JTWO Welcomes Derrick Kim
An Unlikely Path to Film
by Derrick Kim
If someone told me three years ago that one day I would be interning for a film production company, I would’ve laughed at them. Growing up in the Los Angeles area, I always had a passion for sports as a kid. I played one year of AYSO soccer and then absolutely fell in love with baseball through Little League. In fact, in first grade, my dream was to become a professional baseball player for the Dodgers. My love for baseball continued to grow until it hit me. Literally. I got hit in the face with a baseball and fractured my nose. It really sucked and I stopped playing.
However, in middle school I discovered that I was really good at volleyball where in 8th grade, I lead my team to its first ever league championship. I was hungry for volleyball and moved up to the varsity team by the end of my freshman year. That summer I worked incredibly hard, training and practicing to become a better outside hitter. I even went to open gyms before the season to get extra reps in. Hard work pays off right? Yes it does! But…I got hurt again. This time, I fractured my left ankle. I was never back to my normal self but, I embraced my passion throughout the next 3 years of varsity volleyball.
I did well academically, but felt like I never gave myself the chance to explore my creativity through classes. But, I did indirectly. During high school, my friends and I loved to go out and explore LA, Whether it was finding the best taco truck or nighttime view, we lived for adventure. We started going to spots like Griffith Observatory and Joan’s on Third to take pictures and try new foods. It was really the first time I was documenting my adventures through a visual medium and enjoyed it. So for my senior trip to South Korea and Taiwan, I bought a Canon Rebel T6i DSLR. This was my first camera and surely, I discovered a new passion for content creation and storytelling.
I packed this passion in my backpack and brought it all the way to the east coast to attend Haverford College in Philadelphia. To many’s surprise, I am majoring in economics and minoring in visual studies. Now that my playing days are over, I help out as a student assistant coach for the women’s volleyball team. Last summer, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to make creative content for places such as Hatch Yakitori, The Pie Hole, Alfred Tea Room, and more. It was my first time getting real world experience and I loved every bit of it. The best part was all the complementary food I received. It really reminded me of my high school adventures.
Fast forward a couple months, and here I am with this incredible opportunity to intern for JTWO Films. Although I’ve definitely gotten better over the years, I have so much more to learn and am at no better place. Hopefully, I won’t get hit by any camera equipment and fracture anything because this time, I think I discovered my real passion.
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 Teams Up with LF Driscoll
We worked with the leading full-service construction provider in the Philadelphia metropolitan region, LF Driscoll, to share the story of Safety 360, a program that provides annual safety coaching to assure that all LF Driscoll staff members return home safely after a days work. Having worked with the company on a project back in May of 2018 at the Penn Medicine patient tower job site, our team was excited to get the ball rolling on another spot together.
The Project
Filming took place over the course of two days at two separate locations, the Villanova Performing Arts job site and the Philadelphia Museum of Art job site, where our crew worked high on 60-story rooftops and low in dimly lit, narrow tunnels in order to capture their contractors in live action.
A Banner Year in 2018
A Year in Review
To describe 2018 as a big year for us would be an understatement. Coming up on our ten year anniversary, we capped off a whirlwind 2018 campaign by launching a bevy of new projects, expanding to Chicago with a new studio, forming additional partnerships and growing our team with new staff members.
In the past year alone, we have produced national commercials, short documentaries, brand films and directed projects in Philadelphia, Chicago, New York, Houston, Orlando, LA and Washington, D.C., with clients ranging from the Cleveland Cavaliers, Jack Daniels, Bacardi, Johnson & Johnson, Major League Soccer, Independence Blue Cross and DC Comics– along with the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia Flyers, the Philadelphia Union, Victus Sports, UPenn, Comcast NBCUniversal and Visit Philadelphia.
This is Lou
Early this year, our team was tasked with the concept and creation of the show open for the 2018 LOUIX Awards, an advertising award show that celebrates the outstanding work of Philadelphia’s most creative visual artists, producers, directors, and abstract thinkers. We had seen other show opens before, and being the overachievers that we are, wanted to make sure we created something mind-bendingly different, with a hint of crazy and hailing from somewhere left of left-field.
Janssen Immunology
We continued to work side by side with Janssen Immunology and their agency Evoke by creating another entry for the Janssen Storyteller Series. For this project, we told the story of Shawn and Marisa, two different people with two different stories who are united in their mission to transform the lives of people living with Lupus, together.
Victus Grit Series
We worked with Victus in redefining their brand and launching their first-ever product category, The Victus Grit Series. Our team took home a plethora of awards for this, including four LOUIX Awards for Branding, Product Design, Fashion Design, and Brochure Design, two Addy awards, a Gold Addy for Sales Presentation catalog and a Silver for Publication Design & Magazine Design, and the 2018 MarCom Gold Award in Print Media & Publication.
The Philadelphia Flyers
We worked together with the Philadelphia Flyers marketing team to produce an emotional, hard-hitting spot that told the story of the Flyers tumultuous season through specific moments throughout the year, which ultimately culminated in a trip to the postseason. The video screened on TV and across all Flyers social media outlets garnering over 200k views in less than 48 hours.
