Jack Wedge and Will Freudenheim have transformed their childhood artistic collaboration into a successful experimental media company called Laser Days Studio. The duo, both 28 years old, now work as full-time business partners in their Ridgewood studio, creating digital art that combines 3D animation, motion capture technology, and artificial intelligence to produce remarkably lifelike digital experiences.
"We're interested in experimental storytelling and like using digital realms and worlds to tell stories about strange characters from the future," Wedge explained during an interview from his desk at their current Ridgewood workspace. The studio represents the realization of what many consider an elusive dream - successfully maintaining a "working artist" lifestyle while building a sustainable creative business.
The partnership between Wedge and Freudenheim traces back to their middle school years in Westchester County, where they first met in band class. "We were both playing the French horn, and I was the worst player, and Will was the best player," Wedge recalled with humor. Even during their teenage years, their complementary skills were evident - Wedge focused on creating what he describes as "primitive, crude" animations, while Freudenheim developed musical scores using Ableton Live software.
After separating for college, the childhood friends reunited during the COVID-19 pandemic, which became the catalyst for launching Laser Days Studio. The timing proved fortuitous, as the pandemic created new opportunities for digital content creation and virtual experiences. Despite their growing success, Wedge and Freudenheim remain the studio's only two full-time employees, though they work regularly with a network of collaborators.
Freudenheim described their collaborator network as an interesting mix of real-life friends and like-minded artists whom they discovered and reached out to through online platforms. This approach allows them to tap into diverse creative talents while maintaining their core vision and operational flexibility.
The studio's mission is clearly defined through their official tagline, which Wedge shared: "a real-time rendering, world-building studio." This description captures their focus on creating immersive digital environments and characters that push the boundaries of traditional storytelling, positioning them at the forefront of experimental digital media creation.
