How Sledgehammer Pictures got it’s name.
Dreaming of film making started early for me. As a child I made my folks and their friends watch me turn my playroom into elaborate sets and act out scenes I had written in my head. Film was the subject I chose to study in college, where I made several student shorts. But soon after I graduated I found myself a married stay at home Mom of a two year boy and twin one year old girls. I spent their nap time writing screenplays and deepening the study of my craft. I found a weekend film retreat for women put on by the director Deborah Kampmeier. My husband and I were pinching serious pennies to get by at the time, so I reached out to her to ask if I could purchase one day of the retreat. She asked how much I had to pay. I told her what little I could come up with and she replied that the amount would be plenty for the whole weekend. I arrived to the event with such anxiety, I had not been out in the world as anything but a mother in quiet a while. Over the next few days I experienced every emotion one could feel, and heard Deborah’s story while sharing my own. She asked me why I didn’t direct anymore and my answer was children. She then shared with me how she fed her infant on set while directing Hound dog. Then she asked what else? I thought for a moment and told her that I had always felt a wall between myself and Hollywood, I just couldn’t seem to climb it no matter how hard I tried. The room became silent, looking me in the eyes she responded “You don’t need to climb it, get yourself a sledgehammer and knock that mother **** down!”. The whole room erupted in cheers. I went home a changed women and immediately got back on the film making horse. First I began picking up extra gigs and volunteering for The Atlanta Film Festival. This led to a job photo-doubling teenagers on The Walking Dead. I started helping out on independent films. Then I took the leap and made a horror short called Option # 3. This has lead to a journey of growth as a writer and director. So when it came time to name the production co I create under, I went back to that statement fueling the fire in my heart. It makes perfect sense that my production co be called Sledgehammer Pictures. Here I am knocking down all the walls, thanks to you Deborah! I am still a Mother and Wife, but now my family helps me to make my art. What a wild ride it’s been to here.
If you don’t know Deborah Kampmeier or her work check her out, there is a link below. You will love her like I do!!
http://fullmoonfilmsny.com/?fbclid=IwAR3GROK78RZMQfgdo4jOTQrIjsZb3HTbnJWO6SsU0kMznlVp2BBBn9uSAnM