Serena DC is changing the game in documentary making.
She’s known for creating the Emmy nominated TV series “Hollywood Disclosure” & “Dream Life,” and her feature films “Contact” and “We Are Not Alone.”
The TV star, screenwriter, executive producer and documentarian recently debuted their new documentary, “My Transparent Life.”
A Must See Documentary
“My Transparent Life” is a documentary that explores the lives of two transgender people through the various stages of transition.
Serena DC uses her investigative filmmaking skills to tell the stories of celebrity makeup artist Stassi Kihm and TikTok star Jesse Sullivan’s journeys to self-actualization as they begin hormone treatments, attend appointments with gender reassignment surgeons and adjust to life as the opposite sex.
@jessesulli It’s got the juice @francescafarago ♬ It’s Corn – Tariq & The Gregory Brothers & Recess Therapy
Serena’s unique ability of making people open up to her and share with her their deepest, most intimate thoughts and feelings is what makes her a game changer in the industry!
The Blast spoke to Serena DC about her film and the impact it has had on her personally and professionally.
Serena DC Did Not Come To Play, She Came To Slay!
How do you feel you’ve grown as a filmmaker & documentary filmmaker?
Making “My Transparent Life” “made me realize the humanity behind ALL documentaries. It’s a skill to ask a person deep personal questions and get them to give you interesting responses and make good television / film.”
She added the real skill lies in doing so in a way that will not cause trauma or harm to the interviewee.
“You’re getting people to relive some of the worst moments of their lives with you so it’s important afterward, when the cameras stop rolling, to also have real empathy for the interviewees and to make sure they are ok and have the support they need when they go home,” she said. “This type of filmmaking doesn’t stop when the cameras do.”
Given the very sensitive and raw nature of the documentary, The Blast wanted to know the difficulties of making the film.
What was the most difficult aspect?
“Being Stassi’s support person when she had her gender reaffirming surgery was very hard for me,” Serena DC admitted. “What was hard was seeing Stassi scared and worried and needing comfort but her not having her close family around to be there for her. I was glad I was there to help her but it broke my heart that I was her only option. It made me think of my own kids and how I’d never want them to be in that position. Scared and alone.”
“I Was Glad I Was There To Help” Stassi
While this was a difficult aspect of making “My Transparent Life,” there were also rewarding aspects.
“It was so amazing to get to know Jesse and Stassi and really gain an understanding on how they were feeling and the impact people around them had on their lives,” Serena DC told us. “I mean imaging being born in the wrong body, having the strength to share that knowledge and then be rejected by the people that you love.”
She loved being able to offer Jesse and Stassi her support and comfort.
For all the future filmmakers and documentarians out there, Serena DC has some wisdom to impart.
Serena DC’s Words Of Wisdom For Future Filmmakers
“Making a film is hard. It costs a lot of money and takes up all of your time so make sure you only pick projects you are passionate about. Choose topics you love so that when you’re six months in and locked in a dark editing room for 10 hours a day, you still enjoy what you do. I think that’s so important,” she explained.
Always listen to the little voice inside your head, because “that’s your subconscious talking and quite often it’s where your best content ideas come from.”
Serena DC has a whole lot more where “My Transparent Life” came from. She told us she’s got “a whole lot of films coming out over the next six months.”
She has two films “about the alien and UFO subculture in America. One is about the afterlife and one we are filming now is about the cam girl industry!”
“I set a goal to make 10 documentaries in one year and this will be number seven,” she said.
As you can see, Serena DC is continuing to make content that she’s passionate about and will inspire viewers to “be more, do more, love more and live in a state of gratitude.”
