Ten-Timer's Club Welcomes: Samantha Merrick

In her own words, ten-time Sequestered filmmaker Samantha Merrick is...

I am a New York based imaginary-soccer-rock-star-actor-writer who has finally conquered her fear of iMovie. I am passionate about telling stories. I am a collaborator, a professional and play well with others. I consider it my mission and my job to make everyone look great.

I am an Aries and an occasional instigator (in a good way!).

I don’t take myself too seriously, and I am extremely grateful to be healthy and creative during this surreal time.

Learn More about Samantha's work:

Official site: www.samanthamerrick.com

Instagram: @samanthamerrick18

Twitter: @merricksamantha

YouTube | IMDb

What was your experience with filmmaking before lockdown began?

I was basically at war with iMovie. I was determined to learn it and put a lot of pressure on myself. I had bought an online tutorial that was too long, and I was really getting frustrated. Then I saw the 90-day free trial of FinalCutPro and decided I was going to do it. I bought a one hour basic tutorial and just started winging it. FinalCutPro expired and I went back to iMovie - and here I am, ten shorts later with skills since I let go of that stress on myself.

Which is your favorite short of yours, and why?

Toss up between "No Return" (because I love horror), "Days in the Life" (because it was an unexpected idea), and "Peer to Peer" (because I love David Lynch)

Has watching other submissions influenced you?

Yes! I love seeing everyone's creativity - no specific influences except the inspiration to try something new.

Can you describe a time you tried something new or risky with one of your submissions?

The green screen in "Shake it Out", to get virtual Barcelona in the film was something I was really happy with.

Where has The Sequestered taken you?

Teaching myself iMovie has been amazing. No Return was selected to the Actors Connection YouTube channel - AC TV. I'm looking into festivals to submit my shorts to.