Today we’d like to introduce you to industry insider Nicole Sage of Sage PR Consulting. Sage shares her story with us below:
Nicole Sage is a storyteller. She is somewhat of an Atlanta native (by way of Connecticut). She proudly attended DeKalb County Public Schools and is a film school graduate from Georgia State University. Sage is a collaborator and an effective communicator and known for developing solid relationships with the community and engaging across all levels in the entertainment industry, top-tier politicians, and high-profile performers.
She learned the art of negotiations in the entertainment industry, working with talent in Los Angeles as a feature film casting associate. Los Angeles casting director Deb Aquilla mentored her. She assisted with many casting films, such as Heart’s War (Bruce Willis & Colin Farrell), The Last Castle (Robert Redford & James Gandolfini), and Frank Darabont’s The Majestic (Jim Carrey), to name a few. In LA, Sage liaised with movie studios DreamWorks, Warner Bros., Sony, and Paramount and talent agencies such as CAA, ICM, William Morris/Endeavor, Innovative, Gersh, and UTA.
In Atlanta, Sage was a film and TV agent, then segued to a film and TV manager working with Atlanta actors. She served as the point of contact and facilitated and coordinated business with HBO, MTV, 20th Century Fox, TBS, and Paramount. She organized, guided, and prioritized the management company’s marketing direction and generated press for her clients. She accompanied clients to red carpet premieres in New York, LA, and the Sundance Film Festival.
In 2019 Sage was hired as the Interim Managing Editor for Atlanta’s film B2B publication Oz Magazine. She produced covers and content advocating Atlanta’s film industry, such as Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War/Endgame, Netflix’s Stranger Things, and Warner Bros.’ Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep.
She also wrote a satire column for Atlanta City Magazine on dating, called Sage in the City, to satisfy her inner identity crisis with Carrie Bradshaw.
Sage has passionately volunteered with Hosea Feed the Hungry & the Homeless, AIDS Walk in Atlanta, New York City, and Los Angeles. She served on the Youth Leadership Committee for the Jewish Federation of Atlanta, is an alumnus of the Black Jewish Coalition of Atlanta, volunteered for the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, and was a featured panelist for the Atlanta Film Festival.
Sage lives in Atlanta with her husband John, their daughter Georgia, and her furry cutie Lucy Honeychurch.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
First, I am a storyteller. I thought that film was the medium that would be the best way to tell my stories. It was a challenge getting into film school, a challenge to graduate; it was a challenge to move to Los Angeles. But, I had my thesis film, a documentary about a legendary drag queen I shot in color on an ARRI film camera called God Save the Queen – a Portrait of Tina Devore. At the time, I thought my film would be my resume, and I would immediately get hired to work in the film industry. No. Such. Luck.
I soon realized that working in Hollywood was indeed who you know and being in the right place at the right time. Finding the right place was the challenge! I’ve had several successes and made several mistakes, but I never gave up. I remember pitching an idea for a coffee table book called ‘For Your Consideration.’ The book would be every single cover letter I sent in Hollywood to be hired; it would have been over 900 pages.
I learned that not everyone will like your magic, but never let them steal your sparkle. You will find your tribe.
Then, of course, the pandemic.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
It turns out I have been a publicist since high school, I just never knew it! I took all the areas of my film industry expertise and founded Sage PR Consulting. I now have a 25+ year professional career in entertainment and public relations. As a publicist for the Alzheimer’s Music Fest and other non-profits, I assisted with the spike in donations. I get to work with community leaders, Grammy Award-winning talent, and organizations that do good for the community. I love telling their stories.
Aside from my daughter Georgia, I am most proud of my unwavering commitment to recognizing and elevating all and potential clients’ greatness. Sage PR delivers new client opportunities: media meetings, key introductions, and forming strategic connections. I provide clients with entertainment industry expertise and access to media outlets, paired with strong knowledge of the film industry and its strategic players.
My greatest gift is that I am culturally sensitive, with a keen ability to tap into individuals’ talents. I am proud of the work that I do. My clients would say that my gift is to assess what kind of package one has; I know how to wrap it and gift it to others.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
My only luck is that I inherited some talent from my family. My great-great cousin is the playwright Arthur Miller. He was the son of one of my grandfather Irving’s brothers. I joke and say that one day I’ll meet Daniel Day-Lewis and say, “Cousin!”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sageprconsulting.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sageinthecity
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sagePRconsulting
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/sagePRAtlanta
Image Credits
Photos courtesy of Sage PR Consulting
