Today we’re excited to be connecting with Sebastian Artz again. If you haven’t already, we suggest you check out our prior conversation with them here.
Sebastian, always such a pleasure connecting with you and thank you for sharing your stories, insights and inspiring messages with our community. We’re looking forward to getting the download and what you have been up to since our last interview, but first can you briefly introduce yourself to folks who might have missed the prior conversation.
I moved to Los Angeles while in college, and went to UCLA. I was interested in film, and film became part of my journey. But only later.
First, right out of college and after a short stint working for a successful commercial director, I become a still photographer. I was stamping one singular frame of film at a time, (not to date myself, but we shot on film back then) instead of the 24 frames per second in cinema. With a tiny but ambitious portfolio, I was lucky enough to catch the attention of a few European magazine editors, and shortly thereafter, I was shooting steadily for British and German magazines and record labels. Success as a budding photographer meant lots of travel, hustle and long hours. I was based in a Downtown L.A. studio but was often on the road, traveling to some pretty far-out locations like Oxford (Missisippi), or London (the actual one).
Gradually, more advertising and PR photo assignments followed and, many years later, commercial film directing. The evolution was slow and felt rather natural. Today, I feel very comfortable in both the film and photography world and love it when I have the chance to capture both for brands that seek a cohesive vision in their film and stills campaigns.
Great, so let’s jump into an update on what you have been up to since we last spoke. What can you share with us?
Oh, nothing has happened since our last conversation. I kid, of course. For one thing, no one could anticipate the pandemic’s effect on the industry. Productions in progress were frozen and approved productions were cancelled or pushed back repeatedly some for years. It was a time of uncertainty with ample time for reflection and self-exploration.
For me, it was a time to focus on smaller projects that could be accomplished with small crews. It also meant working on personal projects—among them, a social exploration around the BLM movement—and also exploring avenues that could be handled remotely, one of which was in the tech world.
While things have generally normalized post-pandemic, the film and advertising industry has not reclaimed its pre-pandemic vibrancy (in my opinion). The Hollywood writer’s strike, the demise of a number of magazines and publishers, a malaise in the ad industry, and the Los Angeles fires in January of 2025 have all challenged today’s creative environment.
Against this backdrop, the nascent technology of generative AI adds another layer of uncertainly. While some AI tools may be a boon to efficiency, it’s hard to understand how generative AI tech will benefit most creators in the foreseeable future.
But while this change is scary, it also brings a new frontier filled with opportunity and unique perspectives. I remain open-minded and am focusing on new projects that spark joy. Currently, I am in post-production with a film and photography campaign for a trail biking company that will be released this spring. I had fun infusing some humor into it—I can’t wait to share!
Life is often about tough choices – can you talk to us about your thought process, strategy or philosophy when it comes to making difficult choices or tradeoffs.
Life is about tough choices, sometimes. But it is always about choices, and I like to think we have at least some control over our own destinies. I always recommend the book “Radical Uncertainty” by John Kay and Mervyn King, which explores the idea of how to make choices when you only have limited information and a range of uncertain outcomes.
At the end of the day, core values, personal instinct and emotional intelligence serve as our guiding light.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sebastianartz.com
- Instagram: @sebastianartz
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastianartz
Image Credits
Sebastian Artz
Jeff Salomon