Projects That Matter Initiative
Our Projects That Matter Initiative, which focuses on collaborating with social impact organizations, also continued to expand with new projects and national campaigns for Responsibility.org, Fred’s Footsteps, Laureus USA, Bringing Hope Home, Holiday Heroes, and the Lost Boyz Inc.
Lost Boyz
We partnered with Laureus USA to produce a mini-documentary about Chicago’s Lost Boyz Inc., a non-profit organization committed to decreasing violence and improving the social and emotional conditions of the youth in Chicago’s South Shore community through baseball and softball. Our short film debuted at Laureus USA’s Sport for Good Fashion Show fundraiser during New York Fashion Week, where star athletes helped raise $350,000 for disadvantaged youth across the U.S.
JTWO | Chicago
Our Chicago studio, dubbed JTWO | Chicago, has also hit the ground running with both commercial and documentary work as well as agency collaborations set to launch early next year.
Conor Hare, Executive Producer
Launching JTWO Chicago has been an incredible journey. After 10 years in Philadelphia, it feels surreal to finally be expanding our services to the Midwest and seeing the partnerships we’ve formed in these short 6 months already taking off. From collaborating with both national and Chicago based non-profits to partnering up with local agencies, I couldn’t have asked for a better end to the year. In 2019 we look to only grow larger, stronger, and better.
JTWO Launches The Ultimate JTWO Christmas Experience
The Ultimate JTWO Christmas Experience
2018 was a HUGE year for our family here at JTWO so we wanted to show our appreciation to all of our clients and collaborative partners for making it all possible. That’s why this year for the holidays we decided to create the ULTIMATE JTWO CHRISTMAS EXPERIENCE!!!
This was our way of giving back and making sure our clients and collaborative partners have the best holiday they’ve ever had. Also, we are hoping this makes up for last year’s little holiday mishap…..we know ADWeek thought it did 😉
Thank you to all of our 2018 Creative Collaborators
Giving Back Through Projects That Matter
Happy Giving Tuesday
When the concept of the Projects That Matter Initiative (PTM) sprouted in 2009, we knew it could create positive change. Unbeknownst to us, the coming years would bring unprecedented inspiration fueled by the energy and passion from the incredible people we meet. Their infectious kindness, optimism, and warmth is powerful. This kind of altruism is integral for the betterment of our world. We deeply admire the individuals, families, nonprofits, and organizations we have been fortunate enough to work with. As we continue this journey, we strive to give all that we can.
The PTM Initiative provides professional digital media services to Non-Profits at a discounted rate. We feel giving back is essential in cultivating stable and productive communities. PTM is our driving force to live out that mission. Through visual storytelling, we capture the stories of our clients so others can vicariously step into the shoes of another. As Mr. Rogers once said, “There isn’t anyone you couldn’t learn to love once you’ve heard their story.” The people we have worked with make compelling impacts within their communities. Telling their story through PTM is our way to give back.
Recently, PTM has had the opportunity to collaborate with both new and old clients, who’s companies have each had a tremendous impact on their communities. Here are their stories.
Laureus + Lost Boyz
After serving a short term in prison, Lavonte Stewart decided to use baseball and softball as an approach to support the youth of Chicago’s South Shore community. The implemented programs within Lost Boyz has encouraged youth to engage in the community instead of turning to detrimental patterns. Serving 144 youth in 2018, Lost Boyz gives back by improving the lives of not only the youth, but their families and communities. We wanted to tell their story because of the dedication and kindness that Stewart and the Lost Boyz community exudes. The impressive effort put forth to help the youth community epitomizes the PTM mission.
FAAR
The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (FAAR) aims to eliminate impaired driving by starting a conversation. Through avenues like celebrity campaigns, countrywide statistics, and online resolutions, FAAR informs and encourages individuals to exemplify responsibility. Responsibility.org offers ample information, including comprehensive solutions and resources, to facilitate a healthy and safe community. Through PTM, we show how much FAAR cares about fulfilling their mission. They are committed in what they believe and are unwavering in helping others make better choices. With passion, they give back by fighting back against impaired driving and consequently saving lives.
Mission First Housing Group
Mission First Housing Groups’ mission is to develop and manage affordable, safe, and sustainable homes for people in need with a focus on the vulnerable. They ensure our residents have access to resources to help them live independently. Every year we collaborate with Mission First Housing Group to document and share the story of one of the amazing individuals they offer aid to throughout the year. PTM collaborated with this organization so others could discover the benevolence of Mission First. Not only is this organization combating homelessness, they are unifying people. The work that this organization does effectively improves the lives of so many and we are grateful to be a part of their mission.
Fred’s Footsteps
Fred’s Footsteps is a Philadelphia based non-profit organization that provides direct financial assistance to otherwise financially stable families facing a child’s hospitalization. They provide a funding bridge to working families for a period of one year to help them adjust to their child’s changing needs.We have worked with Fred’s Footsteps through PTM for three years now, but their dedication and commitment to relieving the worries of others never ceases to amaze us.
