Today we’d like to introduce you to Karah Langson.
Hi Karah, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My ambition to be a documentary filmmaker started in high school. I used a handy cam to record my friends and make dramatic silent films. It was a dream I sort of let go once I got to college when an adviser dissuaded me from studying film. The only thing I knew how to do was be creative with a camera, so it was difficult to choose a major. As I was always passionate about theatre, I decided to pursue theatre at CSUF because it’s something I’ve loved all my life. My education taught me a lot about myself as an artist. When I graduated, the great recession had hit and jobs were scarce. Though I felt lost and unsure of myself creatively, I harbored secret dreams of becoming a world-traveling photographer. Three years later, I was traveling the world for an aerospace repair shop, making a decent salary for a 24 years old. Still, I felt dissatisfied with life, and my job had become increasingly toxic in a male-dominated industry. Having worked for the company for two years, I decided to take an unthinkable risk to make a change. I sold my car and everything I owned to buy a one-way ticket to Asia. Over the course of seven months, I traveled throughout Southeast Asia and Australia taking pictures every day. Even though I had no idea what lay ahead, I never felt so free. Despite the difficult travel, something profound happened to me. During those seven months, I realized that life was short and I had to focus on what was important to my happiness- it turns out living in a toxic corporate bubble was not it.
Back in Los Angeles, everything just seemed to fall into place. I was hired as an assistant videographer for Shark Pig Weddings. The owners taught me everything they knew about shooting and editing, and five years later I continued to successfully run my wedding business traveling all around the world. I’ve since won two awards for my short film and finally has escaped the dreaded “imposter syndrome”. Then tragedy struck. As a result of the pandemic, I lost everything I built over the years. It felt as though I had lost a piece of my identity and I didn’t know how to get it back. I decided to push myself once again beyond my comfort zone. Since then, I moved to Portland, Ore., and enrolled in a master’s program online at Purdue University. In addition to operating my wedding business in Los Angeles, I travel all over the country (and the world).
Currently, I am at a crossroads in my career. What’s next in my creative journey? I know that no matter what happens, everything works out for the best, and all the lessons I’ve learned have become invaluable to me. I’m currently scaling back on travel weddings and will offer mentorships to female-identifying (aspiring or established) videographers. My goal is to pass on the lessons, knowledge, and tricks I’ve learned over the years to the next generation of creative ladies.
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 certainly has not been smooth! I sort of bounced around in different industries before I found myself in the world of directing and videography. I was unsure of myself and what kind of life I wanted to live. It took me nearly ten years to figure it all out and even now, I’m still figuring it out! Everything in my life has been a challenge and lesson well learned. I still make mistakes and have struggles. In 2019, I was hospitalized and diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. The disease has changed my life and a lot of the choices I make. I lost both of grandfathers last year during an already difficult pandemic year. This year I lost a significant relationship in my life during the height of a busy wedding season. Now I’m trying something I’ve never done before which is teaching! The beautiful thing about everyone’s journey is that we can decide at any moment what we want our lives to be. If something isn’t working, we can change it and try again.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m well known for my videography with Shark Pig Weddings where I create highly stylized music videos utilizing both digital and super 8mm film. I’ve been fortunate and privileged to shoot in locations such as Italy, Mexico, and this year Costa Rica! My pride and joy though is in my personal work. I shot a silent short film in 2019, and it won two awards respectively in Berlin and New York. I’ve also directed music videos for indie-pop artists such as Julia Ross and fashion editorial alongside Max Wagner for Ban.do. My favorite project was directing for Sanrio, if you’re familiar with the characters Gudetama or Aggretsuko, you can find my work on their Instagram. I’m proud to say I’m one of the few ladies who shoot exclusively video and film!
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Joseph Campbell is someone who greatly inspired me and my journey. So in his words, “follow your bliss”.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.karahshootsfilm.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/karahshootsfilm
Image Credits:
Laura Jude Hathaway, Jenn Emerling
