Meet a Sandbox Member: Ashley Ellis
March 9th, 2010 by Sara Usinger
Sandbox member Ashley Ellis is a 24 year old freelance writer, filmmaker and philanthropist living in Los Angeles, soaking up the sun, and seeking new experiences. Ashley on facebook and twitter.
Tell us the story of your latest project / occupation.
My latest project will hopefully become my full-time occupation. It’s a production company that I started called Emerald City Arts, which brings film, music, and visual art together to create “meaningful media and innovative art”. ECA will also have a partner foundation, so that every project is somehow linked to a cause that we want to support. The company came about just out of a need to combine all of my interests (the arts, good causes, and bringing people together) into one thing that I could focus on. The goal is to create a collective of artists who are all collaborating on different projects. Right now, we’re working on a documentary film about Northern Botswana, a mixed-media art piece on Haiti, and a music video for an up-and-coming artist in LA.
What are you doing and how did you get there?
What am I doing? I’m living in LA, traveling a lot, working on a master’s degree, and making films. I came to Los Angeles, because I’m originally from Seattle and had been living in Pennsylvania before undergrad. I was tired of the rain, snow and cold weather, so Los Angeles seemed like the perfect place to attend college. I travel because of my projects and involvement in different organizations, but that’s all a part of my master plan. After spending the summer after undergrad in Botswana, I can’t imagine not exploring new places. I found myself in a Professional Writing master’s program, because I wanted to sharpen my skills, define my voice, and figure out how you can write and make a living at the same time! And I make films, because one day in high school I realized that not everyone can watch seven movies in a day. Films are my passion.
Tell us about the biggest successes and failures in your life. What worked, what didn’t, and what did you learn?
The biggest success in my life so far has probably been my academic achievements. I’ve been fortunate throughout my childhood and adult life to attend institutions that have given me wealth in knowledge, the opportunity to expand my worldview, and a network of individuals to work with towards common goals. None of it would have been possible though unless I’d worked hard enough to earn acceptance into those school and special programs. My biggest failure was probably in my athletic career. I had the opportunity to play tennis beyond a collegiate level but quit. From these two aspects of my life I’ve learned the following: There is power in education, and if you’re not truly passionate about something, then it’s not worth pursuing.
What do you want to achieve in the next week, the next year, the next 10 years?
In the next week, I’d love to secure the funds needed for my involvement this year in Coaching for Conservation. It’s an amazing and innovative sports program with a conservation and health curriculum for young children in developing Botswana, and this year I have an instrumental role in the growth of the program. Read more about it here. In the next year, I’d love to see Emerald City Arts be able to sustain itself financially and continue to grow. I’d also love to be accepted into a dynamic Phd program at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts that I intend to apply for. Who knows where I’ll be in ten years or what I’ll be doing, but as long as I’m able to do what I love and inspire people at the same time, I’ll be content.
What was your most inspring moment during the last two weeks?
Joining Sandbox…. simply because I knew that I would meet so many like minded individuals and things would begin to serendipitously take off.
How could other Sandboxers and the outside world support you and why would that be exciting for them?
Other Sandboxers can support me by simply offering their advice, time, involvement, and resources as I work on different projects. I believe that the members of this community are here, because they truly want to affect change in the world. So, they should be excited just to see me try to as well and to be a part of the movement that I hope to create!
Ashley’s favourites:
Drink- Savannah Dry
Place on earth- Seattle (home)
Quote-
Art is the conversation between lovers.
Art offers an opening for the heart.
True art makes the divine silence in the soul
Break into applause.
Art is, at last, the knowledge of
Where we are standing-
Where we are standing
In this Wonderland
When we rip off all of our clothes…
-Hafiz