We are awe-inspired by the people within these organizations that are dedicated to positive change. The impact caused by these individuals is invaluable to the health and growth of the people and places we care about. At the Projects That Matter Initiative, we are whole-hearted in bringing inspiring stories to others. This to us, is giving back.
If you would like to learn more about our Projects That Matter Initiative and how we can help your organization tell their story, please contact us today or click on the “Learn More” button below.
This project was made possible through our Projects That Matter Initiative. The Projects That Matter Initiative is a Philadelphia based video production program with the mission of providing professional digital media services to Non-Profits at a discounted rate. To learn more about how your organization can join the initiative and qualify for creative content production discounts click below.
JTWO Set to Produce 125 Years of Penn Relays Documentary
In 2019 our team is partnering with the University of Pennsylvania to produce a feature length documentary celebrating 125 years of Penn Relays, the longest uninterrupted collegiate track and field event in the history of sport. At the start of Penn Relays in 1895, the audience has grown from a mere 5,000 speculators to over 113,000, residing as the most watched meet in the world, aside from the Olympics and World Championship.
As the first invitational track meet to welcome all races and schools, the Penn Relays have played a monumental role in both the culture of Philadelphia and the entire country by requiring acceptance for all athletes, and encouraging institutions to reevaluate the way they handle racism. As Philadelphia natives, our team is beyond grateful for the opportunity to commemorate a world renowned event that changed the history of our beloved city.
“As I look back now, I realize that the Relays we thus created made track training and competition not only more enjoyable but more significant as well. Now four runners join for a common purpose: team victory. Individual effort is still present but it is individual effort within and for the team. If the team wins, each runner wins; if the team loses, each runner loses. This is a great idea, the very essence of our American democracy, especially since this idea always ends in action, not in mere words. This is, I believe, the great value of relay running.”
Frank Ellis, Creator of Penn Relays
JTWO Wins Battle of the Agency Bands
This year our team took home the GOLD-en guitar, by placing FIRST in the 2018 Battle of the Agency Bands, hosted by our dear friends and partners the One Club Philly.
The band was led by JTWO – Chicago’s Executive Producer Conor Hare , who kicked off the show with his own solo rendition of the 2000s bop “Hit Me Baby One More Time”. Bandmates Steven, Elliot, Twon, and Liam later joined him onstage to perform some of the greatest rock hits, including classics by The Doors and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
They’re excited to hit the stage next year and would like to warn everyone that they fully plan on taking home 1st place again!
Former Intern Wins Best Documentary in Bucks Fever Filmfest
"Barre None"
We are proud to announce that our former intern, Maria Cantu, won Best College Documentary along with Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction in the 2018 Bucks Fever Filmfest for her documentary “Barre None” created under the JTWO [INC]ubator Project.
In this documentary, Maria tells the captivating and beautiful story of a young ballerina who is able to push through the harsh realities and overbearing pressures of the dancing world, with her unconditional love for the art.
JTWO Welcomes Intern Robin Chakrabarti
by Robin Chakrabarti
Ever since I was young I loved to tell stories and create characters. As a kid I would stand in front of my bathroom mirror, talking in different voices and accents for hours on end, bringing life to characters in my head. I’m sure I had my parents worried.
Thankfully I was able to funnel my comfort in being myself to become a vessel for expression as I got older. I fell in love with acting and the thrill of captivating an audience, and went on to play eccentric characters in school plays (including the parrot from Aladdin and even writing and performing a play impersonating my real life middle school athletics coach). I was named after the Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore, and discovered a love of writing that evolved from poetry to songwriting, and even wedding officiation speeches (I’m a recently ordained minister, so let me know if you need help getting married).
In middle and high school, when the hormones were raging and issues seemed blown out of proportion, I discovered music as a way to give meaning and begin to reclaim a life that felt out of my control. During my college years, my creative interests converged on film, when I started making music videos for my own songs. The feeling of seeing a project through from inception to unveiling makes every moment of risk and doubt more than worth it. However despite my ambition and hard work, for years I was confined by my own limiting beliefs that making art could never be a real career and could transcend just being a hobby. I spent years making music and film in my free time after coming home from classes or jobs I knew were not moving me toward my dreams.
I have hungered for an artistic community where I can share my talents and learn from others and I am deeply grateful that JTwo has come into my life now. I can’t wait to take advantage of the opportunities I have been given. Using my skills in sound design, video editing, and production, I am ready to leave my mark!
When I’m not making films, you can find me cooking up dance music, looking for sizzling vegan eats, sending ankles to the doctor in 2K, or getting fired up by life coaches on YouTube.
JTWO Teams up with Visit Bucks County
This Fall our team is partnering with Visit Bucks County to bring their new Youtube series “Check In” to life. In these short videos we will take you behind the scenes of some of the most charming and coziest bed & breakfasts atop sprawling farms, off country roads, and in small-town settings of Bucks County, PA!