Who We Are

Our team has been working together since 2007, and combined, we have over 100 years of video production and editing experience. For us, it’s personal. We don’t outsource our work to the young filmmaker with the lowest rate. Instead, we’ve placed a premium on service by understanding your needs firsthand. That’s why we’re personally invested in getting you the video you want.

T.W. Li

Producer / Director

T.W. has been making video and film for more than 25 years. Since 1989 he has directed or photographed over 500 videos for businesses, including Reebok, VH-1, Chanel Fine Jewelry, Discovery Channel, Sears, and MTV Productions.

As a lighting and camera specialist, he directed the photography of 13 feature films including What’s the Matter with Kansas, based on the best selling book by Thomas Frank, and Pilot Season, directed by Sam Seder, and starring Sarah Silverman, Marc Maron, David Cross, and Isla Fisher.

T.W. has taught Cinematography at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Columbia College Chicago, and his technical articles have been published in International Cinematographer, the magazine of the International Cinematographers Guild Local 600.

Suzanna Boelter

Project Manager

After getting her degree in electrical engineering from University of Illinois Chicago, Suzanna started her career supervising projects for a video game production company in Atlanta.

She then traveled all over the US, Canada, and Europe, managing tours for folk/roots bands.

Kenneth Reed

Post-Production Supervisor

Kenny earned his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2007. He has done camera and audio work for several networks, including MTV, Food Network, Fox, as well as several Chicago based production companies.

Kenny is an experimental filmmaker, and his short films have been shown in Italy, Germany, Canada, Australia, the Ukraine, and all over the United States.

Brandon Petrizzo

Co-Producer

Brandon earned an art degree from Weber State University in 2011, and has spent over a decade working as a photographer and graphic designer.

He has directed several short films and his oil paintings have been shown in a number of Chicago galleries.

J.B. Schiess

Director of Photography

After completing the Cinematography curriculum at Columbia College Chicago, JB went on to shoot, direct, and edit a wide variety of projects. Having worked in fiction, non-fiction, and commercial spaces, he brings an informed expertise to every production.

Over the last 10 years, his work has been featured at the The Chicago Cultural Center, the Phoenix International Film Festival, and the Chicago International REEL Shorts Film Festival, where his film won the Best Documentary, Jury Prize.

Dawn Kraemer-Meseck

Accounts Manager

After high school, Dawn began her career in the automotive industry, where she learned the intricacies of accounting on 12 column green ledger paper. This experience led her to a degree in finance, which she obtained magna cum laude from the University of Wisconsin Platteville. She has broad experience in several finance and accounting roles, focusing on client services.

Video Parachute is always a joy to work with. They were very involved at the initial stage of our project and stayed there every step of the way. They are efficient and always keep our goals and vision in mind, both on the shoots and in the edits. Our videos are always on time and better than we originally envisioned.

Amanda Krueger Vice President - Marketing, Guaranty Bank, Milwaukee
The video looks great, super work. Thanks for putting this together on such short notice. I'll recommend you to our Chicago team for their videos in the future.

Kenneth Jameson Project Leader, Boston Consulting Group
First and foremost, the marketing video turned out great. Rob and David were very pleased with it at the tradeshow. The motion graphics worked really well.

Chris Sullivan Vice President, Victory Management Group, Charlotte NC
Thanks for all your work on our marketing video. I really appreciate all your proactive attention to detail with the product features. Our senior management team was very pleased, and we plan to make more to continue this series of videos. Great job, and thanks again.

Tom Tyson Dealer Marketing, FP Mailing Solutions
These videos look really great. Everything is perfect. Thank you for helping us to think through our goals and knocking them out so fast. You guys are gems, and we really like working with you. I'm sure you'll be hearing from us again soon!

Margaret Brask Office Manager, Smart & Associates, Inc.
Thank you for all your help in making our 25th Annual Spring Benefit such a success! The video was a big hit and it was great to have a team we trust to handle it all. I look forward to working together again.

Kate Later Senior Director of Board Management and Special Events, Lyric Opera of Chicago
It was a thrill to work with Video Parachute once again and everyone else at PCC now realizes why Kimberley and I were so excited to work with your company for the 2020 Golden Trumpet Awards. Everything was perfect from the interactive platform to on-screen graphics to the virtual shoots to handling Q&A for attendees during the ceremony. Thank you for being wonderful partners. Truly a great production all around. We look forward to keeping the partnership going!

Tweed Thornton Publicity Club of Chicago
I just wanted to let you know that I think the videos are excellent. They look and sound really good. Thanks for the great and professional job that you did. We’ve received universally positive feedback, so again, great work on this project and thanks.

Tom Winters Chief Marketing Officer, Switchfast Technologies
T.W. is my first call for shoots in Chicago. We get frequent last-minute production requests, and he's always able to accommodate our schedule. Working on-site with these guys, you get more than just a camera crew, you get creative collaborators. I've also dispatched them on their own with high level clients. I can always count on their production acumen, professionalism, and eye for detail.

Jean Whatley Executive Producer, Creative Producers Group, St. Louis
Video Parachute is a dream vendor. They came on to our project at the 11th hour, and did not BLINK in jumping in, organizing an efficient and speedy flow of pre-event content, managing the on-site logistics seamlessly, and coordinating the edit with thoughtful, creative insights. Every step of the way they understood what we were going for. And they did all this for a price that fit our budget.

Alicia Senior-Saywell Project Coordinator, Marj Halperin Consulting

A Chicago Video Production Company

Video Parachute is a proud Minority-Owned Business (MBE) certified by the City of Chicago, Cook County, and the State of Illinois

The members of our Chicago-based team are highly skilled and deeply experienced in all facets of video. We adapt to the way you want to work, putting your priorities first while understanding that every marketing department has different stakeholders throughout their organization.

Don’t worry, we’ll work to ensure that they are just as excited about your final video as you and your audiences are.