Meet Chris Sarfin | Filmmaker

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

Hi Chris, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
It’s not about checking boxes. The industry has taught me that there is no formula to success and that the only success you can truly achieve is the one you bestow upon yourself. A person can be the most talented, hard-working, and intelligent person in the room and still get rejected. I’ve watched it happen many times. You can’t seek the validation of others because it will take away from you over time. And you need to make it your own. This industry should be about taking your authentic self and using filmmaking to project it out there. It’s a platform and like any platform you need to use it as a pedestal for who you truly are.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As far as my journey… well that technically goes back to being a kid, but it was really my first job in LA working for the casting department at Paramount Pictures. I was really thrown into the fire, and from there I bounced around the studio on a contract basis amongst various departments across production, development, marketing, publicity, and others. It felt like a crash course in Hollywood. I got to see and learn the full process of the making of major films and tv shows. It made me have an appreciation for all aspects of filmmaking. I felt like a kid in a candy store, energized by all the excitement. I was meeting amazing talent. It was easy for me because I had a lot of enthusiasm and was genuinely just happy to be there. I just kept thinking “oh, that’s how that works?!” From there I worked for a production company Zadan/Meron Productions off the Universal lot and some other places. I’ve learned that authenticity is truly the thing that gets you far in this industry (and in life). And far as my brand, I’m committed to telling feel-good, positive stories that will hopefully lift people’s spirits, inspired by some of the things I grew up on. That doesn’t mean they don’t sometimes have serious themes, but perhaps have a unique approach to them. My work draws from a lot of traditional techniques of filmmaking and will hopefully touch people’s hearts. And as far as my story, that’s something that will hopefully unfold over time through the body of work itself.

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.
Okay, I love itineraries. First thing — You have to do a beach day when you come to LA. We’d drive out to the Malibu coast early in the morning, hit a scenic trail in the area, go to a place like Point Dume to relax, drive up PCH while blasting some music with the windows down of course, grab a bite to some local restaurant for some lunch or dinner, catch the sunset, and head on home. Then, we’d have a day more local to Burbank. I love Basecamp Dinette for some breakfast or lunch. The classic Smokehouse Restaurant would be great for a solid dinner. Perhaps we’d do a tour of a studio lot like Warner Bros. or Universal, especially if it’s their first time in the area. Mt. Wilson Observatory is really breathtaking as well. We might also plan a day trip to Santa Barbara or Catalina Island. The Peterson Museum is also a really impressive museum to check out some amazing vehicles. My guests are never bored!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to give a shout-out to all the amazing artists within the industry that have supported me along this journey.

Website: https://www.chrissarfin.com/

Instagram: @sarfin.c

Youtube: @chrissarfin

Image Credits
Photographer: Ghawam Kouchaki