Josiah Sjöström

Who am I?

Commercial Filmmaker | Freelance Gaffer | Studio Manager

It’s difficult to summarize “what I do": the quintessential question asked at every dinner party, networking event, or casual gathering. I have no issue with the question itself - it’s simply challenging to convey an answer in a concise fashion.

It is, however, perhaps more difficult (for us all) to genuinely answer the question: "who am I?"

“I do” a number of things - and most of them happen to revolve around the on-set component of the filmmaking process. I would also consider myself an investor and a developer.

But, “who am I?”
I’m an artist who values excellence and appreciates fine craftsmanship. I'm a businessman who strives to live with integrity. I'm a friend and colleague who endeavors to make time for people. I’m husband to an incredible wife and father to five wonderful children. I’m a giver and I love to help people succeed.

While it may not be a perfect answer to the question, hopefully this helps give a little insight into “who I am”.

What do you do, exactly?

A question that's a little hard to answer in layman's terms.

Filmmaker

I help film productions happen.

I'm the founder of
Bonza Media, Inc. which began as a commercial film and video production company in 2009. Over the years, Bonza produced a number of successful campaigns for both regional and national brands - several of which featured a unique spattering of celebrities.

Today, Bonza largely functions as a connection to production resources. Including an equipment rental division, consulting services, and general assistance with assembling crews and support services.

Whether commercial projects or narrative film - I love bringing people and resources together to make a productions happen.

Gaffer

I light film sets - mostly on commercial projects.

Lighting is my thing. While I’ve been fortunate to gain experience in many areas of production - lighting has always been a primary interest. In the the freelance world it’s overwhelmingly what I’m hired for and a moniker I’ve received from my peers is “The Dapper Gaffer”.

I work on a broad variety of projects from modest crews to large productions.

Lastly, I do own a G&E rental company (the rental division of Bonza) and operate a 3 Ton Grip Truck. I keep a sizable inventory of grip, lighting, camera support, and beyond.

Studio Manager

I own and manage a studio in Rockford, IL.

In 2020, I partnered with a lifelong friend to build a proper sound stage in our hometown of Rockford, IL. In layman's terms, we built a rent-by-the-day film studio where production companies come to produce their content.

The aspiration was to design a comparable alternative to the stages in Chicago, yet without the hassle often associated with filming in the city and larger metros in general.

City Stage Studios is doing well and Rockford is becoming a popular place for both regional and out-of-state productions.