Meet Ava Grimes | Producer

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

Hi Ava, how do you think about risk?
I think taking risks is a very important process in being creative, particularly in pursuing a creative career. As a Producer, I have found that risk-taking has been a consistent attribute that I continue to refine. Specifically, I have taken personal, emotional, creative, and logistical risks on my career journey. Personally and emotionally, I have summoned up the courage to communicate candidly to create a productive set by removing negative elements, maintaining momentum, inspiring creative problem-solving, and encouraging collaboration. Creatively and logistically, as I manage operational tasks, I am learning to customize my approach to meet individual needs, as well as the collective needs on a set. Ultimately, to take risks is to be dauntless in the pursuit of learning and in the art of collaboration.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Getting in front of the camera and working behind-the-scenes at a local television studio in high school led me to creating a friendship with a filmmaker, who at the time, was accepted into AFI, American Film Institute. While I hosted and helped out behind-the-scenes of the local television show that he produced, I had the opportunity to explore the world of filmmaking. Upon collaborating with him, my creative inclinations and my heightened sense of purpose sparked the creation of the television and web series Children of Courage with the mission to encourage children to trust in their capacity to observe and understand the world around them and instill self confidence, mindfulness, and courage in them. From the moment I witnessed filmmaking as an instrument of change, I knew that my future was in filmmaking and that it would be interwoven into my expanding sense of purpose.

Further exploring my interest in filmmaking in my last two years of high school, I did PA and Set Dresser work on various AFI Cycle and Thesis films. Once I graduated from high school, my gratitude for those opportunities led me to work as an Independent Producer. Through hard work and the recommendation of some good friends, I have independently produced music videos for Sophie Powers, Illusion Hills, and other independent music artists in Los Angeles. I have also worked as a Producer on commercials, award-winning short films, and feature-length films.

A project I am most proud of, was the music video for XO, a song by Sophie Powers and RJ Pasin. As Producer, I extensively prepared for the shoot, and during production, I ensured that the set was organized and the production team worked synergistically. A project I am most excited for people to enjoy just wrapped recently! After countless pre-production hours, four consecutive overnight production days, my short film OMAKASE, which I wrote, directed, and produced, is now in post-production!

I am so grateful to continue creating and producing, but there have been some challenges along the way! A challenge that I have confronted in my professional career has been people underestimating my work ethic, skills, and talents because of my age. As a result, I have found myself compensating for other people’s perceptions of what a “professional” looks like. However, the more I work and collaborate, the more I understand that this particular challenge is a part of the learning process and an inevitable creative and personal growing pain. As I navigate the conditions of perception, more and more I have learned to trust my instincts and persevere!

Altogether, I have learned to embrace the virtue of learning because it refines my technical capacities in the craft, challenges my creative innovation, compels me to widen my collaborative resources, and replenishes my energy to create! I have also learned that I am the only one who gets in my way of the career that I want because the choices I make are a direct reflection of my own confidence and willingness to face challenges and reflectively respond to the circumstances.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Born and raised in Southern California, I am the quintessential L.A. girl! There is just so much in L.A.: the impeccable curation of LACMA, the classical beauty of the Huntington Library, the boutiques of Little Tokyo, the eclectic fare of the Farmers Market, the Boho charm of Silverlake, and the glamour of Market Week in the Fashion District. However, with only one week to share my love of L.A., I would have to ease my friend into the eclectic allure of the city, which, of course, entails a food escapade through Ladybyrd Cafe and Bacetti in Echo Park, Park’s Finest in Filipinotown, Bacari in Silverlake, Cookbook Market in Echo Park, Pace Restaurant in the heart of Laurel Canyon, and my favorite dinner spot, The Formosa Cafe in West Hollywood! Of course, one week in L.A. must also include shopping in Stories on Sunset Boulevard, Silverlake Flea in the Taix French Restaurant parking lot, and my favorite thrifting neighborhood, South Pasadena!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My dear and talented friends have been very instrumental in my trajectory. I really hate to single people out, but I am compelled to honor a few of them because they motivate me by their extraordinary talents and relentless pursuit of creativity. Thank you to Pada Wong, Justin De Anda, Shile Yang, Brandon Kim, Jeffrey Ramos, and the boys at Alahmar Productions!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ava__grimes/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ava-grimes-354481327/

Image Credits
Jose Zaragoza
Colleen McPhillips
Zed Friedman
Shile Yang
Adrian Alvarez
Sebastian Kolderup-Lane
Nathan Martinez