Please Feed The Animals

Carrie (l) and Jennifer (r) at our very first story session at Picture Park

When my husband (then boyfriend) and I moved to Boston, I freelanced for a year pretty consistently. But I always had my sights set on a certain Boston agency whose work I’d admired since I was an undergrad. Long story short, I got hired at that agency. Longer story short, I was let go after a year.

After another less consistent year of freelance, I got hired again at a talented post production boutique as its executive producer. The first year was good; then the economy kicked in (or out). A week after I got back from my honeymoon, I got sacked for the second time in two years.

The revolving agency door was new to me. In Los Angeles I’d stayed at my first job for seven years, working on iconic brands with iconic people. But in Boston I was bouncing around like a ping pong ball, sometimes having to cross state lines to work. It wasn’t what I had in mind; I felt more alone than I had since high school. I started to think of other ideas: a hot dog stand, a martini truck. But I’m not a business person, I’m a producer. I love creativity and film, and I can barely run my own household, let alone a new business venture.

Soon after my second shitcanning I heard about Please Feed The Animals, and went to a meet-n-greet in March. A few months later Erik called me about the documentary. I’m still not sure where he got my name, since within ten minutes of (re)meeting me he asked, “Who ARE you?”

Lemonade was exactly the project I needed to work on, since it involved using my powers for good over evil. At first, Erik couldn’t have made it sound less appealing. Initially he wanted to pile into a van and drive all over the country, shooting people’s stories on a decent 24p camera. There wasn’t enough Febreeze in the world.

Instead we found a production company willing to back us in Picture Park, we have one of the best editors in the country on deck, Soundtrack offered up their services, we got freaking amazing DPs, and moreover, I got a fantastic co-producing partner and a new friend in Jennifer McKenzie. (The two-producer solution is better than the two-state solution.)

Erik had gotten a slew of stories through the PFTA site from people all over the country (I think he’s still getting solicitations), and filming them reminded me that I could use the feeling of failure as a springboard to opportunity. There was nothing to lose. Other people used the opportunity to start their own business, or make art, or just hang out with their kids more. So I started cooking for my husband. I volunteered at Fenway High, an urban magnet high school for career-driven students. I got a couple hand modeling gigs. And we were all happier for it – something you can literally feel in the trailer—it still gives me chills, and I was there.

PFTA fosters a sense of community—a community that I’m proud to be a part of. Animals aren’t victims (except for maybe of the economy). Animals pick themselves up by their paws (or claws, or whatever) and keep on keepin’ on. It’s easy to lose sight of that—but not after you see this movie.

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Carrie Jacobson is a freelance producer and co-produced Lemonade. She is also available for hand modeling. Her work can be found at www.carrie-jacobson.com