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

Hi Athena, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Creativity is communication, and that’s what made me pursue a career in film. When I was a pre-teen, I was obsessed with PowerPoint and I loved giving presentations. iMovie entered my life and I realized there were more engaging mediums than presentations. I developed a love for making documentaries, and made a few short docs early in high school about gentrification and homelessness in my hometown of San Francisco. I didn’t know I would pursue it as a career until I met my mentor, Ronald Chase, an experimental filmmaker who showed me what storytelling could be and guided me through the cornerstones of filmmaking. His program, SF Art & Film, gave me the tools to be where I am today and the confidence to pursue art.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I like to work across media in both traditional film and commercials and I’m not sure if I’m unique in this, but I like to focus on people in my work and the journeys they go through. I like to explore how people get to where they are and become the people we see before us. Everyone has a story. My 2022 film, “Shopworn”, was about the cycles we trap ourselves in, and my 2023 film, “Always, Sofia” was about how we can break out of them. The piece I’m most proud of is probably “Always On it,” because there were so many different creative voices on the project and I loved working with every single one. Beats by Dre was such a supportive brand and truly an honor to work with. Getting to where I am has taken handwork, but it is also because of the kindness of others and everyone who was willing to give me a chance. I’ve gotten to work on film sets in positions from director to PA to BTS photographer to producer, and I’m grateful to everyone who has had me as a part of their projects. I think the biggest lessons I’ve learned in film is that the best creatives want to help others succeed in creating their vision. The best creatives aren’t the ones with the most far-reaching visions, but the ones who value their collaborators. The beauty of film is that we all work together and that it is not an individual process.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I have the perfect trip and as a proud public transportation user a lot of these places are accessible for those who don’t have cars. I would take them to a morning class at Uprise MMA in Venice Beach, though I don’t go all the time it’s a great morning workout. After that, depending on the mood, we would walk to either Coffee Connection or Fatty Mart and thrift a little in the area. For dinner, we are going to Earle’s because anyone visiting Los Angeles needs to meet Duane Earle. If you haven’t met Earle, you haven’t experienced the best of LA. Next We’d have 2 days dedicated to the amusement parks, both Universal and Disney. We’d stay as a late as possible and then hit up a taco truck for asada fries, tacos al pastor, and burritos de lengua. We’d dedicate a day to Sawtelle and get Tsujita Ramen and sing karaoke. I’d probably also stop by Nijiya Market to pick up some groceries.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Ronald Chase is probably the most important when it comes to my early start in creativity, but to keep it in Los Angeles, Alexis N. Johnson, the head of social impact at Beats gave me my first commercial directing contract at 19 and changed my life. I owe everything to her. Also, my professor Evelyn McDonnell, gave me the opportunity to research for her, which taught me so much about the modern media and has supported me through all of my ventures in this city.

Website: https://www.athenacheris.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/azarath007/?next=%2Fseiying%2Ftagged%2F&hl=gu

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/athenacheris/

Image Credits
Gabriel Perez, Athena Cheris, Jesse Fillipko, Chloe Fong

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