Sarah Priestnall

Documentary

In high school I had two passions – political change and rock n’ roll. When it was time to pick a university, I insisted on going to the London School of Economics, home of many leading left-leaning academics, and more importantly, where Mick Jagger had gone to college.

When I graduated three years later, at the age of twenty, my love of music had been joined by a love of movies and documentaries. I wanted to work in the film and television industry but had no idea what I could do. I got a job as a runner in a post production facility. I quickly moved up to tape op, assistant editor etc.. and at the age of 25 decided to move from England to Hollywood. At some point I became an expert in post production and eventually production – working for manufacturers, managing post facilities and pioneering some really cool technologies like Digital Intermediate and digital acquisition. Along the way I got to work on some great TV shows (Northern Exposure, Star Trek: The Next Generation) and was lucky enough to work with some of my favorite filmmakers – a highlight being working with the Coen Brothers and (Oscar-winning Cinematographer) Roger Deakins on O Brother Where Art Thou, understood by many to be the first Hollywood film finished using the Digital Intermediate process.

I recently accepted an Engineering Emmy Award on behalf of Codex, a company I worked with for several years. I kept up an avid interest in documentaries, helping out friends whenever I could. Examples include a documentary about motorbikes and the people who love them, Why We Ride and Amargosa, a documentary about the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction.

And now I’m working with Perennial Films on a six-part, limited documentary series, Nature’s Genius (working title), where I’ll be able to bring all my skills and knowledge to this amazing and important project.