I’ve been thinking a lot about midlife career reinvention; what it takes to recognize when it’s time for a change, and what happens when you actually have the courage to make one.
Then, earlier this year, I got a LinkedIn message from TV producer and showrunner Sam Sokolow wanting to catch up.
If you watched Genius, the historical anthology series on Nat Geo (now found on Amazon Prime,) Sam’s name may be familiar to you. The first season was based on Walter Isaacson’s book Einstein: His Life and Work, and subsequent seasons explored the lives of Picasso, Aretha Franklin, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X.
The last time I saw Sam was at a mutual friend’s birthday party, where I got to congratulate him on all of his Emmy nominations. That was a few years ago, so we were long overdue for a catch-up.
When we finally talked, I learned that Sam had made a pretty major change of his own. He had left Los Angeles and moved to South Carolina to become a Film Professor at Clemson University. He has built out the school’s film program and oversaw the production of the micro-budget feature Student Film: The Movie. Not only is he loving his new life as a professor, he is loving the community and experiencing a new way of living outside the Hollywood bubble.
Our conversation was so interesting—and honestly, so uplifting—that I asked Sam if he would record an episode with me.
I wanted to talk about more than just how movies and television get made. I wanted to talk about what happens when you’ve spent years building a career in one place, one industry, or one version of yourself… and then decide you want something different.
So that’s what we did.
Please enjoy this one-hour episode of Coffee with KP and Sam Sokolow.
How films and television get made and distributed (and the skills you need to do the same)
How you can build out a creative community and career anywhere in the world, not just Los Angeles
Why he made the decision to step away from LA to move to a smaller city (and whether or not that’s the right decision for you)
Whether you’re a film student, a recent graduate, or someone in midlife wondering, “Could I possibly move to a smaller community and start over again?” —I think you’ll find something in this conversation.
Sometimes reinvention isn’t about starting over, it could also be about taking everything you’ve learned with you—and building a life that fits who you are now.
For more episodes of Coffee with KP, subscribe to my Substack using the button below.
Hugs!
-KP
PS- If you are unable to view this, email me and let me know- ASAP. I think I worked out the technical difficulties but you never really know until you hit “send.” Thank you so much for subscribing to my Substack. It truly means the world to me.
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.