We had the good fortune of connecting with Jenna Schaelling and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenna, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
The impossible question! I’ve heard it said, “You can have it all, just not all at once.” In my experience, this is completely true. I often have periods of insanity with school and work, and I’m not able to spend much time with my partner, or find time for myself. There’s also time between jobs or school projects where I have an abundance of me-time—and those periods are often tougher for me to handle. I have a sense of purpose when I’m working on a cool project. When I’m between jobs I feel like I’m floating, and I’m not quite sure what to do with myself. During these periods I try to have a routine, so I’m working on my craft, or discovering new parts of myself. I try to cherish the times when I seem to have it all.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m most proud of the short documentary, “Skaterhood”, which I edited at BYU. It fused my favorite subjects together; female-centric stories, and skateboarding. I started editing in March 2020, so you can imagine it was quite crazy during that time. The journey was long, and there was a lot of adapting to get to the finish line, but I’m excited about the final film.

On my professional journey, I’ve learned that you have to define what success means to you, or else you’ll constantly compare yourself to other people’s accomplishments. For me, success is finding joy in the daily grind, the daily process, and not on a one-time accomplishment. I want to find happiness in what I find rewarding, not what other people say is rewarding. I love compliments and praise from peers, but they don’t sustain my daily motivation.

The most important factor behind my story has been kindness and determination. I try to be the type of person I would want to work with. So far, this has helped me link up with other people who share that similar mindset. I’ve often thought that my success would come from knowing the technical skills. While this is important, it will only take you so far. It’s the type of person you are and the work ethic you have that will keep you in the game.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love a good museum, so I’d take them to the Getty and the Broad. I love the wide range of paintings to see in the Getty, along with the beautiful view of the city. The Broad has wonderful pop art I could look at all day. El Matador Beach in Malibu is a must. Especially at sunset. This is the prettiest beach I’ve been to, and there’s always fun people taking pictures that make for good people watching. Lucifer’s Pizza has become my favorite pizza spot in LA. The pizza flavors are out of this world, and the vibe is fantastic.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to dedicate this shoutout to Tom Russell, my mentor during my undergraduate studies. It’s because of him that I applied to AFI, and made the move to LA. I want to recognize my dear family and friends who have encouraged me to pursue my dreams.

Website: https://jennaschaelling.wixsite.com/my-site

Instagram: @jennajs

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennaschaelling

Image Credits
Allison McArthur

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