Meet Tim Sparks | Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tim Sparks and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tim, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I was a reluctant warrior when it came to starting my own business. I choose it because I felt that I didn’t have a choice. I worked in New York and Los Angeles doing film related jobs and internships but soon realized that I’d never go anywhere or at least not get where I wanted if I tried to climb the latter. People try to label you or pigeon hole you based on what benefits them and its hard to get a chance if you don’t just just go for it. So I took the leap and put some projects together and found ways to survive in the meantime.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The journey is long and difficult. I think when you are a creative you lean that it’s more of a lifestyle than a career. For me it’s just that inward drive of never being satisfied but at the same time always being honest about the creative process. I’m not one of those who thinks my work is brilliant just because I did it or was a part of it. I constantly want to get better and the difficult part of the feedback mechanism in filmmaking is the time it takes to develop a project and then get it into the public domain you often live in a vacuum. I know I can make a way better film than the one I just completed just by all the trial and errors and learning that occurred on the film I’m currently finishing. So you look back at your previous work and have to appreciate it for what it is, a reflection of who you were when you made that but at the same time have to be anxious to put the new you into the next project. I don’t think the journey ever gets easy. The challenges and restraints are always there. There is no arriving on the top and just being free that is an illusion. The filmmaking journey is a constant tug of war on all things creative and business. Each project always requires more of you than you have but as the process unfolds that artist inside you grows and assimilates in the moment to rise to the occasion and project…that is every single day and that’s what I love this lifestyle and career you’re always having to stretch yourself to grow to the next level. I don’t need to pre remembered but I want my work to have a real time impact on views and hopefully in most of my projects make you think about life or about a social injustice to see yourself vicariously in the characters struggle, maybe get an answer or an inspiration for life.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love diversity and culture, last time I counted I’d been to more than 25 countries. I like to live in the moment, I’m not one of these who schedules a dinner reservation for next Friday. I don’t know what I’ll be into or up for next Friday. Maybe I’d like to hang in Miami Beach, Brickell or in Coral Gables where I live but I find all that boring. Being around good people and having provoking conversations are what I’m about. I could be anywhere so long as there is interesting conversation going on. Besides that what I love is traveling and experience new cultures and places.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are many people that I’d have to thank as it relates to my filmmaking journey. Each project that I undertake generates a new and unique list of advocates and champions that I’d have to thank but to keep it brief as it relates to the overall big picture, I’d have to thank my parents and my filmmaking mentor Tom Musca. Tom is who really took me under his wing and showed me the ropes as it relates to filmmaking. Prior to meeting him I did have skills and ability but he truly helped me put it all together.

Website: https://www.sparkstarfilms.com
Instagram: sparkstarlive
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/timsparks1

Image Credits
photo one: left to right: Patricia DeLeon, Tim Sparks, Emilio Uribe second photo: Tim Sparks, Paul Rodgiguez