Meet Sruthi Alagappan | Producer & Project Manager

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

Hi Sruthi, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?

I’ve loved film and television for as long as I can remember. I had the opportunity to explore this world during high school in our ‘media studies’ class and haven’t looked back since. The class intrigued me. We learnt the history of film, the details that go into visual arts and so much more. We were given the opportunity to make our own movie and I fell in love with the process of it!

I studied Media and Advertising in college to help further my dream of working in the industry. We had brilliant teachers that helped us enhance our creativity. From learning design software to creating films and ad campaigns I knew I was doing something I loved.

I worked as a director’s assistant as part of an internship in 2015 and this really cemented a creative profession for me. I was involved with sourcing, referencing, casting and creating decks and storyboards. I simply loved seeing scripts come to life on screen and being a part of that process is exciting and inspires me to keep pushing forward.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I currently work for Sparkhouse as a producer & project manager and together we’ve produced over 100 videos over these last two years. 

My passion for production and content creation has made me innately curious, fiercely focused, and genuinely expressive. Effective multitasking through organizational skills and a detailed-oriented approach is of second nature to me. And that’s why I enjoy being a project manager and producer. I thrive in the chaos of production by finding my own way to keep things organized. A successful shoot day is what I strive for!

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.
Oh, there’s so much I’d love to show them!
The Back Bay Loop hike is a must do! This 10.5 mile hike is a nature reserve located in Newport beach and is my absolute favourite. It is scenic, runs along the water and boasts amazing views. It is a great way to spend a Saturday morning. A trip to C’est si bon, a french bakery is a must  A coffee and croissant is the perfect start to a day

Other places I highly recommend are Paradise Dynasty in Costa Mesa, Terra Wood Fired Pizza Kitchen in Yorba Linda, J’s sushi in Brea, Surti Farsan(Indian snacks) in Artesia, Kaigen (Omakase) in Orange, Pickle Banh Mi in Costa Mesa and Mr. Katsu in Fullerton.

A day at Disneyland, a drive down to San Diego, having a beach day in Laguna, Wine tasting in Temecula, shopping at the outlets all seem warranted too!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
A huge shoutout to my Mother who recognised my passion for video production even before I knew that is what I wanted to do. My family has always been very supportive of the work I do and supported me in every way.

I would also credit my teachers and college professors who made me aware of my potential and helped me take steps in the right direction.

I would love to thank all the directors, producers, crew and everyone I have worked with in the industry for the last 8 years for helping me learn and gather the experience I have today!

And a special thanks to Torrey Tayenaka for hiring me, a producer from India with limited knowledge of the U.S. industry and helping me fine-tune my understanding of video production and become a valuable asset to production teams in the entertainment capital of the world.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sruthi-alagappan/

Image Credits
Paul Bivens Daniel Tayenaka