*Originally published by Nashville Voyager (nashvillevoyager.com) on September 16, 2022.
Today we’d like to introduce you to Skylar Galayda.
Hi Skylar, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I graduated from High Point University in 2011 with an Electronic Media Production degree. I always thought I would work at a news station environment In the Washington, DC, area, but I soon discovered what live event production was. I got an apprenticeship to learn projection mapping and LED walls for my first few years out of college, which was a huge change of pace from what I learned at High Point. This heightened my interest in actually running the shows and calling camera shots, so my focus began shadowing Technical Directors and Stage Managers when I could to see how they called the shows. With a shot in the dark, not thinking to much into actually moving to Florida, I applied to the Disneys production team in early 2015, and with much surprise, I got the call that I feel changed my career. I was left at a crossroads of staying in the DMV area with all my family and friends or start on a new path with a million unknowns by myself. I weighed my pros and cons and decided this was something I had to take a risk on. Even if I moved back home in less than a year, I at least knew I had given it a shot. Jumping 3 years later, being at Disney, I had become a video crew chief at Epcot, running large video crews, technical directing massive shows, and learning what it took to be a great entertainment industry leader. My talents brought me to Music City, where I’ve lived for the past 5 years, working in live entertainment, TV/Film, and now the virtual production / extended reality space!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a smooth road?
Not a smooth road by any means, life comes in waves ( at least for me ), and I’ve had to learn that over the years. I’ve had high highs and very low lows, so I try and stay grounded and positive and keep learning the next new thing in the industry. The more knowledge and skills you have in entertainment, the better off you’ll be in the long run. I try not to pigeonhole myself into knowing just one or two skills. I want to be thrown in the fire and have to learn the hard way; that’s how I truly think I learn the best.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I manage Arc Studios here in Nashville, TN. I was ecstatic when I had the initial conversation about helping bring virtual production to this city. I knew very little about this tech (Other than watching Mandolorian on Disney+ ) but knowing my background in LED; I was up for yet another challenge to learn and build something special. I dug in and did tons of backend research to learn how virtual production studios get created from the ground up. We ran multiple tests, spoke to many partners and leaders, and landed on the right blueprint for Arc Studios. My goal as a manager is to always keep up with the newest tech here, keep past and future clients aware of the benefits of virtual production, and give an amazing experience while filming here. I love seeing how others think about this new way of filmmaking. I’m honestly proud of our entire team for pushing the boundaries of virtual production! With the resources from Gear Seven and Shift Dynamics being in-house, Arc Studios has a unique turnkey production workflow that many other studios can’t fulfill.
What do you think about luck?
I don’t believe in luck. Putting in the time and work will always speak for itself!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.arcstudios.tv
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skylargalayda/?hl=en
