FilmingLifer PRO | Ashley Lewis
Ashley Lewis is a filmmaker based in Atlanta, Georgia and also one of our valued FilmingLifers here at the FilmingLife® Academy + Network
Tell us a bit about yourself…
Hi!! I'm Ashley, a wife and mother of two from Atlanta.
I have always identified as a creative and was an artist growing up. I have a BA in Fine Arts from the University of Florida, but after graduation and marriage I found myself wanting to be at home with my babies. I picked up sewing and created my own small business called Native Fable, a children's creative accessory brand, which has grown so much over the last 6 years! While I love my job and the team I have built - all work from home moms & retirees - I was finding a void in my creativity.
As the covid pandemic began I decided to pick up our household camera and try to figure it out. This lead to a passion of learning photography which quickly turned into videography and my heart was just bursting with every project! After discovering videography, I never looked back.
Tell us about the kind of photography & films you create…
My focus as a filmmaker has been documenting my own family of four. I have created small portrait films of my children as well as season-long family films with all of our little moments included. Lately I have very much enjoyed creating short films when our family takes a trip, rather than taking photos.
The most eye opening part of videography for me is that my children love being a part of my movies - where as they despised having their photo taken. They are so eager to see the final product, and we enjoy past films regularly as a family.
I have begun to build my portfolio to offer family films for others in the Atlanta area, and hope to be taking clients by 2022, but I honestly am in no rush. I am enjoying every moment of this journey!
How did you first get started in photography?
As I mentioned before, my photography journey began over our lockdown from the pandemic. I was searching for a new passion and wanting to document this time at home with our children. LOTS of youtube lessons later, I could take a decent photo on manual. There are new things about photography I am learning every day!
Image Credit: @sandystreetphotography
What made you decide to learn video? What was your motivation?
On a whim, I flipped to video mode with hopes of making a little film about my kids. I spent the whole day shooting, with very little knowledge of how to stabilize or choose camera settings for video... and when I uploaded all of my clips at the end of the day into iMovie (ha!) I cried big tears.
Video was truly what my heart was searching for.
Their voices, the way she dances around the house, the way he works so hard to make her laugh, all of this was captured in a way that stills never could. It was new ground for me but I was immediately all in.
What was your biggest challenge when you first started learning video and how did you overcome it?
My biggest challenge with filmmaking when starting out was definitely editing - premier pro is a beast!
However, the FilmingLife® Academy has given me so much knowledge in this area, and I am learning as I go. I still would love to get better at color grading, but I'm not pressuring myself to be perfect.
I am still developing so many skills and have found the community in FLA to be incredibly supportive and just what I need to grow.
I try to challenge myself to do one new thing in every film I make, something I've never tried or learned before. These new skills always end up coming in handy in future projects!
Tell us about your favourite film and why it's special to you…
My all time favorite film is my first, the one I mentioned above. It'll always be my favorite I'm sure.
It's a portrait of my son and daughter with a focus on their truly special relationship. I shot it all over the course of one day, with a huge shot list of all the things I wanted to capture. I told them about the idea beforehand and they were both so excited - it just seemed like a super fun day to them!
I filmed them all day long, with so little knowledge of how to actually do that, edited it in iMovie with a black and white filter, it was a mess!
But to date it is the happiest film I've ever made. It makes me belly laugh and cry happy tears every time, and they love it even more than I do.
It was my breakthrough 100%.
Ashley’s favourite film
What is your best piece of advice for those just getting started with films?
My best advice for someone starting out is to just START filming! Don't prep and plan, just get the camera out and try!
There's really no moment too little to film, and you will learn so much with each try.
And ironically enough, those first little moments captured will end up being some of your most treasured moments!
See more of Ashley’s work via Instagram: @lewispartyof_4
