Innovation

Filmateria manages a small tight-knit company composed of selected individuals. It was one of the first woman minority-owned studios and helped usher the way for other creative agencies/corporations to incorporate their business model. The business model incorporates the intent to recruit minorities in order to bring a different perspective and experience to teamwork and creativity in media.

At Filmateria, there is an emphasis on providing opportunities for women and minorities to bring about equity in entertainment. The hiring process takes into account race, gender, and sexuality, seeking out diverse groups of individuals who are usually excluded from opportunities in corporate media. Marisa has curated an inclusive corporate culture that pushes minorities to explore and develop their skills for the industry. The company was able to develop this business model through Marisa’s own experience being a Latino woman. By incorporating these diverse voices in the studio’s executive-level positions, she can receive valuable input in recruiting minorities.

Inspiration

Marisa was inspired by her husband and business partner, William Jeakle, who helped her build the company. She was encouraged to spread her expertise to minorities who were unable to step foot into this industry. Marisa was also inspired by the concept of a family–her upbringing emphasized the importance of acting as one within the family and team. She wanted to create this same sense of community and change the conventional hierarchy of corporations. A tighter group fosters collaboration and creativity in its operations. While revenue is important, the relationships within the company are much more important to develop. “Have fun. Make money. In that order.”

Overall impact

The company has inspired many individuals to pursue careers that were unattainable before. Marisa recalls the time when women were especially competitive and hostile to each other because there weren’t many opportunities available for everyone. She acknowledges her privilege in gaining a lot of skill and expertise in her field, so she was able to educate others. She is still committed to being a resource for young entrepreneurs and minorities, to aid them in growing their careers. One of the biggest impacts she stated was being financially capable of supporting her employees taking maternity leave. The company was able to successfully stay out of debt in its running.

Business benefit

Many global companies are seeking to hire minority and/or woman-owned businesses, allowing the company to work on large projects and expand its mark internationally. Filmateria Studios was able to work with huge technology companies like Microsoft, helping them launch the XBOX to the international press. They were also able to work with Zoom. Filmateria’s diversity helps them stand apart from the competition. They are able to offer clients a different and unique perspective regarding possible marketing strategies. Due to the lack of diversity in the video production industry, Filmateria is able to capitalize on being able to offer perspectives from women and minorities.

Social and environmental benefit

The innovation encourages many other businesses to incorporate diverse groups of individuals because there is substantial success in doing so. Filmateria studio connects the corporate world with more socially involved acts, urging other creative companies to focus on ensuring equality in the workplace. Filmateria knows that there is still a lot of work to be done regarding more inclusion within the industry but they’re determined to be the ones to inspire a change.

Interview

Marisa Jeakle, Founder