Meet Sarah Massey | Film Director, Camera Operator and Video Editor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Massey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, how do you think about risk?
Longevity in an artistic career path such as filmmaking requires that you find peace in risk taking. Everyone is familiar with the phrase “starving artist” – no one chooses this path to get rich quick. Yes, a few company CEOs and celebrity actors are enjoying their millions, but most crew members, writers and aspiring actors are living paycheck to paycheck, bar tending and driving Ubers between gigs to pay the rent. Audience preferences change constantly, so the success of a film production sometimes feels like a role of the dice. From the realm of run-and-gun indie filmmaking to the multi-million dollar strata of Hollywood, investors know that they are taking an enormous risk in funding film productions and may not see a substantial return to their investment.

So why take those risks? Why spend precious money and time creating art that might never be seen by a large audience? Because art and storytelling are so deeply intrinsic to our lives. Every book we read on vacation, album we jam to during rush hour traffic, movie we quote or funky art piece we hang on our walls was created by risk takers. And every once in a while, something beautiful happens. A song helps someone find peace during tragedy. A tv show inspires someone to change their career path. A book makes a minority feel seen and validated. This result is priceless and it makes the risk entirely worth it. And that is why I am willing to take those risks in my own filmmaking career.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a camera operator, photographer and video editor currently based in Georgia. The acting bug bit me in high school, and from there, I quickly fell in love with the entire process of filmmaking. I didn’t know anything about filmmaking or breaking into the industry, so I started out by learning everything I could from the good ole school of YouTube. We live in a beautiful era where a wealth of knowledge is just a quick internet search away.

I DIYed my way through a narrative short and a docushort about my local community theater. Of course my work then looks very amateurish compared to
what I am able to do now, but I’m proud of the gusto I had to jump off the deep end and learn through experience. It wasn’t easy. In my naiveté at the beginning, it was hard to tell good advice from bad. And a series of external events led me to set down the dream for a while. But when it’s a life calling, the dream has a way of coming back to you when you’re ready.

The pandemic in 2020 was a hard reset for me. I was forced to sit with myself for an uncomfortable amount of time and really reevaluate what I wanted in life. And that’s when I knew that I needed to give my dream my all. Of course the pandemic drastically slowed the film industry down. But in 2022, when I started freelancing in earnest, things were slowly coming back into town.

The phrase “It’s all in who you know” sounds a tad cliche, but in the film industry, career success really is “all in who you know.” Producers and department heads tend to hire people in their immediate circle. So for aspiring new film crew, finding local networking groups can be a huge jump start to building those connections. My community in Augusta, GA has a monthly meetup called Southeastern Filmmakers. I volunteered to work on a few small sets and immediately started building connections with full-time film crew in my area. It is a bit nerve wracking for the first few months to walk into networking events and try to market yourself when you don’t recognize a single face in the group. My social anxiety and imposter syndrome definitely flared up, but I quickly realized that the two main requirements for beginning a career in the film industry are 1) trustworthiness and punctuality and 2) an easygoing and positive attitude.

The last two years have been a whirlwind of incredible opportunities. I have had the blessing of working on four features and six short films, as well as directing my own feature documentary CREATE OR DIE and action short film SIMON SAYS. I’ve been on commercial sets, filmed and photographed a convention and many live events and edited a fun music show. It’s incredible to look back at all the beautiful people I’ve met, new cities I’ve traveled to and incredible opportunities I’ve received through those connections. I can’t wait to see what 2025 holds!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
For film lovers in or visiting Atlanta, I highly recommend visiting The Plaza Theater, Atlanta’s oldest operating independent cinema, and The Strand Theater, in Marietta. Both theaters have been so supportive of the indie film world. I’ve had the great fortune to screen my documentary CREATE OR DIE at both theaters. The Cobb International Film Festival hosts a monthly Indie Film Night at The Strand Theater. It’s rare and special to find theaters that are so supportive of their local community. I highly recommend showing them all the love if you’re looking for fun new spots for movie night.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a special shoutout to the local Augusta, GA group Southeastern Filmmakers. Back when I was just a girl with a dream, they gave me the tools and connections to start to turn that dream into a reality. Small community meetups are so important for inspiring new generations of artists. It’s so special to have a place where young and ambitious artists can gain wisdom and guidance from more experienced professionals. I’ll forever be grateful for this special community for welcoming me with open arms onto their film sets.

Website: https://Sarah-massey.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/papillon_delune/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-massey-a79556227/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.massey.963

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SarahMasseyChannel