Tamar Sasson, CEO & Executive Producer of Awakened Muse Productions
Profile: Tamar Sasson, CEO & Executive Producer of Awakened Muse Productions
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA
Then Story: Hollywood Producer & Visual Storyteller
Now Story: Executive Producer & CEO of Awakened Muse Productions
Off Curb Moment: Realizing the perfect antidote to an established career in Hollywood, was striking out on her own
Award winning producer, Tamar Sasson, shares the following Deepak Chopra quote on her website: “Awakening is not changing who you are but discarding who you are not.” With that as a guiding mantra, Tamar and her team help top businesses and brands shed messages that no longer serve them and drive positive change by helping them crystalize the messages that matter most. But it was Tamar’s own awakening; realizing a career in Hollywood no longer fit with who she was and where she was headed, that propelled Tamar to strike out on her own; helping conscious brands and women-led businesses achieve global impact through powerful, cinematic storytelling.
What do you do? Tell us about it.
“I’m the CEO and Executive Producer at Awakened Muse, a female-led full service production boutique [that tells stories of courage, resiliency, and innovation] and of conscious brands [companies that make a positive social impact] through powerful cinematic storytelling and holistic marketing. As a producer, I’m in the powerful position to have choices. I’m choosing to tell the kinds of stories that will really propel us forward.”
Tamar, along with the Awakened Muse team, helps innovative brands uncover the soul of their message by providing comprehensive support in creating or reinvigorating a brand’s vision and bringing it to life. As producer, Tamar uses creative foresight to put out potential fires before “there’s even a spark;” using her strategic thinking, intuition and creative problem solving capabilities to proactively navigate challenges as they arise. Her multi-faceted approach draws on experience in photography, videography, social media creation, digital media marketing, business development and a host of other skills to translate an idea or concept into something she feels is meaningful and reflective of both her client’s values and her own.
Though she owns her own firm, she frequently collaborates with other like-minded teams and visionaries to create compelling, visual stories. She is also on a mission to help revolutionize the production industry, and advance women leaders, by providing work opportunities for female leaders and up and coming women-led businesses. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
“In the next five years, I want to be telling stories for more profound leaders out there in the game…women in leadership [who are] creating movement. I want to laser focus on getting other women work and changing the game (in the industry.)”
What did you used to do before this?
“I became a visual storyteller and filmmaker at seventeen. I produced for ten years in Hollywood, getting to travel all over the world. Working in Hollywood was both exhilarating and draining. People usually stuck in one lane; I was fortunate to adapt. I worked for some really phenomenal studios. I reached beautiful heights with producing and jumped the ladder quickly. At twenty-one and twenty-two, I was managing people in an environment of 95% men and was the top leader in production. The industry is male-oriented left, right, and center. With only 7% women in the Director’s Guild, we are incredibly underrepresented. Every time I’d produce, I’d be the only woman.”
In Tamar’s previous career, men historically garnered the majority stake in decision making power; determining project timelines and budgets and storylines. Changing outdated narratives to include more diverse voices and perspectives has been challenging. Women producers, like Tamar, have often been called to shake off old paradigms; carving out their own paths and when given the opportunity, do the same for others.
Why did you make the shift to something different and what would you say was your “curb moment (s)?”
“I decided to walk away from a six-figure contract with a big studio [when I saw boundaries were crossed that didn’t sync up with my values]. I did everything in my power to course-correct but I knew it was time to leave Hollywood.”
With her values out of alignment, and a growing sense of unfulfillment, Tamar uprooted her career and moved to Santa Barbara, where she had received her B.A. in Film and Television Production at Brooks Institute years earlier. There she found fertile ground for creating and growing her own production company. “[In creating Awakened Muse] I decided right off the bat that it had to be niche and different from everything out there, specifically targeting female-led companies and conscious brands. I wanted to laser focus on who I am, what I value, and what stories matter. Through Women’s Economic Ventures and Life Coach Alexi Panos, who told me to ‘get in the game and stop hiding…,’ something really pushed me and I jumped!”
What challenges have you had in making the shift?
“I had a lot of challenges in 2017; car accidents, a concussion. As a result, I couldn’t spell, had panic attacks, and was diagnosed with PTSD. I learned how to navigate those waters; I deep dove into trauma healing, became educated on what it is and what is necessary to clear it. Fortunately, I was able to clear 99% of my trauma. I had so much support by my side after those accidents, and came out more alive and more grounded.
In coming to Santa Barbara translating skill sets was totally fine, but as far as budgets go, it was very different. I had to learn the new economy and where I was. There was also a learning curve in getting introduced to the city and how clients work.”
What has helped you overcome these challenges?
“Tribe [has] been a major aspect of me tapping into entrepreneurship and getting through ups and downs. I have a coach, a leadership mentor, and surround myself with people who truly see me and understand that I’m human. There’s no room to not grow when you’re an entrepreneur. Learning the tools helped me stay grounded, process emotions in healthy ways, stress manage (which I had no sense of in Hollywood,) act in practice of my best self, take morning rituals really seriously, learn how to support, and how to ask for support. I was very fortunate to have all that around me. And finally, my own will to persevere through any obstacles.
Since 2017 many versions of me died. The woman I am now is completely different from who I was in Hollywood. I feel very present and fortunate to be standing in my power. It’s not just what’s on the outside; I care about connecting people to their higher, most essential selves. I can really see people and create a safe space. It’s incredibly vulnerable to be in front of a camera, especially for women. I’m always there with them, making sure they’re heard and seen.”
What advice do you have for others “at the curb” who want to make a career change or start something new?
“If something bigger than you is calling you forward, you should always listen. You’ll have every reason in the book not to listen, but you know what is needed for you! Be really honest; listen and jump because the universe will catch you. There are times of fear [when] the ego is loud, which keeps you small and comfortable. Learn to identify your ego’s voice and listen to yourself.
Also, by just being conscious...deciding not to tune into mindless creating and consumption. Be decisive and direct [about] what matters to you. You have to know what makes you tick. We have a saying (at Awakened Muse;) ‘we’re all creators creating with thoughts, words, and deeds. What we think, say, and do changes our reality.’ Pay attention to what words you’re using. Speak up and don’t hold back!”
For inspiring examples of Tamar’s work at Awakened Muse make sure to visit awakenedmuse.com. Also, Tamar frequently shares creative and inspiring insight and advice you won’t want to miss at @awakenedmuse on Instagram!
By Off the Curb Features Writer Catalina Fernandez