“If you set your goals ridiculously high and it’s a failure, you will fail above everyone else’s success.” – James Cameron
One of the most cutthroat businesses in the world is the film and entertainment industry. It is one where many come, many fail, and many have no choice but to retreat from. The dazzle of Hollywood, which seems glamorous from afar, is much more daunting when viewed in person, void of the glitz and stars.
To be successful in Hollywood—and to stay afloat amongst a sea of proverbial sinking ships—requires a triumvirate of talent, resources, and relentless stamina. In an industry where the most common word uttered by decision makers and executives is “no,” it requires relentless dedication and belief in oneself to overcome the odds. One such filmmaker who is letting nothing stand in his path is writer-director-actor Tarek Tohme.
Hard Work Conquers All
Born on August 28th, 1989, in Santa Monica, California, Tohme is a rising American producer, film director, actor, talent manager, and screenwriter. He was raised in the Brentwood Community of Los Angeles. One of his first interactions with the entertainment industry came through his father, then manager of global music icon Michael Jackson. From a young age, Tohme has had his eyes set on the entertainment business, but he made sure never to let his dreams come in the way of his academics. Between 2006 and 2008, he attended Harvard-Westlake High School in Studio City, where he displayed prowess in the French language and the sport of competitive wrestling. But movies were always his greatest passion.
Choosing to pass up his aspirations of collegiate wrestling in favor of accepting a scholarship at USC (which had no wrestling team), Tohme fully immersed himself in academics while pursuing separate degrees in both film and business. While in college, Tohme was one of the eight students selected to work on The Labyrinth, a still-unreleased feature film anthology produced and financed by film star James Franco. Tohme had a hard-working and ambitious personality; he made sure to utilize any opportunities that came his way. He obtained the university’s prestigious, four-year, full-tuition trustee scholarship through his dedication and hustle.
Channeling the work ethic he developed on the wrestling mat, Tohme worked tirelessly in the face of failure and challenge, working multiple production jobs post-graduation while simultaneously developing several original screenplays. Finally, in 2016, Tohme got his big breakthrough—the green-light for his directorial debut—for an independent drama titled Hold On. The film stars Luis Guzman, Maurice Benard, Beth Grant, Tohme himself, and his now clients Flavor Flav and Micayla De Ette. The story of this film revolves around a highly talented yet overlooked singer who embarks on an unexpected journey with a famed music manager’s son.
The film hit cinemas in the United States on December 6th, 2019, right before the start of the Coronavirus pandemic. It is currently being set for re-release in winter 2021/early 2022.
Going Bigger and Better
Fresh off his directorial debut, Tarek Tohme is still not one to settle; after much time and effort, he currently operates his own production company, Stone Canyon Pictures, which includes a management division for artists in the film and music field. His company is currently producing feature films, commercials, industrial videos, podcasts, and music videos. Today, Tohme is hard at work on his next directorial effort: an untitled sports documentary.
In an industry where most ships sink, Tarek Tohme is an example of one that is maintaining a steady course—with the vessel’s bow, stern and sail all in tact. There is no telling where the waves of the ocean may take any rising artist in the sea of Hollywood, but one thing is certain—no storm or current will stand in the way from Tarek Tohme’s efforts to create and inspire.
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