Profile Spotlight: Stebs Schinnerer

From technology to agriculture and everything in between, Stebs Schinnerer's Day in Boston shows how communities of the future are pulling together to work towards a unified vision.

One Day on Earth - Stebs Short Films Trailer from Paper Fortress on Vimeo.

Who are you and what is your profession?.

My name is Steve Schinnerer, but most people call me Stebs. For the past 5 years I have made a living as a freelance filmmaker shooting, directing and editing commercial and documentary work. Before that I worked for 7 years in the construction and landscaping industry.

Can you tell us a little about your background and upbringing?

I grew up in a small coastal town in Massachusetts raised by two loving parents who supported  me in almost everything I did. I had a younger sister and a few pets, liked riding bikes, playing outside and picking my nose.

What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

As a kid I always played with the huge VHS camera my grandfather left at my house and loved making silly videos. I worked in a video rental store for almost five years and watched all sorts of films and fell in love with the art form. As I grew older I held onto that interest and always wanted to find some way to make a living doing it. After graduating college I decided to try my hand at making films for other people and it just stuck. Though the driving forces I had for wanting to make films have changed over the years, my love for motion pictures has not.

Who or what do you most admire?

In just a few words: I most admire the human spirit.

What do you love about Boston?

I love how diverse the city is, both in its people and in its landscape. While we may have some problems of segregation, I think that Boston is home to some of the most progressive thinkers on the planet who are constantly striving to push the world forward, not just our city. The universities, fantastic communities, the close proximity to the ocean, woods, historical landmarks and all the incredible food make Boston one of my favorite cities in the world.

What do you fear most for Boston?

I fear that our social and racial segregation will lead to a city where the economic and prosperity gap will be so large that many of our under-resourced areas will fall to the wayside as our more affluent areas see greater and greater success.

What do you hope for Boston in the next 20 years?

I hope that as a community, we can come together and help to close the economic gap and allow for other, less privileged voices to be heard. I hope our city will continue to grow in the fields of technology, education and science, and that we see more world leaders born from our universities and for our citizens to continue to innovate and inspire the people around them.

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