By: Jordan Ly
BLUE BELL, PA--When John Stefanic started college, he didn’t force himself into the entertainment industry and it would eventually get him to make commercially successful films in his future. John did things off instinct knowing that he was naturally good at different objectives, using his versatility, around the film industry and realized that it has helped him as his life went on. “If you do a job you love, it never feels like work.” He started his first year of college at Montgomery Community College, where he developed skills and built experience under John Gallagher’s program. John would take his classes in the second story of the old physical education building of Montco, where students today still take courses and defy odds. This would be one of the most important times of his life to spark interest in the industry to create his bright future. John would move on from Montgomery Community College after a year. He would graduate in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science in television, film, and radio at Kutztown. “The skills I developed made me less intimidated at Kutztown because I already had accomplished what juniors have at Montco as a freshman.”
Before getting straight into movies, John was a teacher for the community college and Villanova University. He then was contacted and recommended by alumni of Kutztown for an infomercial as a production assistant. This would lead him to many connections and sources, like being a production assistant for commercials that would lead him movies. He worked on movies called “The Pompatus Love,” a romance comedy shot in New York. John would develop a relationship with people in the industry across the country. “If you’re in the loop, you’re in the loop, if you’re not, you‘re not. He would go on to others called“12 Monkeys,” which was a sci-fi and mystery shot in Philadelphia and a drama piece called “Up close and Personal” all as a key production assistant. It was not until a good part of John’s career, where he would get a different job, until the shooting of a movie called “Beloved” that made him location assistant. The experience he developed from these movies would bring him to a film called “Waiting,” his first as a producer. Following his success of “Waiting” John got attached to what would arguably be his most successful piece, a thriller that was bought by Showtime and nationally released called “Head Trauma.” Though he does not have favorite piece or genre, John’s biggest motivation to being involved in these movies is that it helps and entertains people. “I made “Waiting,” because I wanted to make a feature film, which was a comedy and then I made “Head Trauma” because after a comedy, I wanted to scare people.”
John explains why he chose the industry and what he liked about it. “I just gravitated to it, and I seemed to be good at it, it was one of the few things I was naturally good at. I like that it is not 9 to 5 every day, I don’t think I could do that.” John states that there were “a lot of times” where he felt he wasn’t getting where he wanted and wasn’t moving fast enough. Though there was no specific moment that he remembered to get him over the struggles, John says that patience was a huge key to helping him get through obstacles. “Sometimes patience and letting things take their course, is the way to go about it. It’s a matter of just letting time sort things out for me.” He has helped movie makers on various genres of film and only watches movies and television to help him gain certain skills for his job.
Though he never shot anything at Montgomery community college, he vows to return to teaching in the future after the film industry. John also credits the school and hopes to bring a strong influence to future students that want to purse the entertainment industry. “I would have to say the skills I developed at Montco, were the foundations that made me go on to do what I have done.”
