We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gary Smith. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gary below.

Gary, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on has been my most recent feature film, a comedy drama titled SkyFly. I was taught to write what you know, so this film is highly inspired by personal events which was something I found to be very therapeutic. SkyFly means a lot to me because I took action and made a bet on myself. I’ve made plenty of mistakes and learned a lot along the way which has helped me to grow as a creative and in life.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I got into the film industry by writing, producing, directing and playing the lead in SkyFly. I’ve always loved acting on camera so I figured the easiest way to guarantee I get casted would be to write and produce it myself. The thing I am most proud of in this film is the ensemble cast. I worked incredibly hard to surround myself with talented people. The premiere we had at the Fine Arts Theatre in Beverly Hills was one of the most magical nights of my life. It was packed full of amazing people and the energy was through the roof. It was truly a celebration of all the hard work, blood, sweat and tears that many people contributed.

I’ve always been heavily inspired by people that take matters into their own hands and that can lead the charge. I love an entrepreneurial mindset and an “I can” attitude. With so many distractions in the world today it’s incredibly challenging to stay focused. I constantly review my goals on a daily basis to combat this so I stay on track. I’m on a mission to get our next film into production in 2025 and I’m very excited to do so!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I love this question because I think unlearning is an important part of the human process. We often have things drilled into our subconscious even unwillingly at a young age that simply are not true and would serve us well to not believe. One that sticks out for me was the wrong belief I had that I needed to be a “starving artist” to be successful in the arts, otherwise I was a sell out. I had a bad relationship with money. I read “The power of your subconscious” and unlearned this, and welcomed abundance into my life. At that point I started my first janitorial business that ultimately helped create a bit more freedom so I could pursue things that mattered to me, such as a film career. That’s not to say I don’t struggle and feel like a starving artist at times, but I’m happy to say I unlearned this limiting belief.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist to me is the personal growth along the process of completing your project. From the time I started writing SkyFly in 2020 to when we finally released it in 2024 I have learned so much. I love being on set with incredible people, I love being at the premiere with them and I love going on huge platforms like Amazon and seeing my film there. Ultimately as an artist I am trying to express myself and the world as how I interpret it. Filmmaking is a collaborative art so my job as a director is to convey my vision with everyone I work with. Sometimes you hit the mark, sometimes you miss it for better or worse. Either way the finished project is something of love and passion which in itself is incredibly rewarding.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.SkyFlyTheMovie.com
• Instagram: SkyFlyTheMovie
• Facebook: SkyFlyMovie
• Youtube: SkyFlyTheMovie

Image Credits

Jeremiah Nordhagen
Corey Molina
Chris Dare