“The tricky thing with production is that there is always more to know. It’s this unusual intersection of art and technology that forces you to be creative and technical simultaneously. I think that’s what I love most about it and what’s kept me inspired all these years.” – Julie van Jaarsveld
The award winning team at Lime Crane sets us apart from all other webcasting, virtual events ad remote video production companies. Clients who engage our services benefit from our fine-tuned process along with decades of collective experience working for organizations ranging from Fortune 500 to small nonprofits. We like to think of our company as a family, and each member of the Lime Crane family has their own unique background and set of skills they bring to the table.
We decided to showcase each member of our extraordinary team in a series of posts so the rest of the world could get to know them too! We recently published a spotlight on our Director extraordinaire, Michael Hamilton; but this month, we’d like to introduce you to Lime Crane’s Lead Editor, Julie van Jaarsveld. Julie was born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley (as in the John Denver song where he sings, “Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River..”) in Front Royal, Virginia where she has since returned.
LC: How did you get started in this industry and what brought you to it?
Julie: My dad was the veterinarian for our small town and I started cleaning kennels at his office when I was 13 thinking that I would follow in his footsteps. I quickly realized that I was not built for a science-based career, but the day my parents bought their first home camcorder with mini-dv tapes, I was hooked. My friends and I were always making funny videos and silly commercials in my parents’ basement.
Later on in high school, I took a new video class offered as an elective that convinced me to pursue my passion. Five years later I had a BS in Video Production Technology from Radford University and an MFA in film & TV from SCAD in Savannah, Georgia.
LC: What projects have been most rewarding of your professional career?
Julie: I’ve always been passionate about documentary film, so any time I have the opportunity to hear someone share their story or something that they are very passionate about, I get excited. It’s like I get to keep a tiny piece of that motivational energy for myself as a personal takeaway, which really fuels my creativity when I hit the editing room. Our not-for-profit clients are usually super passionate and dedicated about their work, so I’d say those are usually my favorites.
LC: Can you tell us about your awards, Emmy nomination, what they were for, etc? What’s the career highlight you’re most proud of?
Julie: I’ve won a handful of Telly’s for different projects over the years, but my 2 claims to fame are an Emmy nomination for “The New Entrepreneur” which aired on PBS, and a music video that I edited and produced for an Atlanta not-for-profit that has close to 50,000 views on YouTube.
LC: What is your “signature Julie Van Jaarsveld style”?
Julie: My style usually comes organically with each video I produce. I usually find a song that really speaks to me and then build upon that by obsessing over the opening of my video. Sometimes I’ll even go ahead and add logos, intro graphics, name-keys, color grading, etc. After my style is established, the rest of the video seems to come together a lot faster. It’s just my method and it has served me well so far!
LC: Your bio says you are a “long-form editor”. Can you explain what that means?
Julie: Long form editing means I’m developing an intimate relationship with a LOT of content to produce a piece that’s probably longer than 10 minutes. The final product is not going to be an ad or a quick interview. It will be a collection of stories that will tell an even bigger story. It might be for an organization, or a not-for-profit, or an evolution of a technology, but it will take me some time to find the “heart” of the piece and shape it into the journey I want my viewers to experience.
LC: How long have you been an editor and how has the industry changed since you started?
Julie: I’ve been a practicing filmmaker and editor for half of my life now – so 17 years. Barriers to entry have come down considerably since I started in the industry because technology has gotten more advanced, yet more affordable. The tech is still only as good as the operator behind it though!
LC: What is it like to be a woman in a mostly male-dominated industry?
Julie: I’ll say it’s been interesting. I think sometimes people assume that men are better able to master the technology behind filmmaking, but I don’t think that’s true at all. I remember realizing one day in grad school that I was the only female in the class AND it was like my third or fourth class.. haha… so it’s not like I fixated on it or I felt like it was top of mind for me day-to-day.
There have certainly been times where people assumed one of my male colleagues was the more seasoned professional, which was frustrating of course as is any prejudice in life, but it always made me more eager to prove their assumptions wrong and disrupt the status quo a little bit more.
LC: What advice would you have given to yourself 10 years ago?
Julie: Don’t focus EVERYTHING into learning post-production – spread your knowledge base throughout more specialties. I think a lot of people go to film school thinking that they will absolutely be working on major films with a specific skill that they have mastered, but that’s not generally the case. Nowadays you have to understand a lot about everything to make a living.
Employers want you to know how to write, direct, light, shoot, edit and much more. They also expect you to be savvy with all of the online platforms where content can be shared. There are a lot more opportunities to leverage video to make a living because the barriers to entry have dropped significantly over the past 10 years, however this has also forced people in the industry to become experts at everything to make a living.
LC: What do you think makes Lime Crane different from other webcasting companies?
Julie: I think a lot of the webcasting companies that you see popping up nowadays are new to the game. Lime Crane has been honing their web streaming skills for 20 + years now. Que that Farmers Insurance Commercial line, We know a thing or two, ‘cuz we;ve seen a thing or two. You don’t just “get to” live stream for fortune 500 companies with Fort Knox security protocols without knowing exactly what you are doing.
Lime Crane is really good at what they do and we provide a proven and reliable service, which is why we have some client relationships spanning a decade or more.
LC: What does a typical day look like for you?
Julie: Most of the time I set micro-goals for my day when I’m working on an edit. I know that a big part of my job requires a good creative flow, so I’ll put all of my energy into one part of the edit to try and make it perfect by the end of the day. If that doesn’t work, I’ll move to another section of the video. If my creative energy is just zapped, I’ll jump back into reviewing raw content again to see if anything new pops out and inspires me that I might have missed during the first go-around.
LC: What changes have you noticed in your industry as a result of COVID-19? Has it changed how Lime Crane operates?
Julie: COVID-19 has certainly shown people how important video is as a communication tool. Lime Crane previously had focused their business model on Live Webcasting events, but since COVID-19 Lime Crane has leveraged their existing technology and expertise to produce virtual town halls for big companies.
They are still keeping security a top-priority and maintaining the high-touch client relationship throughout their new process. They were quick to develop new product-offerings and have come up with some really incredible streaming solutions to help clients manage the sudden challenges of telework.
LC: What is your favorite place that you have traveled to? Personal or work?
Julie: My husband and I travel to Southern Africa every year (he is from South Africa). These are by far some of the best memories I have with our family. The wildlife, the beauty of the landscape, the authenticity of the people and culture – there’s just something special about Africa that’s near impossible to explain. I always think about that famous Earnest Hemingway quote, “I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up and was not happy.” That’s how I feel when I’m there!
LC: What advice would you give to a brand new client that is new to web video?
Julie: It can be an incredible tool for your company, but in order for it to be most effective, really spend some time digging deep into understanding your audience. If you miss that mark, the point of your video is missed.
LC: What do you do when you are not at work? Favorite hobbies, activities?
Julie: There are a lot of wonderful outdoorsy things to do where we live. Our neighborhood backs up to the Shenandoah National Park, so we frequently get visits from black bears in our back yard which is thrilling for our 4-year old son. The Shenandoah River is less than a mile from our house, so canoeing and tubing are always available at the drop of a hat. Our region is dotted with beautiful vineyards, orchards and farms, so there’s always a way to get outside, which lets face it – in COVID-19 times, is something not to be taken for granted!
More About Lime Crane
Meet the rest of the Lime Crane team and learn more about our capabilities by clicking here. When you are ready to jump into video marketing or take your current strategy to the next level, get in touch with us. Call us directly at (404) 822-9922 or click here to submit an RFP.