Serena DC is a veteran filmmaker who is shaking Hollywood up. As an Indie Filmmaker, who has received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Documentary, Serena is utilizing her success to pave the way for fellow filmmakers to see their dreams become a reality. With her new distribution company, Ad Astra Distribution, Serena has become a beacon of hope for creatives that cherish their work and want to “shine a light on important topics and help place a positive influence into the world”.
Serena is a rarity in that she is a dreamer and a doer, who is encouraging others to dream big, and say yes to the life path we all have in front of us. We are thrilled to sit down with Serena to chat about her latest documentary, The Marfa Lights, her ideal self care day, and how she’s found success among the stars.
Tell us about your new distribution company Ad Astra Distribution? What impact do you hope it has on the industry?
We opened Ad Astra Distribution because as producers we were sick of placing our films with distributors who didn’t care about our films or their success as much as us. We would lock in the rights to our films for 5-7 years and then be at the whim of a distributor who would promise the world but then deliver nothing. Creating a Film or TV series is like breathing life into an idea. As producers we pour our heart and soul into our projects as well as emptying our pockets to fund them. So when it is time to sign with a distributor, and hand over our baby you want to be SURE that you are in good hands.
We decided it was time to put an element of control back into the hands of filmmakers and offer them full transparency, support and constant sales efforts to ensure that when we take the baton, and become your distributor, we will work for you as hard as we work to sell our own films. We hope our company will help producers to get their films seen in as many places as possible.
What can you tell us about the exciting new documentaries you have coming up?
Over the next couple of months I have a few awesome films coming out! The Marfa Lights, which releases in April, follows me and my team as we investigate the strange, anomalous UFO lights that appear in Marfa Texas each night. Then in May, Interview with the Extraterrestrial releases where I interview a man named Darryl Anka who claims to channel an extraterrestrial called Bashar from the planet Sia! So definitely going down the rabbit hole over the next few months!
As a veteran filmmaker with an Emmy nomination under your belt, how has your journey shaped you as a creative?
I mean you learn and grow every single day you are on set. I love collaborating with different producers and directors because there is always something NEW YOU can learn from people no matter how accomplished you think you are. Whether it’s a new camera angle from a camera person, or a new way of asking questions from a producer, the more you spend time with others who practice the same craft as you, the better you will become.
In addition to Ad Astra Distribution, you also own Elysium Media and Gel Bae, an at home nail-kit company. How does the beauty industry defer for the entertainment industry?
They are different but also the same in a lot of ways. With the film industry you create films which ultimately become products for you to sell, just like with my beauty businesses. But how entertainment differs is that with film I feel you have the opportunity to influence and change the way society thinks or feels about certain topics and causes. Making documentaries is important work. We live in a world filled with disinformation and where important issues are often ignored. Being a filmmaker allows you to shine a light of important topics and help place a positive influence into the world.
You have an incredible ability to chase your dreams and find success among the stars. What advice would you have for the fellow dreamers?
To listen. To listen to the ideas that you have. To listen to the voice in your head that tells you to follow your dreams. Listen and say YES! We are all put on this earth for a reason. When we finally realize what we think that reason is, we owe it to ourselves to pursue that dream, that life path, with everything that we have because when we are living our life on purpose and on a path that is when we will achieve true happiness and fulfillment.
How do you stay positive while you’re navigating obstacles along the way?
I mean I have picked a very difficult path in life. To move to Hollywood, try and make movies people like and hope that maybe people might like you too. It’s very anxiety producing, and I do struggle everyday with worries and anxieties. I like to surround myself with lots of crystals and do a little self-care ritual every day to make me feel calmer and more peaceful. I light candles, listen to classical music or EDM when I work. I take baths, sometimes wine is involved (lol), but I try and take a little time for myself each day that doesn’t involve work.
How do you find time for self-care between traveling the globe, working, and being an incredible mom of 2?
Kind of answered this above but to add to it… having kids, working, and travelling so much can be a huge challenge. You start to crave “normal”, but the kids have their own form of work every day too. School starts at 8 and finishes at 3 then homework till 5. So, I try to finish work around then too so we can share a little time together. I call it our “hour of power”. We will cook together and chat about our days and then we go our separate ways. I always believe in quality time over quantity. An hour of intense love seems to be enough to make my kids feel happy and wanted and give me the love I need as a mom.
What does your ideal self-care day look like to you?
I love to start a self-care day with a big sleep in. No alarms. Just naturally waking up. I like to lay in bed and read a little then grab myself an herbal tea and take a nice long bath. Calling an old friend is always on the agenda with a self-care day. It’s always so nice to reconnect with people you love dearly but don’t get to spend much time with anymore. Next, I would head out for a yummy lunch at one of my favorite restaurants in Beverly Hills. I love Wallys, Avra, Urth Caffe and a new little fave is a place called Bacari. Lunch with a close friend for a little bit of gossip is always a great way to recharge the batteries. Next, I would go for a 90-minute massage or facial then head home for a siesta. In the evening, I would love to be taken to a fancy restaurant with my gorgeous boyfriend Aaron. A little bit of wine, candlelight, and romance… and then home for an early night in bed with a movie. A rom com or something funny. Laughter really is so important for our mental health.
Where can our readers go to keep up with any new developments you have in the works?
You can check out the lineup of films coming out at: Ad Astra Distribution, and can follow me on instagram at @iamserenadc.
Photo Credit: Photographer – Megan Sistachs
