and motor malls dominated most of the land, with the “new” and “fashionable” taking precedence over the historically buildings. When I’m in LA, I feel uninspired by the modern simplicity of everything. Often I turn my back to my friends who want to go downtown to check out the fast excitement of modern urban living. I prefer the run-down beach shacks that sit by the water, stained by sand and ocean salt. There are still buildings and environment that hold the history of Los Angeles, but my worry is that they will soon all be gone.
Returning home to Pennsylvania for this summer reminds me of how I felt as a kid in Italy: distracted by the stories that are overly manufactured and consequently missing the ones that are real and inspiring. Without the hustle and bustle of west coast life I feel free to explore nature and the historic setting the grew up in with a more mature eye, and in doing so I will take my storytelling to the next level. It seems fitting that my life led me to interning at JTwo, in the heart of old-city Philadelphia where every building is aged with a good story.
This project was created as part of the JTWO [INC]ubator Project. A semester long internship program built from the ground up to give young filmmakers, content creators, and all around hungry for a challenge individuals a place to stretch their creative minds while preparing them for the road ahead.
JTWO Welcomes Intern Jul Heiden
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A DAY DREAMER
By Jul Heiden
When I was a child, I found the monotony of my cushy, comfortable life in the East Coast incredibly boring. As the product of a father who grew up in New York City during the seventies and eighties, my parents were understandably protective of myself and my younger sister during childhood. However, the routine of school -> homework -> swim practice -> home -> repeat was hard for someone like me, and I was often envious of my friends and classmates whose parents let them stay out unsupervised until the streetlights turned on. Because of this, I spent a lot of time at home reading books, losing myself in page after page of fiction and fantasy novels. I was especially fascinated by the characters’ relationships with one another, the small things that made them intrinsically human, even relatable. I would spend hours during school daydreaming about the characters in the novels I was reading. I would always alter the story, though, imagining situations that I felt should have happened instead based on the characters’ personalities and relationships with one another. Eventually, as I aged from a child to a “preteen” I started to create my own original cast of characters with the help of a brand new internet phenomenon: social media. When I was around ten years old I began writing my own stories on Word 2003 on my mother’s beat up, virus-infected Dell computer which began my transition from daydreamer to storyteller.
Throughout my middle school years I would consistently start writing stories without actually finishing them. Something I would write in one novel would inspire me to write another with a whole different cast of characters and an entirely new setting. And onceI got the ball rolling with the second novel my attention would be drawn to something different. By the time I reached eighth grade I had a flash drive full of unfinished stories perpetually inserted into my mother’s laptop.
However, during this time in my life I had began to focus my attention on music. I had been discovered by Jennifer Diamond, a successful opera singer and Juilliard graduate who helped me hone my vocal abilities for the better part of five years. While I continued to daydream, I began to write less and less in order to make time for choir practice, voice lessons, and performances. Opera became my whole life—my identity—I rarely had time for anything else. I was in Midtown five days a week for hours on end after school when I was recruited by the New York City Youth Opera, I would commute to Bergen, New Jersey twice a week to rehearse with the Verismo Opera Company, and I even performed at Carnegie Hall with my high school choir. When it was time to submit college applications, I had all but stopped writing stories in favor of preparing for music school auditions.
When I got accepted into music school I was ecstatic, and my first semester at Boyer College of Music & Dance at Temple University was exactly what I expected it to be. However, as I continued my higher education, I felt like something was off. I didn’t know what it was, but I began to feel miserable. How could I not be happy? I thought to myself. This is everything I ever wanted, the culmination of my blood, sweat, and tears. But it wasn’t. I felt myself withdrawing from my studies, my grades began to drop, I stopped practicing as often. For the next two years I tortured myself in music school, trying to force myself to enjoy singing like I used to. It was useless. In the Summer of 2020, I switched my major to Tourism & Hospitality Management, but after taking one class I realized that it was not for me. In a panic, I turned to my advisor who asked me a question that turned the course of my college career on its head: “Was there anything you used to be passionate about before music?” Yes, yes there was.
It took a lot of digging, but I was eventually able to find the flash drive I used to save all my stories on, buried in a box in my closet that I had not opened since I got to college. As I sat down and read through them, I noticed that the premises of many of my unfinished stories would make great television shows or short films. After several days of research, I officially changed my major to Media Studies and Production and started attending the Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University.
Which leads me to today: nineteen months, two premiers, and one award later, starting my first day as an intern at JTWO Studios. I don’t know what’s in store for me here, but I’m excited to see where it takes me (and also to hang out with the dogs)!
This project was created as part of the JTWO [INC]ubator Project. A semester long internship program built from the ground up to give young filmmakers, content creators, and all around hungry for a challenge individuals a place to stretch their creative minds while preparing them for the road ahead.