Ess-Jee Rautenbach
Experienced videographer and marketing professional with 6+ years producing high‑quality video content and managing brand visibility across industries. Skilled in video editing, social media strategy, and AI‑driven storytelling. Background includes leadership at Virgin Active, branding for property and community organizations, and founding Fearless Wolf Life Coaching with award‑winning creative projects.
Multimedia Marketing Creative
Virgin Active – Fitness Manager (Leadership & Operations)
(1999 - 2010)
Second‑in‑command to Club General Manager (Paarl & George).
Oversaw operations, member experience, and brand consistency.
Developed strong leadership and brand management skills.
Drakenstein Business Chamber (Community Branding)
(2020 -2024)
Managed social media, marketing, and video setup.
Balanced professional branding with community engagement
Express Hydraulics & Local Media (Brand Visibility & Media Presence)(2010 - 2017)
Supported family business branding and local media outlets (Paarl TV, Durbanville TV, DigiTV).
Focused on adaptability, creative execution, and media exposure
Freelance & Property Sector (Video Editing & Training)
Edited videos for Resolute Education; supported Rawson Properties with brand awareness and productivity training using NBI brain profiles.
Direct property‑sector experience aligned with estate agency needs.
Fearless Wolf Life Coaching & Creative Projects (Personal Brand Development)
(2017- Present)
Founded and grew Fearless Wolf Life Coaching, Reads, and film/book projects.
End‑to‑end brand creation, media production, and storytelling.
Experience in building identity from concept to execution.
Leadership & Operations (Virgin Active)I started out as Fitness Manager and second-in-command to the Club General Manager at Virgin Active Paarl and George. Beyond operations, I was responsible for shaping the member experience and ensuring the brand presence was consistent across the club. That gave me strong leadership skills and taught me how to maintain brand standards at scale.
Family Business & Local Media (Express Hydraulics, Paarl TV, Durbanville TV)I then worked with my father’s company, Express Hydraulics, and supported local media brands like Paarl TV and Durbanville TV, including DigiTV exposure. Here I focused on brand visibility and media presence, which required adaptability and hands-on creative execution.
Finally, I built my own brand, Fearless Wolf Life Coaching, from scratch including sub-brands like Fearless Wolf Reads, my books, and my film projects on FilmFreeway. That gave me end-to-end experience in brand creation, media production, and storytelling. I know how to take a brand from concept to execution.
I also contributed to community organizations Lewend Woord Church and the Drakenstein Business Chamber where I managed social media, marketing, and video setup. These roles taught me how to balance professional branding with community engagement.
On the freelance side, I edited videos for Resolute and worked with Rawson Properties on brand awareness and productivity training using NBI brain profiles. These workshops helped their teams attract more clients and improve performance.
Work Experience
O1
Personal Skills
Core Competencies
Brand Leadership: End-to-end production management, creative workflow oversight, and strategic problem-solving.
Team Synergy: Expert in Relationship Building and Training & Development using NBI Brain Profiling.
Strategic Growth: High-pressure decision-making, market alignment, and corporate brand integrity.
Technical Mastery
Expert Video Editing: Mastery of DaVinci Resolve, Filmora, and CapCut for cinematic narratives.
Content Strategy: Specialist in high-engagement Short-Form (Reels/TikTok) and Long-Form storytelling(YouTube).
Cinematography: Professional Studio & Live Setup, lighting, camera operation, and exposure manipulation.
Post-Production: Advanced Editing, Canva design, and digital asset management.
Video Editing and advanced AI‑driven video creation using Veo 3 and Kling AI
Expertise in film and lighting requirements, focus and exposure manipulation, and audio editing
Skilled in TV camera operation, live shot setup, and configuring/adjusting equipment for optimal quality
Strong editing skills, decision making, and problem‑solving under tight deadlines
Experienced in managing production teams, training & development, and fostering teamwork and collaboration
Proficient in AI Prompt Engineering (certified), leveraging AI workflows to enhance creativity and efficiency
Effective in relationship building, with a friendly, positive attitude and strong organizational skills
Solid computer skills and adaptability across traditional and AI‑powered platforms
O2
Education
Mini MBA – Marketing & Business Strategy (2025)Berlin
IBMI – Marketing & Communications (2023–2025)Berlin
N6 Diploma in Marketing Management, Boland College (2000–2002)Coursework: Marketing Research, Sales Management, Marketing Management, Marketing Communication, Social Media Marketing/Media Buying(RSA)
MDP – Management Development Program, Virgin Active (2006)
NBI Brain Profile Practitioner Certification(2023)
AI Prompt Engineering Certification(2023)USA
Illustration Award – Awarded by Mark Wayne Adams (Disney)(2024)USA
Video Editing & Media Production (2010–Present) Self‑taught and professionally applied expertise in DaVinci Resolve, Filmora, CapCut, and Canva. Over a decade of hands‑on experience producing cinematic narratives, short‑form reels, and long‑form storytelling for diverse industries.
Practical Training & Portfolio Development Built proficiency through real‑world projects in property branding, community media, and personal creative ventures. Demonstrated mastery in post‑production, audio editing, and digital asset management.
