We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jacob Piontek a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jacob, we are so happy that our community is going to have a chance to learn more about you, your story and hopefully even take in some of the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Let’s start with self-care – what do you do for self-care and has it had any impact on your effectiveness?
In terms of self-care, I’ve found that I gravitate most toward activities where I’m able to focus on the present moment. Boxing training, in particular, has been a hugely important part of my life for this reason. In the midst of training, you’re confronted with the limits of your own stamina, in addition to considering strategy that requires quick adjustment.
My trainer has been such an inspiring person to me, and I believe that his guidance has pushed me to challenge my own limits. As a result, I’ve been able to move more comfortably through difficult work scenarios, and come out the other side with greater fortitude.
For me, training is a meditation, and meditation is all about existing in the present.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
From a very early age, I loved to improvise on the piano, and I often tried to replicate the music I heard in movies.
This passion for music and film is what inspired me to pursue film scoring, and eventually begin my work as both a media composer and music supervisor.
When I first started composing music for potential placement into different kinds of media, I started to wonder how the work was actually being evaluated, and the reasons behind a piece of music’s approval or rejection. The approval chain was a mystery to me.
And I realized that I could learn about this process by working as a music supervisor, which allowed for a closer dialogue with the client. Not only did it offer a greater understanding of the client’s interests and way of working, but it gave me more opportunities to share my own composed music when those opportunities arose.
As a musician, my greatest pleasure comes from communicating a very specific feeling through harmony, melody and rhythm – And when the right music is paired with the right image, the result is truly magical.
On the other hand, the work of a music supervisor is a balance of both the creative and administrative, and at its most exciting, involves the selection of the right piece of music for a particular scene in a film, a series, advertisement or other type of visual media.
In both cases, my favorite moments usually involve healthy and thoughtful collaboration – It is a gift to work with kind, like-minded people on a project, whether it’s a funny advertisement or a potentially more dramatic piece of art.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Since I still feel like I’m very much in the midst of my own journey, I would say that maintaining a patience and a kindness toward both others and yourself is really important.
I’ve often been very focused on what’s going to happen next, as opposed to just doing the best I can in the moment, and allowing for the future to reveal itself.
Granted, when people are concerned about supporting themselves and paying their bills, it’s hard to not go through life with a sense of urgency. And that’s why being kind to yourself along the way, especially when all of us are faced with unique obstacles, is so important.
Outside of that, I think the skill of conversation is often deeply undervalued – The ability to engage with someone else in a thoughtful way not only lends itself to meaningful connection, but can very quickly broaden your business prospects. Just like so many other things, conversation takes practice, and I believe there’s an art to it.
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
The ideal client for me is someone who is a strong communicator – This can mean they’re good at expressing what they do know as well as what they don’t. It’s an opportunity to have a more constructive exchange, where we can ideally find the right solutions together, and without pretension.
Understandably, most people want their voice to be heard, so it’s a great feeling when we can all feel listened to – it helps immensely when contributing to a creative vision.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jacobpiontek.com
- Instagram: @jacobpiontek
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-piontek-69124459/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
