If you watched the 2024 Grammys, then you saw videos by Naperville Central High School alum Jackson Wigger.
Creating videos for the Grammys
“It was quite a challenge to bring these videos to life, especially with five of the biggest superstars in the world right now and it was just really stressful. At first, I didn’t know if I could do it, but I’ve learned in life, and doing this for a few years now, that if something makes me uncomfortable, I need to grab it and go for it,” said Jackson Wigger, digital content producer and visual effects artist.
It was an opportunity he’s glad he took.
“I got to attend the Grammys and I got to bring my parents and seeing those films play in a room with Taylor Swift or Oprah, it was a pretty special feeling,” said Wigger.
Who is Jackson Wigger?
Today, Jackson Wigger shoots, edits, and creates visual effects for his videos. But before tackling big projects like the Grammys, he had pursued digital creation as a hobby since he was 10 years old.
“I remember I would take my parent’s little flip camera back in the day and make little movies in the backyard. I would take it out to the local pool with my buddies and we would make little videos of us flipping off the diving boards or on my trampoline at home,” said Wigger.
He went on to create videos for Naperville Central High School during his sophomore year.
“I started making football video recaps and different sporting events and I would just post them on Twitter and people would start to like them and retweet it,” said Wigger. “That’s about the time I realized I might be on to something here.”
His passion turned into a career when he began creating videos in the music space for local artists in the Chicagoland area.
His big break would come in 2021 when he was invited to join the official Lollapalooza media team. He’s covered the event each year since then along with other big projects.
“I’ve been able to tour with Dwayne Johnson, toured with Lil Nas X, I have worked for the Super Bowl now three times, I’ve done the Stanley Cup, [and] I’ve done F1 in Mexico City,” said Wigger. “I’ve been able to do over 150 flights in the last two and a half years and been able to see a lot of the world. So it’s really blossomed into quite the awesome, fun, and comfortable yet uncomfortable lifestyle.”
Support from Naperville Central High School
He credits his Naperville roots for being a solid foundation in his career.
“There’s a lot of people I have to thank at Naperville Central for supporting what I do, and it’s great to see. I’ve been in contact with a few teachers since then and still having their continued support is really special to me,” said Wigger. “So Naperville Central has a special place in my heart.”
Photo courtesy: Jackson Wigger
If you have a story idea, we want to hear from you!
