Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Anthony Sturmas. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Anthony, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
At the beginning no, it was really rough because I knew nobody in the industry, and nobody knew me. In college they teach you all the skills, which is half of your problem when you graduate. The other 55% are who you know in this business. In fact, it is a huge part of your career knowing who to write to, who to talk to and learn from. Yes, talent is a crucial part of your career but I have seen some many artists that are so incredibly gifted that they shouldn’t have any issues finding work, yet, later they were so convinced and banking on their talent that the work is never turned in, jobless, it’s not what they asked for and never heard again from the director, I’ve seen this so many times.
A video game I am currently working on outside of Europe, the director reached out for me to do some storyboards and I cranked them out and made the deadline. He liked my work so much that he passed on the other artist because of all the excuses, one after another. I saw their work and it was outstanding but baffled me why they could not complete the project.
You must understand, just like models and actors, it’s the same in this business, for that one gig you have thousands competing for that gig. One shot is all you have, if you fail, do it over again and again until its spot on.
Anthony, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Great question I formerly started out my career as a LA Graffiti artist in the early 80’s. Some of the artist I painted with B.M.T, from Hawthorne city CA who was the graffiti artist for Night City Crew, Pheene from Carson and Skez from Long Beach City , where I truly learned from him and of his wild style. At the age 15 I had 5 different Iwata airbrushes and was working at Aaron Brothers. While working there I used to see all the graffiti artist come in and rack all the paint markers and design markers, it was mind blowing back then. Manager didn’t know what to say because back then 20 of them would walk in and walk right out as if it was Christmas with sorts of art supplies.
I would airbrush pants, hats Levi jackets whatever…and made an earning from that.
You have to understand that back then graffiti was an entirely different new art form and shattered all the customary ways of labelled real art because it was done by spray paint. Fast forward to today, while in those days it was mocked and looked as vandalism now days you see it major museums.
As for my career, I loved graffiti and while we didn’t have Google back then, everyone had their own style until Subway art came out (first graffiti book) and that literally rocked Los Angeles into all sorts mad graffiti styles. Now days you can get onto Google and steal from other artists back then graffiti artists would meet up at street corners exchanging sketch books and began tagging them or painted a pc in there sketch book. It was a great time to be an artist. For me, I learned coloring, because that made an impact on how to color and mix moss green with magenta or fuchsia pink.
After High school I got accepted to Art Center and studied illustration under Marc Stricland. I excelled and left for ten years and began knocking on the doors of businesses because tuition back then was like buying a house. Nothing has changed even by today. I also studied comic books, famous artist like Robert Williams and Jack Kirby who refined my style and who I was as an “artist”. I was studying how to ink and how to use your pen, which was the secret of refining your illustration style and how to ink. This is when I got interested in filmmaking, the process and storyboarding. Storytelling, making movies…
In 2006 I began teaching a pilot program at USC. I received my BFS in Multimedia Animation from The Art Institute of Los Angeles CA, also in 2006, While attending the Art Institute I rocked my first film ever by completing it with 30 other artist under my belt and completed a short 2d/3d film. I have written, produced and directed a music video as well as an animated film called “The Red storm” by Asturmas Studios.
Today I have worked on (as a storyboard artist) several films including “Enough” directed by Michele LaBrucherie, a film where Luz Guzman will be launching his own production company called Mascot Camp where he plans to get the ball rolling with the release of two feature films including “Enough”.
Another film a I enjoyed working as the senior storyboard artist on Z DEAD END by Robert Restro, the cast includes The all-star cast includes actors: Robert LaSardo, George Lazenby, Robert Mukes, Felissa Rose, Brinke Stevens, Dave Sheridan, Shawn C. Phillips, John Fiore, Tina Krause, Vincent Ward, Nea Dune, Mike Ferguson, Billy Hartmann, Maximo Gianfranco, Genoveva Rossi, April Love, Bruce Soscia, Lance Caver, Aizhan Lighg, among others.
I’m also in the process of doing the graphic novel for Z DEAD END and doing a limited edition signed by the director and storyboard artist.
Lastly, Wages of Sin 2023 American crime thriller about a mob enforcer fighting for his life after he’s betrayed by a criminal enterprise. Directed by Victor Rios making his feature film debut – from a screenplay written by co-star and co-producer Stephen Cyrus Sepher (Heist). Also produced by Nazo Bravo.
The movie features Paul Sloan (The Greatest Beer Run Ever), Danny Trejo (Machete), Jeremy Luke (The Irishman), Meredith VanCuyk, Nazo Bravo, Jason Scott Jenkins, Dan Wicksman, Heather McPhaul, Jamal Trulove, Al Burke, Sean Samuels, Curtis Webster, Richard Conti, P.J. Marino, Angela Cela, Caroline Hallum, Daniel Joo, Matthew Henerson, Amber Amato, Marcus Ray, Frank Lyon and Sophie Blondin.
So, I’m grateful to those who extended there hands while in my younger years as a storyboard artist. Storyboarding is extremely important in the process of filmmaking. Storyboards should be simple and more importantly the motion of that frame. We basically draw the entire film. To know more about what I do and my work you can go to my website: https://www.asturmas.com
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Living in the mecca of fitness and entertainment your focus cannot be second guessed even in the darkest days especially when your competing with thousands who want the same gig as you. Everyone I know in Hollywood puts on the “happy face”, doing great, doing well when in fact its not all sunshine and rainbows.
Resilience is the ability to withstand adversity and bounce back from difficult life events, in this case, being the best in your field. Which means long hours studying experts in your field, studying films, reading books, networking. In this field you will get the door closed on you more times than you can count and yet you will still need to bounce back as of nothing happened. Your competing with the best and if your not on your game every day, its not going to happen. You get what you put into it.
“Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.”
After high school I got a scholarship to Art Center and enjoyed it, soon after I still had mad love doing graffiti so that was a hustle to make extra money while not working at a job I hated. But sometimes you have to do things for the moment, don’t have to like it, just do it to get where you need to be.
After Art Center I took a long break from college and dived into my art while working odd end jobs until I needed to get where I wanted to be. I networked with allot people opened my own clothing line called Devilish Gear and had some of the best fashions shows ever ever in Hollywood. Cecy B would always opened my shows and we rocked the clubs, clubs were back to back ready to see my new line. Still with all of this I didn’t make the marker, being a storyboard artist. I had to up my game even more if I wanted to work with the best.
I began to draw more, and I started to give myself assignments, challenged myself. Would head to Coffee Bean over by Gower Studios and have my art all over my table in case a director walked by and saw my work. You have to be creative and have that edge, think outside of the box. After doing this every single day, even if I didn’t have work I knew I was sharpening my skills. The key success any career, if your hearts right and you know this is what you want to do, it’ll happen. You must imagine it, manifest it, breathe it, believe and it’ll happen.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
When your marketing yourself, you need to take a bold stance and not to put your politics and personal problems public because it could bite you in the ass. Soley focus on your craft and keep it professional. Select all major platforms and post every day, regarding a new project, new art pc anything as long its surrounding and pushing you higher ground.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.asturmas.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthony_sturmas
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-sturmas-2b4847128
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MrsturmasG
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUunqGerMdZAAPsFcPtpzJw
Image Credits
Jerren Lauder