The film and television production and management company Zero Gravity Management have signed Tatum Sailors (BFA Film & Television ’24) with manager Matt DiPaolo. This marks the first time a School of Theatre, Film & Television (TFTV) film student has signed for representation before graduating.
It was the success of Sailors’ documentary At 7 that initially caught DiPaolo’s eye. The short film, a charming depiction of the life of a 7-year-old living with Type 1 diabetes, was created in Assoc. Professor Jacob Bricca’s Documentary Production class.
“Tatum came to me with the idea of At 7 early in the semester,” says Bricca. “She said she had a cousin who was both hilarious and genuinely inspiring, and that she could shoot the whole film in a single weekend. Already by this time, I had a hunch she could pull it off. She has a great instinct for shooting verité footage, and for finding the heart of the story. It was a pleasure to help guide her through the editorial process and to make some suggestions about how to structure it. But this was Tatum’s baby every step of the way. I’m enormously proud of the work she’s done at TFTV.”
With the help of a film festival strategy devised by TFTV’s festivals and awards office, Sailors’ completed film gained attention on the festival circuit, with official selections by the Academy Award-qualifying Chicago International Children’s Film Festival among numerous others across the country. After tracking its festival success, DiPaolo sought out the film on TFTV’s YouTube channel and then connected with the filmmaker.
“As a UA alum working in the entertainment industry and a type 1 diabetic, I felt compelled to reach out to Tatum after I watched At 7,” says DiPaolo. “Her eye for talent was obvious from the get-go. After mentoring her through her senior year, her dedication, thoughtfulness, curiosity, and desire to learn gave me the confidence to add her to a roster shared with Emmy winning clients. There’s no doubt about the growing stature of films and filmmakers emerging from TFTV, and going forward I’m excited to continue to track these successes and to strengthen our relationship with the school.”
“Before even signing, Matt has been a fantastic mentor,” says Sailors. “He has given me great advice and introduced me to many industry professionals over the past few months. Matt’s kindness and genuine interest in my passions made signing an obvious choice. I absolutely cannot wait to further my career as a cinematographer, and I cannot thank Matt enough for deciding to represent me.”
Tatum Sailors’ senior thesis film Dear Addie will premiere alongside those of her filmmaker classmates at I Dream in Widescreen, TFTV’s signature annual showcase, at the Fox Tucson Theatre on Saturday May 4.
Get tickets to I Dream in Widescreen