Today we’d like to introduce you to Sammie Keach.
Hi Sammie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I actually took quite a few acting classes as a kid, but eventually stopped going because I would have panic attacks before every class. It wasn’t until about 10 years later that I found my way back to it.
I was attending the University of Colorado Denver, when I decided to volunteer as an actor for an assignment in a beginning film production class. We were doing a reimagined scene from the 1996 movie “Swingers”. I had no idea at the time, but some of the people in that classroom would go on to become my best friends over the next four years of film school.
Interestingly, I wasn’t even majoring in film. I was studying music, but I ended up adding a minor in film production so I could keep acting and learning alongside this group of people. Around that time, I also started taking acting classes at Benjy Dobrin Studios. Benjy has since become such an important person in my journey, both as a wonderful mentor and a great friend.
After acting in a handful of student films, I finally had enough footage to put together a demo reel and some credits to put on a resume. From there, I started submitting myself for anything I could find, whether it was through Facebook groups, Actors Access, Backstage, or simply word of mouth as I got to know more people in the industry. I went to in-person auditions, filmed many, many self-tapes, and just kept putting myself out there.
Eventually, I signed with Donna Baldwin Talent, which opened the door to more commercial opportunities here in Denver. Although I’ve really enjoyed working in commercials, narrative filmmaking is where my heart lies.
Today, I have around 18 acting credits on IMDb, with quite a few more projects that aren’t listed there. But I think one of the most meaningful parts of this whole experience has been the people I’ve met. Some of my closest friends, favorite memories, and most important relationships have come from acting and filmmaking,
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Honestly, it’s been smoother than I would’ve expected. My friends in film school were always so supportive and gave me so many cool opportunities to act in their projects, always doing something different. They were open to my ideas and perspectives on characters, and were just really great people to work with and build confidence around while doing something that was still pretty new to me. I don’t think I would’ve had the confidence I did without the support of my peers and the constant opportunities to act in their films.
I think post-graduation has been a bit more difficult. There are times when the industry is stagnant and nothing is really happening for anybody, but somehow it can still feel personal. You start thinking, why am I not booking anything? Have I somehow magically lost any talent or ability to act? It’s easy to get in your head about it. I think it’s important to remind yourself that the industry goes through lulls, and almost none of it is personal. When that happens, I like to throw myself into scene work with classmates at my acting studio. It helps me feel grounded and connected to my art, even when I’m not getting hired to be on a set.
Another struggle I’ve faced since graduating is watching some of my friends move away to cities like LA and New York to pursue what they want to do. I think that’s a great decision if it’s what calls to you, but I’ve struggled with it myself. Colorado feels like home to me. At the same time, there’s this constant voice in my head (and sometimes coming from other people) telling me that there’s not enough happening here, that I need to go where the work is if I want to make something of myself.
It’s hard to know what’s actually true, what decisions will help your career, and what might come at the expense of your mental health or happiness. I think there’s a lot of pressure in this industry to always be making the next big move, and sometimes it’s hard to distinguish that pressure from what you actually want. I’m still figuring out what that next move looks like for me.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’d say my main shtick is acting. I’ve done quite a few narrative short films shot here in Colorado, and a handful in other states as well. But aside from acting, I also really love being on the crew side of things. I enjoy helping with casting, screenwriting, costumes, or working as a PA and just being useful wherever I’m needed. I love the collaborative nature of filmmaking, and I think getting to experience different sides of a production has made me appreciate the whole process so much more.
And back to the music thing, because I guess that *is* what I majored in. I’m also a musician, and music and I have had a pretty interesting relationship over the past 10 years. There have been times when I’ve absolutely loved it, and other times when I’ve despised it and put it away completely. Acting actually ended up being what brought me back to it. I was working on a film in school where I played a musician, and the director, Emily Carish, asked me to write some of the music for the film as well. I ended up working on the music with my friends Mae and Alex, and I think getting to combine acting and music, especially with people I enjoyed working with, helped me rediscover my passion for it. Seeing how excited Emily was about the whole thing really lit something back up in me that I thought I’d lost.
I think what I’m most proud of is being a part of this community and the relationships I’ve built with the people in it. I’ve learned so much from the people I’ve worked with, not just about filmmaking, but about life in general. I love getting to understand other people’s stories, how they see the world, and how they approach their own creative process. I think being surrounded by people who see and create things differently than I do has taught me so much, and I’m really grateful for that.
As far as what sets me apart, that’s a hard question to answer about yourself. But something I always try to stick to, in everything I do, is authenticity. It matters so much to me. Every project or character I approach, I want it to be rooted in something real. I want people to watch a character and recognize a little bit of themselves in that person, even if their lives look completely different. I want to cry on screen and let someone watching feel like they can cry too. That whatever they’re feeling, they’re not the only one who’s felt it. I think there’s something really special about being able to make another person feel understood through a story, and that’s what I care about most in my work.
What makes you happy?
I think what makes me happiest is connecting with people. Getting to know someone, understanding them, and feeling understood yourself. Laughing together over some really niche reference.
My community at my acting studio makes me really happy. Everyone is so supportive of each other, and I feel comfortable trying new things and even completely failing at them because I know nobody is going to judge me for it. I love getting to watch other artists grow, try things they wouldn’t normally do, and just have fun with what they’re doing.
I also love watching movies with my friends. We try to go to the theater at least once every other week, and I always look forward to it. I love talking about what we watched afterward and hearing everyone’s different opinions.
I love traveling, too. Getting to experience new places, cultures, and meet people whose lives are completely different from mine. I’ve been lucky enough to visit 10 different countries so far, but there are so many more places I want to see. I think traveling is one of my favorite ways to learn about people and the world outside of what I’m used to.
And spending time with my mom makes me really happy. I love seeing her enjoy life, try new things, and change as a person. I feel like as I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten to know her in different ways, and our relationship has changed a lot, too. I really love that we can keep learning about each other and having new experiences together.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammiekeach/
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm15662220/
