NARRATIVE | COMEDIC | VISUAL STORYTELLERS
J&K Schaack
Justin & Kristin Schaack [that’s us] are a comedy directing duo that have been making films and marketing content together for almost 20 years. We’re a married team that began our creative partnership in the theater waaaaaay off-broadway: 6th grade, middle school productions. That probably explains why we remain wide-eyed, playful, and imaginative.
Since our illustrious career on the middle school stage, we’ve found success directing independent films that have screened at 300+ international film festivals and have received numerous audience choice and jury awards, including Best Short Film & Best Direction at the 2019 New York City International Film Festival and the “Fun Is Good BILL MURRAY Comedic Shorts Award” at the Twin Cities Film Fest, handpicked by living legend Bill Murray!
In addition to our comedy films, we direct and produce commercial content for brands like Target, Best Buy, St. Jude’s Medical, and Buffalo Wild Wings in order to bring home the bacon. And by ‘bacon’ we mean ‘money,’ which can be exchanged for goods & services, like bacon!
Many tell us that they can’t imagine working side-by-side with their spouse, but for us, we can only imagine working together. We even finish EACH OTHER’S SENTENCES. [Sorry for the caps; we just started typing at the same time!]
APPROACH / LOOK & FEEL
It’s our mission to craft visual stories that are poignant, bring joy and humor to break boundaries with audiences that might otherwise be impenetrable. We have a shared vision of the final picture, and our individual qualities perfectly complement one another throughout the process. Justin focuses on the technical approach and directs with an editor’s mind, constantly cutting the story in his head before, during, and [in many cases] literally after the shoot. Kristin focuses on performance and has an incredible eye for detail, allowing for second and third time viewers to discover nuances that they maybe didn’t catch the first time.
Witty dialogue combined with situational humor is our jam. We’ve made multiple projects that tell a story without dialogue at all, which breaks language barriers and is ideal for viewers that don’t turn on the sound.
We’re adaptable while staying true to our personal style and have a strong handle on “what works” for the audience. An actor we worked with once said, “Justin & Kristin find a way to make the absurd feel real and funny.” We take that as a great compliment; it means our strategy is working!
CASTING & PERFORMANCE
Our shared upbringing in theater influences our approach of developing characters with descriptive backgrounds. We create a supportive environment for our actors to play without fear, which unlocks stronger performances. Meeting with talent to discuss character motivations is pivotal to the success of our stories. And although, preparation is key, we enjoy working with improvisational actors and dancers to find unexpected moments. It’s a balanced relationship based on professionalism with a soupçon of shenanigans.
INFLUENCES
We have film degrees from USC [J] & Chapman University [K]. Besides massive student debt, those diplomas come with an appreciation for the works of Godard, Welles, and Truffaut. With that being said, we prefer a Hollywood comedy and have a fondness for whimsy. Being kids of the 80s, we’re heavily influenced by the works of Spielberg, Disney, classic episodes of The Simpsons, and sitcoms; TGIF was a big deal for both of us. As alumni members of our high school show choir and musical productions, we also love the theater. You’ll probably hear us singing Little Shop of Horrors, Les Misérables, or any other Broadway show tune at a moment’s notice.