Meet George Jac | Director, Producer & Actor

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

Hi George, why did you pursue a creative career?
I chose to pursue an artistic or creative career on the back end of my Bachelor’s school program at San Diego State University, when I was still trying to figure out my major and in turn what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. During the course of my youth, I was a jock who gave no thought to the arts, apart from a single stint as a news anchor for my high school’s monthly news program. When I got to college, I was not unlike most University students who were trying to find their way. A couple years into my college career and after several major changes, I had finally committed to a Public Administration Degree with a minor in Psychology, and although my education’s focus was locked in, I still had no idea what I wanted to do with my degree upon graduation. But as fate would have it, I received an obscure opportunity, while in school, to become an ‘extra’ on an HBO show that was shooting on location in San Diego called “John from Cincinnati.” I was subsequently bumped up to what was called a ‘featured extra’–which for those of you who don’t know–is a term for an ‘extra’ who becomes featured with a line of dialogue. Suffice it to say, I fell in love with being on a professional film set and coincidentally was already enamored with an HBO series called “Entourage,” whose premise revolved around an actor and his entourage. Spent the next two years forcing myself to graduate while binging “Entourage” and once I graduated I began my my creative career, as an actor and producer–and fast forward to today, I have my own production company [You Don’t Know Jac Films LLC] and am firmly focused on developing a career as a film & commercial director.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
In whatever I set out to accomplish, I’m a big believer in seeking out the ‘WHY’–and the way you get there is through attention to detail–especially in an industry that requires collaboration and teamwork. The hallmark of productive collaboration all boils down to effective communication—so while others focus on a singular aspect, I sought to become well-versed in EVERY aspect of video & film production to maximize my effectiveness as a director/producer, collaborator & leader.

As a former competitive athlete & football player, I’ve found many parallels in the process of game planning to that of preparing yourself for success in filmmaking–you gotta figure out what you got in terms of talent, then develop a strategy or game plan around the talent and then you go out and execute–and when the game (or project) is over, you watch the film, once again go back to the drawing board, after analyzing the negative & positive aspects of your previous plan, and retool what should be an even stronger strategy for the next one. In a field that is as ultra competitive as football, I have used what I learned as an athlete to develop myself into the ultimate production powerhouse using the same skills instilled in me as an athlete: keen attention to detail, ability to take criticism and determination to get better. I always wanted to be a director from the start, but didn’t really know what that entailed–so I made it my intentional mission to first acquire the knowledge, exercise the practical skills and diversify my experience, in every stage of production—and have since built the body of work to boast.

Of course there is nothing about this journey that has come easy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way because I feel that nothing in life worth accomplishing comes without sacrifice, hard work and a constant barrage of unique challenges. And for me, focusing on growth has been the ultimate antidote against allowing the pressure to get to me–as they say there is no change (or growth), without challenge!

I heard a simple phrase on a podcast recently that stated–and I’m paraphrasing: “every moment in your life, you are either building, or decaying” so distill your biggest ambitions and goals into living (or building) in the moment–that’s the concept that I’ve learned. As cliche as it sounds, focus on the process and no dream is too big.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I was born and raised in San Diego, CA which seems these days to be a rarity because most people who live out here are transplants from across the country and I don’t blame them–I’ve had my share of traveling and can see why the connotation ‘America’s Finest City’ was coined. If a friend of mine were to visit San Diego for the first time, there would be a plethora of “must-do’s” on my list of recommendations that include beautiful beaches, eclectic dining and of course Mexico–which is just a stone’s throw from the city. In no particular order the itinerary I’d suggest would include:

– Catching a sunset at Sunset Cliffs

– Golfing: Torrey Pines, Coronado & The Maderas in Poway

– Scarf down a burger at Hodad’s

– Go Shopping in downtown La Jolla followed by seal watching at La Jolla Cove

– Hiking: Cowles Mountain & Potato Chip Rock

– Grub down on some freshly caught fish at either Blue Water Seafood or Pt. Loma Seafood

– Check out the tide pools at Cabrillo Monument

– Sightseeing: The Zoo, Safari Park, Hotel Del Coronado & Waterfront Park in Downtown San Diego

– Nightlife: Gaslamp Quarter in Downtown, Pacific Beach

– And of course you can’t leave San Diego without trying the BEST Mexican food!!–both in Mexico (Tijuana, Rosarito & Ensenada) and San Diego has a taco shop on nearly every street corner

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Success of course is subjective, but as I’ve heard reiterated many times over by people whom have achieved a certain degree of success–you don’t get anywhere on your own–and this particularly holds true for those who have chosen to pursue a career in the arts. I think it goes without saying, but there are so many obstacles and barriers to success when it comes to careers in any creative field, so having a supporting cast is paramount to making headway and achieving your goals. Thankfully, I’ve been blessed with a loving & supporting family–both of my parents, my sister and especially my fiancee and soon to be wife–they have all stuck by my decisions to chase a goal that is fleeting for most and one in which many people quit before finding any semblance of success. Lastly, I’d be remiss without mentioning my personal idol of inspiration–the late Kobe Bryant–whose most notable attribute is that of his relentless work ethic–and I honor him with every inch of ground that I gain.

Website: www.YouDontKnowJac.co

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/YouDontKnowJac

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/YouDontKnowJac

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/YouDontKnowJac.co

Image Credits
BTS Photography by Anel Muro