Today we’d like to introduce you to Hanna Sturwold.
Hanna, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’m a dreamer: a dream maker, a dream chaser, and a dream achiever. I’ve always been a passionate person and I’ve been lucky enough to know what I wanted to do since I was a young girl. Like many that now work in the film and advertising industries, when I was a child I watched the Oscars every year, and each year my eyes were more glued to the screen. I was like a child at a birthday party inching closer and closer to the birthday kid opening their presents. I wanted to be in the action, or in the screen…or really behind the screen. Not an actress here! I knew I needed to move to LA to make my dreams of becoming an editor and producer my reality. And the funny thing is – isn’t that everyone you meet here? I swear most LA civilians are transplants from the other 49 states. So I have dreams, many dreams, I set goals, put in the hard work, drink a ton of coffee, and achieve those goals. Then I start that cycle all over again. That’s my circle of life! It’s mainly the java.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No road is a smooth one. I mean the amount of bumps and cracks! Of course, there’s been obstacles. But if there’s no obstacles, there’s no learning, and therefore no growth. I’m very thankful for all the “no’s” I’ve gotten because they’ve taught me to grow a thick skin. And thick skin is required for survival in this industry. The “no’s” told me to pick my head up quickly after rejection and keep persisting toward those dreams. The persistence is what takes you further. And if you learn to be a risk-taker, even better.
In any type of field, I believe getting turned down is positive for this reason, but especially for industries where freelancing is the main gig. You need to know yourself, who you are, what your voice is, and how you want to make impact. You’re essentially making a brand of yourself! Marketing yourself to be marketable is key. The film industry and advertising industry (they go hand-in-hand) is probably known to be one of the hardest industries to breakthrough. But I kinda love it that way! It makes it even more rewarding when you accomplish one of your goals because you put your entire self into each project. It makes you a living and walking badass.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m a freelance editor for films and commercials. So I hop around from different production companies to commercial agencies, to post-production studios. The inconsistent schedule fuels my soul. Lately, it’s all been from the comfort of my home. Ditched the jeans and have been living in sweats, which I suppose isn’t unique to the rest of the world.
I’m also a film producer at Loma Mansa Productions! We focus on creating content that inspires and compels social change through narrative. Our work combines the power of telling the untold and forgotten true stories of our world’s history while also creating awareness around the most pressing global issues of our time. We want our work to have impact so we reveal that history does in fact repeat itself.
More recently, I’ve been developing a boutique editorial house called Hustler Editorial that focuses on creating visually entertaining and meaningful content in the forms of advertisements, commercials, and film. It’s been a dream of mine to own and run a post-production house and over the next few years, I plan to expand this! I’m thankful to work with and hire quality people to create quality work.
And recently, I just opened doors to my first post-production rental studio! I love interior decor, design, and creating good vibes for collaborative work. So a goal of mine was to build a creative space where designers, content creators, editors, sound designers, and color graders can rent a space that feeds them creativity and also supports them with the speed they need to get their job done efficiently. The studio is in the heart of Santa Monica’s Main Street with plenty of outdoor space with ocean views, two blocks from the beach and boardwalk, fine dining and plenty of coffee shops nearby. The studio is geared with a powerhouse Mac Pro with Creative Cloud, Avid, Final Cut, DaVinci, Logic Pro X, and ProTools.
I guess I’m a creative entrepreneur. But among all these outlets, I’m able to collaborate with quality people across the board. We work hard together and create amazing content. Most importantly, we all do what we love to do. Our passion is what gives us success.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I try my best to live my life where I won’t have any regrets. I go after what I put my mind to and so far, that has worked out well!
Contact Info:
- Address: 3015 Main Street, Suite 450, Santa Monica CA 90405
- Website: https://www.hannasturwold.com/
- Phone: 7086069026
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @hannasturwold @hustlereditorial @lomamansaproductions
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hustlereditorial https://www.facebook.com/hsturwold
- Twitter: @HannaSturwold
- Other: https://workingnotworking.com/86603-hanna
Image Credit:
Headshot Mack Breeden
Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
