the week and you can kind of tell the people that just have a little some-
thing; some spark above the others. It's really a nice persistence that they
have. A passion."
Professional Profile: Jane Raimondi,
Producer and Co-Owner, Raimondi Films
Jane Raimondi was 33 years old when she discovered her love for
filmmaking and got into the business. She had earned a bachelor's degree
in sociology and worked a variety of jobs--on Capitol Hill, as a social
worker, and for a magazine--but none of them sparked her passion. On
the verge of divorce, Raimondi's therapist asked her: "What would you
like to do if you could do anything at all?"
"Nobody had ever asked me
that question. I said, `What I
want to do is not really possi-
ble . . . I've always thought I
would love to work in film. I
love movies. I find it interest-
ing. But you can't really earn a
living at that, particularly
living in Washington, D.C.'"
Two days after the conver-
sation, Raimondi was riding
the bus to work and looked up
to see an advertising card for
Corcoran College of Art &
Design, offering classes in art,
painting, photography, and
filmmaking. "It was a revela-
tion. I got to work and called
them immediately. They were
starting a beginning filmmak-
ing course. It was every night
from six to nine, five days a
week. At the end of my day, I'd
go take this course and I was
in heaven. I couldn't wait for
6:00 to come."
One of a very small group
of students, Raimondi learned
the basics of filmmaking by
working on Super-8 student
What do you like
least about your job?
"What I like least, at
this stage, is how all-
encompassing it is. We
just shot last Saturday,
and spent this past
Saturday and Sunday working. We worked
for 13 days straight. That's hard, sometimes.
It overwhelms you, particularly in a small
company. We haven't had a two-week vaca-
tion in probably ten years. It's a tough busi-
ness in the sense that you're always working.
I'm at the point where I'd like to have a little
more time off."--Jane Raimondi
What do you love most
about your job?
"The thing I love most is probably the joy of
seeing something finished that you produced
and worked on from the very small germ of
an idea. That's a big satisfaction. There are
a million little ones: when the director or
client gives you a challenge and everyone
says, `I don't know if that's possible,' and
you're able to actually see it through and
achieve it."--Jane Raimondi
VOICES OF
EXPERIENCE
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