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

Hi Jeffrey, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
My work-life balance has changed a lot. Last year, I was a single freelancer shooting weddings, making just enough to pay rent, hit the gym, and DoorDash to earn my next meal. It was standard poor guy hustle culture, not much different from my peers.

Now? I have a 9-to-5 office job, an even heavier wedding schedule, a weekly short film to edit, plus a girlfriend and a dog. I don’t really have time for the old hobbies anymore—like hitting dive bars for late-night open mics or taking random, low-paying photo gigs just to meet weird and interesting people.

Instead, my schedule forces me to ruthlessly prioritize: a strict 60-minute workout here, 45 minutes of uninterrupted editing there. Overall, I’ve learned that your real priorities stay at the top no matter what your lifestyle looks like. No matter what I’m juggling, I’ll either learn to do it faster, or just find peace in getting 0.5% better every single day.

Person in white shirt and cap filming a woman speaking in front of a green screen outdoors, with crew members and equipment nearby.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What sets me apart is my willingness to do things poorly rather than not at all. It took time to build the team behind The Stuffmakers, but we’ve really come together by setting a shared example: we are all here to learn. I got to where I am today by being fortunate enough to connect with peers who love to create, without the one-sided dynamic of me always being the one to reach out. We’ve built true creative partnerships where we show up for each other; even when I’m feeling fatigued, I push myself to follow through and fulfill my end of the deal.

Getting here wasn’t easy, and it can still be discouraging at times. There were moments I thought I’d be working with certain friends for years, only to watch the relationship dissipate until they became someone I only see on Instagram twice a year. But eventually, you run into people who just want to make things—eagerly, without ego, and without caring whether they are editing, running sound, or practicing lines.

Along the way, I’ve learned that you can only control your own reactions. It doesn’t make sense to complain; instead, you make the best of the current situation and prepare so that next time, you get the outcome you actually wanted. If there is one thing I want the world to know about me and my team, it’s that almost everything we do is learned through trial and error. And making an error is never the end of the world.

Three people stand on stage in front of a screen displaying a forest scene with bats, in a dark room with an audience.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The perfect spring day when my best friend is in town: We head up to Sedona for a moderate hike, followed by pizza and gelato. On the way back, we stop by the haunted town of Jerome, Arizona, to play basketball and watch the sunset on that random court overlooking the whole valley. Once we’re back in Phoenix, we skip the nap and head straight to an AWF professional wrestling match, followed by beers and darts. If we still have energy left, we finish the night with karaoke and dancing.

Man crouching and holding a microphone, with children and people in the background at an indoor event.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shout out to my partner Valerie Garcia, my mentor Craig Peterman and best friends Jacob Cano & Chris Cook.

Website: https://www.shotsbyjeffmorel.com/

Instagram: thejeffreymorel

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLg5_7CH2asXLqCCySTkPRQ

Two people in a garage, one sitting at a table and the other standing, adjusting hair or glasses, with studio lighting equipment nearby.

Group of five people standing on stage in front of an audience, some with arms around each other, in a theater setting.

Large movie theater screen displaying the text 'The STUFFI Makers' and 'ALMOST FAMOUS' at a film festival, with audience silhouettes in foreground.

Image Credits
jeff morel

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