Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott Ash.
Hi Scott, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey began in high school where I took a number of TV & Film classes my school offered. My friends and I would make short films and music videos. I absolutely loved it and my newfound passion for filmmaking was probably the only thing that kept me motivated in school. From there I went to college where I studied Film and Video Production. While in college I interned as a Production Assistant on a Steve Zahn indie film and after college I interned at a small production company in Oregon City, OR. These internships helped me land my first production job as an Office PA on a Lakeshore film starring Amanda Seyfried. From there, I continued to PA on TV shows and commercials around Portland, OR.
During this time I also acquired my own camera equipment and began taking on jobs shooting and editing for people, businesses, and bands. Doing these paid and unpaid projects with the end goal of building a portfolio impressive enough to get me work in LA. During this time I also took a job as a video production specialist in a companies marketing department directing, shooting, and editing product and branded videos continuing to build my portfolio and saving money for my big move. In 2015 I finally felt ready to make the leap so I quit my job and headed to LA with no work lined up. Luckily I was able to rent a room in a friend’s house in Culver City and one of my roommates was a producer at Participant Media. It wasn’t long before he was able to bring me in as a contractor doing Editing and Motion Graphics work. From there, I continued to grow, taking bigger and better jobs, never saying no to a great opportunity.
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 hasn’t been easy, there have been some very tough times along the way. From being a Production Assistant in Portland not being able to find enough work so I had to balance waiting tables, to people doubting if I could survive let alone succeed in LA, to hard lessons working for shady people and companies who take advantage or don’t pay. But I’ve undoubtedly had more luck than some others in my industry making the move to LA, and I’m extremely thankful that the universe has put some awesome opportunities in my path.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a Video Editor working on shows, commercials, and various types of digital content. Last year I worked on a powerful documentary series titled “Black History, Black Freedom, and Black Love” that was released on Amazon Prime. But what I’m most proud of is the work I’m currently doing. I can’t say much about it right now other than it’s an unscripted docu-style show featuring some very notable people and is slated to be released on a streaming service in 2023. I’d say what sets me apart from my peers is my journey to where I’m at. I’ve had a less traditional path than most professional Editors, it has involved a lot of self-teaching and opportunity hunting as opposed to a traditional climb the ladder step by step career path. Along the way, I’ve picked up some additional skill sets like Motion Graphics Design and VFX compositing that have helped set me apart when job hunting.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
For me, success means growth and achievement, both creatively and financially. If you can find a way to always be growing your artistic skill set while bringing in more income with your creative talents then to me you are successful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.scotthqash.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scotthqash/
