Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Markus.
Hi Sarah , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Sarah Markus, I am born and raised in Los Angeles, and my journey to where I am at currently was unexpected. I was a theatre kid in high school, I was in every musical and play I could do and I was a part of 2 choirs. Music, and storytelling were a big part of what has molded me into who I am today. I left for San Francisco at 18 and went to SFSU, I had no idea what I wanted to do. It seemed such a big question that I couldn’t define by clicking a box for 1 specific major. Theatre was always a passion but I wasn’t brave enough at the time to take the leap. After a few years of trial and error I eventually landed on a degree in Women and Gender Studies. I moved back to Los Angeles before I finished college and started working full time at a business management firm while finishing up my degree. Little did I know just how different my path would turn out.
In 2023, I was unemployed. I had tried working a 9-5 at a business management firm and even though I truly appreciated my time there and the work I learned to do, it was not nourishing for my soul. I was let go in July of 2023 and felt disappointed in myself, and lost, yet oddly relieved. I didn’t know what I wanted to do next but I knew that life wasn’t for me. Fast forward to march of 2024, after months and months of endless job applications with no luck, my best friend, Raphael Eidelman, asked me if I wanted to be a Key PA (production assistant) for a 3 day night shoot he was directing. I didn’t know anything about film, or what a set was like, let alone how to manage a team of other PA’s. However, I hadn’t worked in a while and was itching for something to do so I said yes. Sometimes we have moments that completely alter our lives, and that was one of those moments in my life. I felt at home on set, it all made sense to me. The chaos, the amount of work necessary to make a film possible. It was invigorating. And from that moment I haven’t looked back, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. After that experience, someone on the crew mentioned to me that they thought I’d make a good 2nd AD (Assistant Director). I asked them what the job entailed and was immediately hooked. May 2024 was my next set as a Key PA, with some friends I made on the march project. It was for a fun mockumentary style episodic project called “Dead for a Living” you can watch all the episodes on youtube on SmokeBreak Productions channel. That project only reaffirmed my desire to work in the film industry. I started applying to a bunch of productions through backstage hoping for one to bite. I first applied to a lot of unpaid gigs and eventually started looking for paid projects. After a long hiatus, in October of 2024 I got a response back from one of my applications for a paid 2nd AD gig, for a vertical film. I had no idea what a vertical film was, at the time, but it was a paid project and I was in need of work. I accepted the position and that was another huge life altering moment for me. Since October 2024, I have 2nd AD’ed 5 vertical films. In February of 2025 (this year) I got my first project as a 1st Assistant Director. Since then, I have 1st AD’ed 9 vertical films (currently working on my 10th one as I write this), 7 short films, 1 vertical mini-series for social media, and an LA unit shoot for a feature film. I have also edited a short film, I 1st AD’ed, called Resin, which you can find on youtube at Mamabuckle Films, directed by my best friend Raphael Eidelman. And I co-directed a short film with Raphael as well. It’s been quite the journey and I’m excited to see how much farther I will go.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road, I believe that anything that is worth it is also going to be quite challenging. And the challenge is what makes it even more precious and valuable. Over this past year, there have been projects that have left me questioning whether all the hours, stress, and missed personal life moments are worth it. Imposter syndrome is a real thing that always seems to sneak up on me when I least expect it. I had a good 2 months where I didn’t know if I was going to get another project because I had to turn some work down due to personal reasons. The first half of the year I was getting projects that were a lot of fun but barely covered my bills and expenses, and that is always a stressor and would make me question why I wanted to pursue this career. My biggest challenge though has been my own mental strength. I keep having to remind myself that I’m just starting and I still have a lot to learn and more to grow personally and within my career and any opportunity I can get to continue to propel myself to the “next level” is something to be grateful for. And mistakes are just an opportunity to grow and learn. If you don’t fail sometimes then there is no growth. And when you are pursuing a passion there are going to be obstacles that will scare you, and make you question your choices. Once you push through that self-doubt though, it’s beautiful and fulfilling.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m currently building my career as a 1st Assistant Director. I had no idea what a crucial role 1st AD’s have to help create a film. It is my job to create our shooting schedule, I breakdown the script to make sure nothing is missed during the pre-production process so we can have a smooth production, on set it is my responsibility to ensure the crews and casts safety. And it is my job to create a positive work environment, where everyone is treated with respect, where communication can flourish, where we can build trust with the team, and where I can be the person anyone can come to for support or positive reinforcement. I had a friend tell me, when I got my first project as a 1st AD, “get ready to be the most hated person on set.” I was taken aback, and looking back on it now I am grateful he said that because it lit a fire in me to do the job differently then it has “traditionally” been done. Historically, the Assistant Director position/dept is male dominated. I am a queer, biracial woman, my own lens of the world is anything but traditional, and that translates into my work ethic and how I run a set. I like to have fun on set and create a positive environment while also being efficient and making sure all our work gets done. We work 12+ hours a day, at least 5 days in a row, sometimes for projects that lasts a few weeks, the last thing anyone would ever want to do is come to work and be miserable. Which is why I don’t yell, I don’t dictate, I don’t let the “power” get to my head, you can be efficient and run a successful production without any of that. Yes, the AD runs the set, but that doesn’t mean we have to be controlling and harsh. I am there to support the team, without the crew and cast, there is no film.
What’s next?
I have big goals, I want to grow as a 1st Assistant Director. Work my way into more feature films, and building a name for myself in that world. I am also immensely grateful to the vertical film industry for all the opportunities I’ve been given, and I enjoy the people I’ve met and worked with and hope to continue building myself in that industry as well, because I do see a big future for this growing industry that some people, I feel, tend to overlook. Just wait, in a couple of years vertical films will be more prevalent and be a household form of media, that span many different kinds of genres.
I also want to be a catalyst for change within the film industry, I want to transform how sets are run and operated and create a more community based way of filmmaking. That lifts each other up instead of pushing each other down to get further.
I eventually want to direct, and I have some ideas for scripts I’d like to write, which I feel myself getting closer to more so lately then I have been before. And I recently discovered a joy for editing, I am currently editing my 2nd short film that will be publicly available in a couple of months at the latest. At the end of the day, my goal is to make a name for myself in Hollywood and that is going to take time, and so far the journey has been hard but a ton of fun and I am going to be patient with myself and try to fully experience and be present for the the moments to come that will get me there.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syruponset/
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm17010701/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
