Meet Cassia Sherrill | Director & Photographer

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

Hi Cassia, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
As a creative and just as a human, I think this is a very important question. 2022 was probably the year I considered quitting on my creative passions the most. I don’t consider myself a quitter…never have. But this question came up a lot within this last year. I was constantly met with dead ends. Job interviews that led no where, lack of motivation, imposter syndrome, etc. Basically you name it, I probably felt it in 2022. It was a year that giving up on my creative endeavors felt really good because it was easy. Moving away from LA and playing it safe in a smaller town sounded nice. But I kept going. Life is never going to be easy, whether I am in LA or elsewhere. My creative life is surely never going to be easy because there are thousands of other people trying to do the exact same thing I want to. So why keep going? Because I believe in dreaming. I believe in creativity. I believe, without a shadow of a doubt, that pursuing your dream wholeheartedly and continuing (despite your fear and hardships) to work hard at your art every single day is where creativity abounds and becomes something beautiful. It may take months to get there or many many years. But the beauty of creativity is worth pursuing. It always has been, so that is why I will continually choose to keep going.

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 have always loved being creative. Whether that be dancing, acting, painting, writing, or filmmaking, this idea of creating has always been such a thrill, and that thrill is truly only a feeling that being creative can give you. It is the sense of your vulnerability at play in such a raw way, and it is beautiful. For a few years though, I definitely closed that side of me off because I continually told myself I was not good at being creative. I would think to myself that I am only good at the business side of things, and that is what I was meant to do. I thought everyone else had better stories to tell.

It honestly wasn’t until 2020 that I realized how much I had crippled myself in this. But finally I pushed myself out of this negative thought process. This thought that I should settle into this less creative life. It was a huge epiphany/turning point in my life, and I would like to say that from that point on choosing to be creative has been an easy ride since…..but it hasn’t been. I am still constantly doubting myself, my abilities, and my art. Being an artist is scary. Being vulnerable is scary. But have I been more happy than ever in pursing creativity? Yes. Choosing your passion and tapping into your vulnerable side is where true beauty, real relationships, and the best of stories come from.

So that is exactly what I did! I am happy to say that I am now pursuing my creativity wholeheartedly. I am actively developing two short films that I will direct later on this year. I have started and run a photography business that I am immensely proud of. I also work with brands’ social media pages to ensure they have the best content possible. It is a beautiful combination of creative work, and I am in love with all of it. As I said above, I have always loved being creative so now the fact is that being creative is what I get paid to do. That is still wild to me! Once I allowed myself to step out of my own head (the head that felt the need to be defined by others and was very success-driven), I was able to grasp onto a truly beautiful, creative life. One that is vulnerable and free to evolve into whatever it needs to become. So if there is one thing that I would love for people to take away from creative career thus far, it is this: Never ever settle! You can BE and DO more than you ever settle for.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My first stop with friends who are visiting is almost always Griffith Observatory at sunset. 1.) I love sunsets (and you just cannot beat a SoCal sunset), and 2.) I adore a picnic on the lawn of Griffith. In my opinion, it is the perfect spot to experience all of the LA feels. Being surrounded by the beauty of the Observatory, the Hollywood sign, and the rolling Hollywood hills is the best way to feel like you have truly arrived in the City of Angels. Plus, looking out from the Observatory at the twinkling lights of the city after the sun goes down will never cease to put me right in my feels. City of Stars, are you shining just for me?! I mean…come on!!!

My second stop is gonna be the beach! Obviously! My favorite beaches are Point Dume in Malibu and Hermosa Beach. While in Point Dume, I always have to stop at Lily’s Malibu for the PERFECT burrito. It’s a must! In Hermosa Beach, Día De Campo has the absolute BEST margaritas. They have a blueberry marg that I get every time I go without fail. Also love taking friends to the Lighthouse Cafe over there in Hermosa to enjoy a little jazz and maybe even some dancing.

Stop three would have to be Downtown Culver City as there are so many great restaurants and places to hang around there. Once finished in Culver, you bop right on over to Santa Monica for Juneshine at their bar there. Absolutely delicious and the coolest vibes in their bar.

Stop four is all things food, coffee, and sweets related! The musts are: Milk Jar Cookies (Mid-City), La La Land Kind Cafe (The Grove), KBBQ (I usually go to TGI Korean BBQ or Castle BBQ), Sightglass Coffee (Hollywood), The Thai Thing (Near the Grove), & Good Goose (Larchmont).

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are truly so many people who deserve thanks for their efforts in my story already, and I am so sure that there will be many more names to add to the list. But my family always has to be at the top of the list. They ground me, they support me, they love me, they inspire me, and so much more.

I think though that I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my brother, Caleb Sherrill. He and I moved out to LA together in 2020 to pursue our shared dream in filmmaking. He dove in head-first and has not looked back. While I was afraid of not having money or a consistent job, he jumped onto every single set he could. He made connections with every person possible, and he began the film hustle for the both of us. I can admit that. My first film gig here in LA was because of him, and it was because he never let his fear stand in his way. He knew what he wanted out of living in LA, and he has continued that grind ever since. I am beyond proud of everything he has accomplished, and if my story gets a shoutout then his story deserves like a million more than my own!

Website: http://cassiasherrillphotography.com/

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassia-sherrill-382103113/

Other: https://cassiasherrill.wixsite.com/cassiasherrill

Image Credits
Headshot images taken by Katherine Budny Photography