Today we’d like to introduce you to Elisa Trentham.
Hi Elisa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve had a camera by my side for as long as I can remember. I would bring my friends together to recreate our favorite scenes from the Pirates of the Carribbean movies or Agatha Christie murder mystery books. We started writing our own films, entering them into festivals, and I realized I could make a career with the camera.
I studied film production in college, minoring in PR and Spanish because I love the language and felt it could be helpful to have some marketing knowledge.
After college, I started filming and photographing weddings, and trying to find jobs in TV and film in my hometown of Knoxville. I knocked on all the doors I knew about at the time, and nothing. One day, I showed up at a picnic to welcome refugees from Iraq, and there I met some professors who took a chance on me. For three years, I worked with them on a sports diplomacy grant with the U.S. Department of State focused on empowering women and girls.
My role grew from event photographer to creating guerilla-style documentary films, shooting, editing, and delivering films in 5 weeks. The catch? We traveled to different cities around the U.S. every day. I would land in LA, take a rental car to some corporate offices, film interviews and b-roll, crash in our hotel, wake up, fly to a different city, and do it all over again.
I was able to demonstrate the power of video storytelling to government officials who had been set on executing their programs in a certain way. We fought to prove ourselves and it paid off.
I took my experience in that position and started my own video production business in 2015, working with business executives to help them communicate well on camera, and work with non-profits to capture the stories of the important work they do.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The biggest challenges I’ve faced as a woman in video and business is the mental game. The comparisons, the pressure to be “all-in” on the business, the simultaneous pull of motherhood and family.
I can remember this crazy dichotomy at the birth of my first child. I had planned to wrap all my video projects so I could take some time off. To my surprise, the pregnancy became high-risk and we had an unexpected early induction. I still had a project to edit. Hours after the birth, my best friend who had helped me through labor and delivery was now watching me open up the video project on my laptop, me laying on the hospital bed, explaining how the project needed to be edited and delivered.
I wouldn’t be here today without the support of friends and family who, in moments like the birth of my children, have stepped in to help with childcare, or business leaders who opened doors for me. The challenges of slow seasons and busy seasons, of building services, refining them, and bringing them to market have been harder than I could have ever imaged. But I’m still here.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Sherwood Media?
We are a creative video partner that works with businesses and non-profits to create strategic, effective video content.
Most people dread being on camera. We make it fun, warm, and guided through conversational-style interviews.
Our clients feel great about their videos because we have taken the time to understand their business’s ethos, goals, and audience.
I’m very proud that we’re women-owned, and that we’re still here after 10 years.
I want our readers to know that you don’t have to know exactly what kind of video you need before you come to us. That’s part of the strategy we offer. You can book a Story Strategy session with us and get a 20% discount on the video services you book with us.
We are looking forward to serving more business leaders and nonprofits in executive coaching and video production, and are eager to create more authentic, story-driven video content.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Everyone is thinking about how AI is going to change the game, and we’ve seen that it already is.
What we’re excited about is our focus on authentic, human-centered storytelling. As much as AI-generated content can try to imitate the real thing, I believe humans will still always crave connection with other humans, and a great way to do that is through storytelling.
We’re leveraging tools and technology as they develop, and are choosing to see these advancements as just that – tools.
For business, I believe there is a shift toward tossing the script and talking like real humans with quirks, flaws, and personalities. I know it can feel scary or unprofessional, but I’m happy to help my clients walk this fine line with authenticiy and boldness.
For non-profits, I recommend more donor testimonials, behind-the-scenes videos, and cinematic storytelling to connect emotionally with the viewers.
Pricing:
- Event Coverage (up to 4 hours of filming for a 1-minute video) starts at $2500
- “Our Story” video (1 day of filming, 3-minute video) starts at $7,500
- Online course content, longer documentary projects, product video: contact us
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sherwood.media
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sherwoodmedia
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SherwoodKnoxville
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisatrentham
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@storiesbysherwoodmedia
