Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Soard.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Samantha. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up in a small town in Arkansas, where the film industry didn’t exist. As a result, I used local theatre programs to flex my creative muscles. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, season 3 of True Detective picked my town to complete their primary filming in. My community theatre sent out a casting call for actors who could work locally. I went in for the open call, and a couple of weeks later, I got the call that changed my life: they offered me a role.
The role I got on the series may have been small, but it kicked my passion into high gear. It showed me that my dream to work in the film industry could be much more realistic than what I had been told. I finished the current semester of college I was in and then decided to pack up my bags and move to Atlanta. I had done the research and found out about the pace at which the film industry was growing in Atlanta – not only that, but the cost of living is much cheaper than LA; and coming from a lower income family, I needed the cost of living to be lower to survive while pursuing my dream.
I managed to get signed by East Coast Talent within my first couple of months of living here. Between auditions, I would work as a background actor on sets to get more of a feel for how the film industry works as a whole. Watching the crew members and actors work behind the camera made me realize that I would also enjoy working behind the camera. I also became inspired to start writing my content.
I entered into a pitch competition at the Dekalb Entertainment Expo and managed to make it to the final round, where at that point, I was able to pitch in front of everyone in attendance. When I walked into the room, the front row was empty, except for one man who sat at the end of the row. Out of all the chairs I could have picked, I decided to sit next to him. We had a small conversation about our script ideas, and a fun live chat before we took our turns to pitch to the audience and panel of judges.
I ended up being one of the winners of the pitch competition. The man I sat next to gave me his card, “Kai Thorup, location manager”, so that we could swap scripts to give each other feedback. We helped each other out for almost a year, and then he offered me my first film industry gig as a crew member on a significant Paramount movie. A chance encounter gave me a mentor to look up to. I have loved every second working behind the camera, and it has helped me become a better writer and actor.
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?
The biggest struggle I’ve had to deal with is being away from my family. By deciding to make a move from a small town to a big city meant that I was losing my core emotional support system and that they were losing me. My family has been a big part of my life, and it was difficult to leave them. I knew that once I made the move that I wouldn’t be able to go home to visit them until I broke into the industry due to not being able to afford the travel back and forth. It took a little over a year before I was able to afford to go back home and visit for awhile. But, now that I have worked for staff in a couple of big-budget movies, I will be able to start visiting more often.
Finances, in general, have also been a problem I’ve had to be aware of constantly. I have had a nearly empty bank account on multiple occasions, but somehow always had a source of income come in and save the day at the last moment. I’ve had magical moments that make me realize as long as I don’t stray from the path of my dream that things will work themselves out. Staying focused and tenacious has gotten me this far, and my dream gets closer and closer with each new gig.
Locations Assistant – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a freelancer in the film industry. I work as a location assistant. The crew members that I have worked with have noted my upbeat personality on multiple occasions. My location manager on my first show had me open set most of the time due to me quickly getting to know everyone, so that I could easily check people in at the security gates – I helped start people’s days off with high energy and a warm smile.
The most notable moment from my first show was the last day of filming. I had opened, but wanted to stick around to hear the words, “picture wrap”. I worked my normal 12 hours on set, then took a sort of nap in my car while staying on the lot – I kept my walkie on so that I would wake up when I heard any calls that sounded like they were getting close to wrapping. When I heard “Martini”, I walked to set to prepare for the final goodbye. After picture wrap, the 2nd 2nd AD walked up to me and hugged me. He thanked me for my positivity throughout the entirety of the show and said it would leave an impression.
Then on the 1st day of my next show, one of the PAs told me that I was “the most chipper location’s person they have ever met.” I work in my dream industry, and I stay grateful every day.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Another moment that I briefly touched on was winning the pitch competition at the Dekalb Entertainment Expo. That entire moment made me feel like I could make it in the industry. I gained some connections, which helped me grow into a better filmmaker, and the connections also gave me more connections. My network has grown all because of that one moment. I met my mentor as well as was given fantastic advice. My time in the film industry has been a total domino effect. I never realize how important each situation has been in my life, but when I look back at my experiences, I can see how they have all been connected.
Contact Info:
- Email: samantha.soard12@gmail.com
Image Credit:
The photo of me and the guy with the red hat was captured by: Quantrell D. Colbert, stills photographer.
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