Meet Connor Thomas

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

Hi Connor, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I never set out to start a business, it sprung out of the work of amazing people who came onboard a single project.

I was burnt out at my dream office job in the center of the entertainment industry and felt like I was wasting away. When I got out of that situation in March of ’24 I felt completely crushed and could barely stand to look at job postings. So my business/producing partner, Errol Ryan, and I decided to make a short film called ILLUMINATED.

It was supposed to be a no-budget, filmed on iPhone, creative break from our nine to five rut, but it became bigger than we ever imagined. With only a script, we got a 5k budget, professionals were interested in working on it, we used assets from NASA, and got a young marketing agency to create a campaign for the festival run. It ballooned and we couldn’t let that momentum slip away. So two months later in May we formed our company, Solana Productions LLC. naming it “Solana” after the main character on this first project.

Even then we felt that this film shouldn’t stand alone, we wanted to make this worthwhile for the careers of the incredible artists who came onboard not just ours. One filmed project turned into another, and now we have a production company that feels like it came about organically and supports the artists and professionals in our network.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Errol and I both have a combined 17 years experience behind desks in offices, but became fed up with the corporate assimilation of art and entertainment. So we’re ditching it.

We are part of a growing revolution in independent media. The entertainment industry feels like its on fire. People and projects are spread thin across the world, work is harder to find all around, not to mention the strikes and AI advances that create more challenges. Creating entertainment is now ubiquitous and not reliant on frameworks designed to increase stock value. So why not, before it all burns down, make the stories that have been burning inside us all along?

Our company was made for the creator-consumer-advocate-artist. It was founded on the ideal of inclusivity through unique artistry. We believe stories are only as compelling as the conviction of the teams that bring them to life. ILLUMINATED wasn’t made because it had money, it was made on the backs of favors, good ideas and better execution. We want to take that support we received from our entertainment community and give as much back as we can for as long as we can.

Our entire goal is to make art with artists for artists. We want to champion other creatives with the same support we received on ILLUMINATED. We have no source of revenue yet, no plans to launch our first product until 2025. We’re not in this for the company we’re in this, like many others in this industry because its what we want to work on above all else.

It is only through intense artistic collaboration that we see a way forward.

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.
After the plane lands at LAX and I’ve fought the traffic from Glendale to the west side, we’ll probably grab dinner at Fritto Misto in Santa Monica, one of if not the best Italian bistros and a favorite of mine since 2016.

A day at the LA Arboretum is a treat. My wife and I have this idea to play a massive game of hide and seek in different horticultural regions, but we’d need a lot more people. Follow that up with a lunch/early dinner in Old Pasadena, something light like Paper Rice or Naughty Panda before making our way to the Alamo Drafthouse in LA for a movie.

If they wanted to do some touristy things you can’t go wrong with the Observatory and a speakeasy in Hollywood I really enjoy called No Vacancy. Or a tiki bar, there’s a bunch of them and all fun.

Big fan of The Broad and could even tail that into a lunch in the arts district at Wurstkutchen or a drink at Death and Co. Also anytime a friend comes to visit I try to do something I haven’t done before and I haven’t been to the Museum of Death yet in Hollywood so that would also be a fun touristy thing I can experience for the first time with them too.

The SOHO Cinema Club has some fascinating screenings of older collector’s film reels on a film projector and even the commercials that played in theaters from back in the day. It’s like a fun cozy and entertaining time machine. Add to that my favorite pizza joint Mila’s Pizzeria in Glendale and you’ve got a pretty full week of food and fun.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
So many people.

First and foremost my wife May Rowe, who has enduring patience for me in this era of starving artistry. She is also the love of my life, my creative soundboard, an incredible photographer and one of the wisest people I know. It’s been with her encouragement, and her work that even allowed me to labor on this lofty dream.

My business partner Errol Ryan. An artist in his own right with his brand 3RL and a producing mastermind. This project would have stayed a screenplay if he didn’t want to be a part of it. Now we own a business together and work incredibly well together as partners.

Lewy Gonzales. Our cinematographer and editor extraordinaire. He’s a musical artist formerly managed by Errol and a post-production wizard. He was the first person to come on board and say this script deserved a budget. Had we not had that first meeting with him we never would’ve sought true funding for this.

Erin Serfass may be our closest collaborator right now and someone who we’ve come to rely on for all things Art Direction. She someone we’re excited to work more with and trust deeply with her sense of style and creative approach. Our first film only looks as good as she made it.

That being said I also have to shout out Rich Bella (Director of Photography) and Pierre Conly (Key Grip) and Jett Laferve (Makeup and Hair) who were officially the first professionals we hired and helped legitimize our project launch.

Have to also shout out the stars on ILLUMINATED: Chloe Pan-Kita playing Solana, and Cecelia Phoenix playing her neighbor Ruthie. I never expected to get talent so dedicated to the craft for this small of a project and they elevated it to new heights.

I also want to shoutout Erika Culverson, watched me wither away at my desk from her desk next to mine before I took this leap, joined us as a production assistant on the set of Illuminated and whom even afterwards encouraged me to “protect my time” and focus on this creative journey. She’s an incredible up and coming Writer/Director to be on the lookout for.

Also want to give a big thanks and shout out to Emery Minh and Shea Harris. After filming our first film, Emery hired us for her film before pos-production finished. Her trust in us means a lot. Shea Harris is a wonderful director and writer as well and has been especially welcoming to us as newly minted producers on her creative vision.

Website: https://www.solanaproductions.art/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solprodllc?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

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

Image Credits
Erin Serfass, Rich Bella