Meet Jeremy Pape | Director and Studio Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jeremy Pape and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jeremy, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
“Mannn… when I was in my 20s, all I did was work, dude. Like—I was out there grindin’ like a raccoon in a dumpster full’a Red Bulls. I didn’t have nothin’ else goin’ on. No girlfriend, no dog, no group texts, no hobbies… just me, my hustle, and probably a microwave burrito I forgot to eat. And honestly? It was fun. Felt like I was doin’ somethin’. Like I had some kinda invisible badge on my chest that said, ‘He stays busy.’

But as I got older… somethin’ shifted. My world got bigger. I fell in love, started a family—got two kids now who thinks farts are currency. And it just changed me, man. Like I realized there’s a whole buffet of life out there, and I’d been eatin’ the same damn Hot Pocket every day. I started enjoyin’ things outside of just “the grind.” Like makin’ memories, cookin’ food that didn’t come in plastic, even exploring new outlets for my creativity.

And I learned somethin’ wild—creativity don’t just come from hustle and caffeine. It shows up when you’re alive. When you got peace. You don’t gotta be grindin’ 24/7 to have motion. Sometimes rest is the move. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is sit on the porch, drink a lil’ sweet tea, and just be.”

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
So I’m a visual artist, right? I work in the video medium—which is just a fancy way of sayin’ I make lil’ movies that slap. I adore makin’ music videos, man. Like, it scratches this part of my soul that only gets touched when you combine rap lyrics with a fog machine and a rented warehouse. But honestly, I just love tellin’ stories through video—happy ones, sad ones, ones where a guy’s dressin’ like a wizard in a Taco Bell parking lot… you name it, I’m into it.

I’ve been doin’ this about 13 years now, which is insane. That’s over a decade of explaining to my family at Thanksgiving that, yes, it’s a real job. And this year, I finally opened my own studio. Welcome To It Studios. Sounds like a theme park but it’s more like a creative jungle gym—with cameras. It’s been a beautiful, terrifying, wallet-draining dream come true. Like givin’ birth to a baby made of invoices and LED lights.

Now look, I’ve learned two big lessons. First: Nobody—and I mean nobody—cares about you unless you’re either bringin’ value or showin’ up like the second coming of Steven Spielberg with tattoos. So either make your art so undeniable they gotta give you a trophy—or give, man. Like give ‘til your hands are bleedin’. Help people win. Be the plug, the ladder, the damn trampoline.

Second thing: mindset. It’s everything. I’ve been out here professionally killin’ it—like straight-up achievin’ goals I wrote on a vision board while high. But I still felt like a depressed Chiuaua in a Chili’s parking lot because I was focused on the wrong stuff. Or worse—abusing my blessings like they were unlimited breadsticks. The truth is, the world don’t care. The bar keeps movin’. But peace? Peace is right there. It’s free. It’s like emotional Wi-Fi. You just gotta log in.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Mannn—Denver is the best, dude. First thing I’d do? Start with some drinks at Williams & Graham. It’s this lil’ speakeasy in the Highlands where you gotta walk through a bookshelf to get a cocktail. I’m talkin’ about drinks that taste like a wizard made ‘em in a forest using moss and regret. Just beautiful, man.

Then I’d slide down to RiNo Yacht Club—not a yacht in sight, but buddy they got these hotdogs called “hotdocks” and cocktails so fancy you feel like you need a trust fund just to sip ‘em. After that? You already know—it’s time for a show at Mission Ballroom. That place makes you feel like you’re in a spaceship built by people who listen to Tame Impala and know how to do taxes.

Late night? Oh I’m hittin’ up Chubbies. That’s my go-to. Ain’t nothin’ like poundin’ a smothered burrito at 1 a.m. while reconsidering every life decision you’ve made since middle school.

Now if my friends are musically inclined—and I mean like they brought a backpack full of lyrics and heartbreak—we’re headin’ to Mac’D’s The Lab to cook somethin’ up. If they ain’t got bars, then we’ll hit Casita Cutie and Be A Good Person, maybe get a hoodie that tells the world you what time it is!

Obviously we’re stoppin’ by Snaxland—grab a lil’ pot, maybe something that makes you think your cat understands French. Then it’s time to get outside. Hikin’, skiin’, campin’—Denver’s the kind of place where you can be a lumberjack, a DJ, and a dog dad all in the same afternoon. Just a beautiful city full’a sunshine, weed smoke, and people named Kyle who do CrossFit.”

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
the women in my life, my momma, my wife and my daughters.

Website: http://collective-culture.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/papemadethis/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@welcometoitstudio