Industry Spotlight: Juliana Lukasik

We had the opportunity to chat with Juliana Lukasik and learn about her recent work in the non-profit world. With clients like Nintendo and Banfield Pet Hospital, her production company, @Large Films, has been a staple of Portland’s commercial production scene for over 20 years. Cine Rent West has had the pleasure of hosting several of her projects, so we were especially excited to hear about what she’s been up to.

As an award-winning director, Juliana has fiercely advocated for gender & age equality in the media industry. Her passion for community building and volunteerism recently led her to pivot from @Large Films and she is now the Senior Director of Communications & Public Affairs at Central City Concern (CCC). Since the late 70’s, CCC has been helping Portlanders who struggle with the pain and harm of homelessness by utilizing an integrated system of compassionate care.

Non-profits aren’t always the best at promoting their services, but that’s where Juliana comes in. Her vast experience with external branding in the advertising industry has allowed CCC to refine their message and connect with their community more effectively. After being hired in March of 2020, her first day on the job was the very same day Governor Brown issued the pandemic shut down order. It’s been all hands-on-deck ever since as COVID’s economic fallout continues to exacerbate homelessness throughout the city.

Battling the narrative has been challenging as news media outlets continue to focus on clickbait tactics. That sensationalism creates a negative press cycle that often highlights failures rather than successes for organizations like CCC. A large part of her new role is highlighting those success stories amongst their clients to ensure that they’re not overlooked. Since joining CCC, she’s directed two documentaries that do just that, with more projects in the pipeline. If you’d like to learn about the many ways you can help Juliana and her team at CCC, please check the link below and get involved:

https://centralcityconcern.org/how-to-help/