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Jesus Martinez eyes future through a viewfinder

By Brent Michel on Sunday, August 30, 2009

Address: Little Village, Chicago, IL 60623

When you enter the home of Jesus Martinez, the first thing you see is the computer and audiovisual setup straight across the room. A large computer monitor, a Mac, speakers, video editing books, manuals…and the dining room table. Such is life turning a home into an editing suite.

Jesus, his twin brother Oscar, and their father all play a part in running Twin Films, a video production business they recently started primarily serving the Little Village neighborhood in Chicago.

“My brother did some video work through After School Matters, and I had a few assignments through LISC. When my dad saw that we were both into it, we all thought, ‘Why not start a business?’ We talked to our church and got a job filming Holy Week activities. At the time, we had to borrow a camera and the editing software, but people liked what we came up with.”

Martinez, who graduated from Curie High School last Spring, was introduced to video editing through a workshop that Beyond the Ball was conducting at Lawndale Little Village High School this past Spring. LISC shared the vision of the workshop—giving neighborhood youth the ability to create quality video that would enable them to tell their own stories—and stepped in to provide funding for equipment and expertise. Four sets of video cameras, tripods and hard drives were purchased, and the freelancing team of Sarahmaria Gomez and Alex Fledderjohn from Tumultimedia was brought in to teach the course.

Rob Castaneda, Executive Director of Beyond the Ball, has known Martinez since he was in grammar school and Castaneda was his basketball coach. “When we first started, Jesus was pretty reserved,” said Rob Castaneda, Executive Director of Beyond the Ball. “But when we talked about how it could become a real business, his interest was piqued. I knew if Jesus committed to participating in the class, he would see it through and do a good job.”

Martinez did just that, which included creating a video about the Lincoln Park Regatta this summer in which the Chicago Training Center participated (see video below).

Chicago Training Center at the Lincoln Park Regatta from Brent Michel on Vimeo.

Previously, Martinez had helped his brother with shooting some video, but through the LISC-sponsored course and subsequent projects, he became proficient in other aspects of production and improved his eye. “I’ve learned to look for creative angles—fresh, not boring, but with good lighting.”

Oscar Martinez, who was into video long before Jesus, has seen how Jesus’ abilities have grown. “Before, he could help record, but now he knows how to edit well, coordinating video with music. He can do some things with lighting that I still don’t know.”

His projects have also pushed Martinez out of his comfort zone. “I’m naturally shy, so this has helped me improve my communication skills. I have learned how to approach people, to speak clearly, and make them feel comfortable in preparation for an interview on camera.”

Those skills should help him as he prepares for his next phase of life: college. Martinez plans to attend the University of Illinois at Chicago in the fall, while his brother attends the University of Chicago.

“We were planning on staying around for college, but the business has strengthened our desire to stay connected. We’ll just have to get as much done as possible on the weekends. I think we can. Since we do so much of our work in short time periods, we have learned the importance of time management, contacting clients, and being responsible…professional.”

Their primary business consists of weddings and baptisms, but Martinez hopes to produce more complex material. He hopes to put together documentaries with the goal of entering them into film festivals.

Castaneda is proud of how far Martinez has come. “I think learning the practical nuts and bolts of making a video was important for him, but it was even more important for him to be able to take the knowledge that he gained during the class and use it to make some money. He learned what I think is an important part of being successful in life, that the product of his creative process is valuable.”

Twin Films now owns two cameras, has a full setup in their home office, and has work lined up most weekends. Martinez plans to continue honing his craft while in college, joining a film club at UIC.

Major documentaries are sure to come in the future, perhaps produced in a fancy editing suite. For now, Twin Films will continue supplying their neighborhood residents with a service they need, right from their own dining room.