Josiah Sjöström

I help film productions happen - and mostly in Rockford, IL.

I'm the founder of
Bonza Media which began as a commercial film and video production company in 2009.

After producing a number of successful ad campaigns over the years, Bonza took a step back from spearheading productoins and transition into more of a support roll. In a bid to bring more productions to Rockford, it now functions largely as a connection to production resources in the Rockford area including an equipment rental division, consulting services, and general assistance with assembling crews and support services.

I light film sets - mostly on commercial projects.

While I’ve been fortunate to gain experience in many areas of production - lighting has always been a primary interest. A moniker I’ve received from my peers is “The Dapper Gaffer”. We have subsequently started a youtube channel by the same name.


Functioning primarily as an owner/op - the G&E rental division of Bonza includes a 3 ton truck, a city van, and a sizable inventory of equipment.

I own and manage a multi-studio in Rockford, IL: City Stage Studios

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

Aside from the "mainstage", it also includes a photo studio, and video podcast studio. Home to Bonza and a number of other digital media companies.

Rockford is becoming a popular destination for both regional and out-of-state productions.