Jean-Luc Slagle
1. Please give us a brief bio of yourself and your background.
Well, I'm Jean-Luc Slagle. I was born in San Diego and now reside in Bakersfield, CA with my amazing wife. My firstborn son was born this year (2022) and we have a Sheepadoodle named Toulouse.
I believe that communication has the power to create clarity. I love creating clarity. Visual mediums of communication like design and video have so much power. They can inform or mislead; empower or pacify; delight or repulse. I want to be someone who creates work that showcases the best of humanity. I want to delight and inform and empower.
2. What led you to become a videography professional?
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3. What is your role in the agency, and what traits should a videography professional possess to be successful in their role?
As of 2022, I am the Owner and Creative Director of Scope Studios. We frequently collaborate with and employ film & video professionals across a wide range of crafts.
I think the 2 qualities that most set individuals up for success (and being hired on the next gig) are 1. Being easy to work with, and 2. Bringing something unique to the table. If you're easy to work with, chances are you'll get asked to work on other gigs fairly quickly, which in turn will grow your experience quickly. If you bring your unique ideas and perspectives to each project, chances are those will add value to the project in a tangible way. When you add value to projects, you're likely to get invited back and the cycle of growth continues.
4. Tell us more about your production/agency/company.
Scope Studios serves Ad-Agencies, In-House Marketing Teams, and Brands in Southern California. We operate mostly in Bakersfield, CA. Bakersfield can be a challenging place to do great work. For those who might not know anything about Bakersfield, it's about 2 hours north of LA and doesn't have a reputation for being the most innovative, progressive city.
This "underdog" city has been a great proving ground for my work and my creative process. My thought process is: If I can work with companies here, find budgets, and do work that I'm proud of in a city like this, then I can do it anywhere.
5. What is your own definition of great videography?
I kind of hate the term "videography." It feels a bit reductive when we're working with teams of people who collaborate over weeks to bring a project together. I think great work of any kind always feels like something greater than the sum of its parts.
6. Describe your videography style/flair and its main characteristics.
As a Creative Director, Producer, and Director I'm not always the one pushing record on the camera. However, I do find that I'm always aiming for a visual style that feels polished but very natural. A gaffer that I frequently work with calls it "Hypernatural." I love that. Warm, holistic, natural, soft, flare-y scenes are my bread-and-butter.
7. Tell us about your ideation process.
I think empathy leads to great creative work. I try to start by empathizing with the target audience and thinking about the phycology and sociology of their decision-making process before I start thinking about concepts.
8. Congratulations! As the winner of the LIT Commercial Awards, what does it mean for you and your team to receive this distinction?
I'm honored to be receiving 12 LIT Commercial Awards in 2022. It feels gratifying to have these industry-leader judges evaluating and honoring my work.
9. What are the challenges of your winning entry(s)?
Bakersfield can seem like a challenging place to market a premium service. For Scope, it was really a matter of leveraging the success of every project to get in front of the type of people who value what we bring to the table.
10. What is your key to success? Any parting words of wisdom?
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