We recently connected with Katie Sargent and have shared our conversation below.

Katie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?

I entered into the industry making money through background work. Being a background actor is thrilling and a great starting point for beginning actors. For me, when considering a way to supplement my income while pursuing acting, I knew I wanted to still work in the creative field so background work seemed like a great opportunity. The proximity to professional working sets and high-level directors and actors is unmatched! It’s a great way to familiarize yourself with set etiquette, key industry phrases and getting comfortable in fast-paced environments. I have had the pleasure of working on sets with Directors such as Darren Aronofsky, James Mangold and Jennifer Lynch. Watching these top-level artists run a set and collaborate with actors is such a privilege and incredible learning opportunity. To get paid to be there is the icing on the cake! I also was able to gain SAG credits through my background work and am now SAG eligible which was an unexpected added bonus.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am an actor, comedian, and writer based in New York City who recently graduated from The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts who is originally from Virginia. Previous to turning my career path to the creative arts, I attended Virginia Tech where I received my business degree and worked in various corporate roles in the Washington, DC area.

Currently, I am developing short films under my production company AK48 Films and performing with my Sketch Comedy Troupe “This Might Make Sense”. My next short film, Winner Winner, which I wrote, acted in, and produced is set to be released in Spring 2025. In my free time, I can be found crying over sports movies and investing in cat toys for my two tuxedo cats – Klint and Snip.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is connecting with other artists and helping bringing their stories to life. The thrill of being on a set and knowing you are part of making that story complete is an unmatched feeling. All of the planning, logistics, crew members and technical aspects that had to be organized and come together prior to shooting is no small feat. And to get to be part of making all of that work and effort turn into something and see the end result is very rewarding. Especially on more intimate shoots as well, for student films or music videos – knowing that you are helping someone’s creative vision come to life is a deeply gratifying feeling. I love the arts because it is a team effort, it requires collaborating with others and getting to see their point of view and blending that all into the end project. I love being in an environment with people that are so passionate about their work and willing to put in long hours to achieve their goals.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I am very hopeful about the connection between society and the arts. I feel that we need and crave human connection and understanding more than ever and that the arts, specifically filmmaking, is a great way to make those connections.

The outlets we use to consume art have changed drastically in the last few decades, quite literally anyone can be a filmmaker now and put out their content on platforms such as YouTube or Instagram. Even streaming services have really changed how we consume film and television, making content more accessible and immediate.

I do think with access to so much content, there is a burden on the artist to not conform to algorithms or what we perceive as the current artistic demand. And rather, create what you feel must be created. Often the audience doesn’t know what they want until after they have been presented it. As a creative, it is integral to trust yourself and your process and not create with an end goal of winning awards or getting a set number of views, but more creating art for the sake of creating art.

My hope for society is that we continue to value human stories from all different backgrounds and countries and continue to expand our appetite to understand each other and the world we live in.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.katelynsargent.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katelynsargent
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@katelynsargent

Image Credits

Blue top shot by Amelie Trimpl