Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
About Me
Member of Local 479 since 2010.
Hi! I'm Sara Riney (surname pronounced Rhy-knee). I’ve been a member of Local 479 since 2010.
My craft is Set Decoration Buyer, working off-production to ready the sets before our shooting crew needs them.
I want to be your Vice-President because workers need better representation, more transparency, and increased accountability from our leadership to move this Local forward. Before I started my career in the film industry, I worked for more than 12 years in media & public relations, marketing, cross-promotional events, sponsorship, and strategic communications. For the majority of that time, I worked for non-profits, working closely with Boards of Directors, members, donors, and committees to achieve organizational goals, whether the focus was fine arts, youth development, healthcare, or sports. My vast and varied experience gives me a unique point of view that will help me support all the members of Local 479 as a collaborative and modern leader.
My Background
I was born in Austell, GA. My parents moved us to Kentucky when I was a toddler, so I grew up in the Bluegrass State until I graduated from college (double major: English and Fine Arts). I moved "back" to Atlanta in 1996, where my first job was at The Vortex in Little Five Points, shortly after it first opened. After a brief stint as a copywriter for an advertising agency, writing ads for the agency's non-profit clients (Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, American Cancer Society), I realized had a passion for helping non-profits, which led to a 12-year career in non-profit marketing and PR.
- Public Relations & Communications Manager at an AIDS organization. I worked on media relations, fundraisers (including AIDS Walk Atlanta, ~15k attendees), wrote grants, and secured corporate sponsorships and media partnerships for golf tournaments and black-tie galas.
- Marketing and Public Relations Manager for a museum, where I handled all member communication to triple attendance by cross-promotion within tourism and arts communities.
- Public Relations Director and national spokesperson for a non-profit (within a very large cola company). I wrote & implemented a national communications plan (including crisis management), developed public relations opportunities, organized speaking engagements, and created messaging to support the national foundation as well as five community-based program markets. I also produced all promotional materials, including hiring videographers and graphic designers for promotional materials.
- Director of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships for a Music Events company that produced concerts and music cruises.
Most importantly, in all of my non-profit jobs, I worked closely with the Board of Directors, presenting my plans and strategy
while participating in BOD meetings as well as Committee meetings. All of which lends to my experience as a leader for non-profit organizations.
Non-Profit Experience: Local and National
In 2004, I co-founded a non-profit sports league and served on the Board of Directors for six years. We were all unpaid volunteers joining together to create an organization from the ground up. I worked with a group of inspiring women from a wide variety of backgrounds and personality types to form committees, write bylaws, balance budgets, and recruit and train athletes. Our inaugural event had more than 1,000 attendees through grassroots word-of mouth marketing. We also worked closely with the international governing body (WFTDA - Women’s Flat Track Derby Association) to help grow hundreds of chapters
in major cities around the world.
In fact, I served on the International organization's
Public Relations, Marketing, and Sponsorship committee.
My earned media coverage included syndicated media like CNN Headline News & Associated Press stories, Canadian History Channel; as well as every major media outlet in the Atlanta vicinity. I collaborated on cross-promotional events with targeted audiences, including DragonCon, ComicExpo, Netherworld, local restaurants, parades, festivals, theater companies. I worked with high-profile sports organizations such as the Atlanta Thrashers, Atlanta Silverbacks, Atlanta Xplosion. And I supported multiple charities, providing donations to East Atlanta Kids Club, animal rescue groups, women's shelters, and more.
So, if you've met me, you’ve probably heard me mention
ATLANTA ROLLER DERBY, which was a huge part of my life for many years. After 15 years, the Atlanta league is still going strong, and
I’m very proud of the work we did to position the organization for growth and a sustainable future.
Film Industry Experience
I joined Local 479 in 2010. In my first three jobs, I worked on TPS productions with an amazing experienced Set Dec/Art Dept.
It was definitely a learning curve for the first few months, but I enjoyed getting schooled by Melinda Sanders, Brenda Findley, Lance Totten, and Mary Stacy, to name a few. Since that time, I’ve completed more than 200 episodes of television, many features, and a handful of commercials.
And during my career, I’ve met some brililant hardworking humans that have enriched my life and taught me many things.
The best part about being a Set Dec Buyer is NOT “shopping with other people’s money,” and definitely NOT driving in traffic… What I enjoy most is the research and creativity involved with being part of a team that brings sets to life, inspired by the characters that will inhabit the space.
Essentially, working as a buyer has added to my experience with relationship building, follow-up, and communicating with people from all walks of life. Logistics, researching, budgeting, connecting with others are just a few of the skills I use daily that are necessary for anyone in leadership. And, when elected, I will exercise those skills while working with membership to ensure a collaborative and open-door environment. To learn more about my film experience, visit imdb.me/sarariney.