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Artist of the Month Jake Semmler’s earliest memories are of jumping in the car with his father, Daryl Semmler, a talented photographer, and racing out the Barellan Road to capture a storm rolling in, to Narrandera’s Rocky Waterholes for a particular light or spending an afternoon shooting the vast and changing landscapes in the region.
“At first, I just wanted to hang out with Dad, cruise around and explore, but then I got more and more interested in what he was actually doing. I was given a little point-and-shoot camera for my 10th birthday and haven’t really put the camera down since,” said Jake.
In the first year of high school Jake had stockpiled enough pocket money to purchase a Lumix FZ80, with video capability, and started shooting and learning.
“I had learned all the basics of photography like framing, light and aspect from Dad and then, moving into video, I was constantly online looking for tutorials, and how-to guides. I’d go out and try stuff with the camera then come home and edit it, and then try again.”
Holding on to and giving oxygen to an artistic streak through high school can be a challenge. The common ground for Jake and his circle of friends was the skate park – where they’d spend their spare time – messing about on skateboards and scooters - with Jake capturing all the action.
“I always had the camera out, and of course we all wanted to see the end result. I would race home from school and stay up late or get up very early to edit the latest shoot we had done and put it up on YouTube. I couldn’t wait to get home, there was always a project to edit or fix or change.
“Working with video is so dynamic – there is so much you can do with it, with dialogue, music, effects…even then I knew that it was all I really wanted to do, but I wasn’t sure of the path.”
The idea of a career as a videographer crystallised for Jake when his drone footage of the Murrumbidgee River flooding Narrandera was picked up by news outlets and shared nationwide. By senior high many of Jake’s friends were splintering off to pursue apprenticeships, join family businesses or to farm. An offer of consistent work from Griffith Real Estate gave Jake the confidence to leave school and commence freelancing.
“I had to say to them, ‘Hey I’m only 16, I don’t even have my driver’s licence yet.’ They were willing to give me a go anyway and have stayed with me ever since. My parents were really supportive and drove me to all the early jobs until I had my P plates, and with that independence I started taking on more and more commercial work from all over the region.”
Around that time independent filmmaker Ozan ‘Ozzie’ Fikri arrived and settled in Narrandera with his partner Cassie and their young children. From the time they met Ozzie and Jake became firm friends, creative collaborators, and partners in film.
“There was suddenly this mentor in my world, but also from my world of film and video, who has all this experience and knowledge and is so generous in sharing and teaching. We work together often, and Ozzie has taught me so much.”
Over the past twelve months Jake has shot and edited music videos featuring emerging Narrandera rap artist Xavier Beauchamp (Beacho 2700), street events, festivals, content for rising Narrandera boxer Jesse Riddell, news items and advertisements. Jake balances the bread and butter of running a business with the creative freedom and innovation of working on music videos and promotional content.
At just 18, Jake is now the artistic force and proprietor of his own freelance photography, videography and editing business - Jake Film and Photography.
“The transition from the structure of school to owning and running a small business has been huge. You are meeting clients, shooting, editing – all while keeping up with social media, filing, invoicing, marketing, managing the tech and studio equipment, and trying to build your skills. There’s so much involved.
“I’m always surprised where the work comes from – and it’s all over the region,” he says. “Based here in Narrandera I’m central to several major towns.”
Jake intends to continue building his business in Narrandera, working with business and creative partners and one day shifting his home studio into its own commercial space.
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