Clara's Lisa making strides in US film and TV
A young Clara woman has been rubbing shoulders with some big Hollywood names as she develops her career in the TV and film industry in America.
Lisa Stewart is making the move to Los Angeles this week, having spent the last four years in New York City.
During her time in the Big Apple, the former Scoil Bhride and Killina Secondary School student worked on projects involving top actors Steve Martin and Michael Shannon, as well as 'La La Land' director Damien Chazelle.
Lisa 'cut her teeth' in Ireland, working at the Irish Film and Television Awards, and producing videos for brands and companies before moving to the States.
"I visited New York as a kid on a family holiday and fell in love with it," she told the Offaly Independent. "It was always my plan to move here. Not necessarily forever, but I was aware of the potential opportunities that New York could offer."
She had a degree in media production management from Dublin, and in New York she studied studying screenwriting with New York University and acting at the prestigious Stella Adler Studio of Acting.
Lisa said it was tough for newcomers to break into the film and TV industry, as it mostly operates on a 'who you know' basis. "But I think Irish people have a great work ethic and it stands to us," she added.
"I had a boss who hired a lot of international people because he was so impressed by how hard we worked. We have to work so hard to even be here, so when we do get good opportunities we give it everything.
"The first year can be tough to get on your feet, when you’re focusing solely on getting into this industry. But once you get your foot in the door, and start to meet people, the hardest part is over.
"If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s the importance of just being yourself. I’ve been in situations where people have advised me to act a certain away to get the most for myself, but that’s not in my nature so I stuck to my values and went with my gut and it has always worked in my favour."
Asked about the most memorable projects she has worked on, she replied: "I worked on an interview with Steve Martin for a documentary. I watched so many of his movies growing up, so to be one of only 10 people on set with him for this interview was definitely a highlight.
"I also worked with the New York Film Critics Series on their interviews with 'La La Land' director Damien Chazelle and actor Michael Shannon.
"Most recently I’ve been working with Sony Pictures Entertainment on a new TV show called ‘Meet The Drapers’, featuring one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent families, The Drapers."
Lisa said she grew up "very close to my entire family - my parents and brother, lots of cousins, and both sets of grandparents all living within a seven-mile radius."
As a result, she said it was tough to now live so far from home. "I try to visit home about two or three times a year, but I don’t think the goodbyes ever get any easier.
My first year out here, I didn’t come home at all. I swore I’d never leave it that long again."
The next big development in her career is the move to LA. "I have some potentially exciting opportunities there, so we’ll see what’s meant to be," she said.
"New York has been great to me, and I’ve learned so much from my time here, but this definitely feels like the right step."