Today we’d like to introduce you to Shari PerrySmith.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Wow, I have really struggled with how to start this interview off. Those open-ended questions can be tricky. Well, I’ve always had an affinity for the stage and cinema. I just remember being a vicariously free child, and like I always felt the cameras were on. I was very introverted, but it was something about pretend and make-believe that just brought out this big personality that was otherwise sleeping. I will skip a large chunk of the details that got me here today, but if I highlight the pivotal moments, I would say the one that changed me the most was being a teen-aged mother. I had my oldest son at seventeen, and it was just this moment where I wanted to be the most for someone else. I think at that moment my trajectory changed. I had always been this rebel. I was a latchkey child and a runaway, and I had been subjected to domestic violence within my home, so it was all these tribulations that made me turn to film, and every waking moment of my childhood I spent it watching television. I was like the female “Cable Guy”, and I just studied it in my bedroom, so when I grew up, I just knew I was going to be on t.v.
Everyone from my high school will tell you, I was the weird, moody kid at the lunch table who subbed her lunch for a journal of poetry, and you know, that was me. I was accepted to many great programs for acting such as the Georgia Governor’s Honors, where the top 1% of students compete against their school, county, and the state, and that was a highlight for me. I was in the tenth grade, on probation for running away from home again, and that acceptance saved me from YDC. I studied everything that summer. It was an eye-opener. I was like this is what I was born to do. I was constructing sets, directing, writing. There was not a single part of the process that I didn’t enjoy, and at the completion of the program, I had a scholarship to SCAD as a Sophomore, but I lost my path or maybe I took a detour, because when I finally walked the stage as a senior, I was pushing a stroller.
Now, my story could have ended there, but then I wouldn’t be interviewing with Voyage ATL, and I’m so glad that it didn’t. So, I named my production company, created by myself and my husband, Pathway Cinemas, because just like the name Voyage insinuates, I too believe life is about finding your way, and there’s no clear-cut method to get there. So, whether you are a college dropout or a teenage mom, you find yourself and you know sometimes you lose yourself, but you always know that you are your own destination. I had to learn that this year as I started writing chapter thirty, because I had lost a huge chunk of my identity, and that’s a scary place to be. Two years ago, I re-entered the stage and film realm, and it just called me back. I went to college for English initially, but changed to a Bachelor’s in Science in Nursing, when I had my second son, and at first I resented that decision, but the more comfortable I get with my journey, the more I realize how necessary that step was. I would have stayed a victim and remained in the system had I not got an education, and with my career in Nursing I have used my residual income as a resource to produce really fun projects. So, that’s kind of the highs and lows of my story, but honestly, it’s just beginning, and I’m super excited to share this voyage with the readers of this magazine, and I hope I can inspire others to step out on faith and chase their dreams.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Every day is a struggle. I doubt myself. I doubt my worth, and I really question if pursuing this dream is worth it. Nothing has been more of a rocky road then my journey with cinema. It’s my addiction. I am the type of person who never gets comfortable, so to me, the struggles indicate change and progress, and I’m just over here enjoying the shambles of life.
Pathway Cinemas – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
So, my company is really still in its infancy, but I have accomplished so much, and it really imparts to some amazing connections I’ve made since re-energizing my career. I am running a production company, but I am still outsourcing much of the technical aspects of producing, which has been an adventure in itself. I worked closely with Halo Union, a production company based out of Atlanta, to film my first short, The Porcelain Chef – starring Kenneth Trujillo and myself, and they were amazing. My company handled the location scouting, casting, props, costumes, budget, and overseeing the project and Halo shot, edited, color corrected, and handled the special effects. It was an amazing partnership, and it taught me the other side of the business, the business side, that I hadn’t been exposed to as an actress. I funded the entire project, with an estimated budget of ten thousand, out of pocket, and now, I am gearing up for my second production.
This time, I will be partnering with Wild Imagination, to bring a not – so – coming of age story, The Parkers vs the Universe; a story about two millennial newlyweds facing the challenges of life together. I am really excited about this pilot that stars myself and Blake Bodden. So, I’m in a really good place with my production company. I’m handling the pre-production and distribution of my own projects right now to build a resume, but eventually, I plan to expand my grasp to include managing other people’s productions, and I think that’s something I can succeed in. I am most proud of the event I held 10/30/18 “The Hallowscreening,” hosted by Angelo Diaz, where I was able to showcase my short, The Porcelain Chef, along with six other amazing indie shorts. It was a wonderful turnout of over 300 people, and I made a little money off it. So, for me, it proved I was capable of bringing people together, which is really my goal as a producer and actress. What sets me apart from others, is my drive. I am a visionary, and I believe if you can imagine something it can be achieved, and I love to push the envelope, and if we fail we fail, but we always try.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My proudest moment was watching my short film, The Porcelain Chef, for the first time. I cried. I cried a lot because I wrote it, so it was like holding my baby in my arms for the first time. Now, we are a winner in the Alternative Film Festival, for best thriller, and I am over the moon. I mean this is my dream. I never thought I would come this far, to win an award! On my first try! It’s outstanding!
Contact Info:
- Phone: 4046323218
- Email: cherievp@pathwaycinemas.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pathwaycinema/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Pathwaycinemas/
- Other: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-parkers-vs-the-universe#/
Image Credit:
Austin Weatherspoon, Jeffery Dansby
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
