"If It’s Not Here, I’ll Make It": The Birth of Newcastle Film Club | Samantha Castro

Join your host, Ashleigh King, as she welcomes Samantha Castro, creative video producer, Founder and President of Newcastle Film Club, and former Flamingo Heights team member, for an inspiring conversation about gumption, global moves, and the power of grassroots community.

From growing up in a high-achieving Air Force family in Texas to navigating the rigours of UK spousal visas, Sam shares how she turned her "producer brain" into a tool for both personal and community growth. 

Together, Ashleigh and Sam explore the reality of creative burnout, the "nerve-wracking" leap of going full-time on a passion project, and why the secret to nurturing your zest often lies in simply pressing record.

Themes of this conversation:

🌵 The "Texan" Work Ethic

 How a childhood of perfect attendance and competitive band/basketball shaped Sam's "show up come hell or high water" approach to her career.

🌵 The Visa Journey 

The hidden anxieties and mountains of paperwork involved in building a life across continents, and the relief of finally securing "indefinite leave to remain".

🌵 If You Build It, They Will Come

Recognising a gap in the North East creative scene and founding Newcastle Film Club to help local filmmakers "Collaborate, Create, and Repeat".

🌵 Leadership and Trust 

The evolution of a creative leader: learning when to delegate to volunteers and how to maintain high standards without overstepping.

🌵 Backing Yourself 

The "now or never" moment of leaving a stable role to focus entirely on a social enterprise and finding viability in passion.

🌵 Creating vs. Consuming 

Escaping the algorithm-induced "burnout loop" by getting offline, doing crafts, and finishing personal projects for the sake of joy.

This episode is for anyone navigating:

The transition from a side hustle to a full-time passion

Moving to a new country and finding your "tribe"

Overcoming creative burnout and "consumption fatigue"

Building grassroots communities or social enterprises

Learning to be a compassionate yet effective leader

Chapters

00:00 The "Gumption" to Create What You Want to See

02:47 Growing Up in Texas: Air Force, Sports, and Straight As

05:53 The Power of Showing Up: 12 Years of Perfect Attendance

11:10 Falling in Love with Media and the Move to the UK

17:57 The Reality of Spousal Visas and Lingering Anxiety

22:43 Founding Newcastle Film Club: Filling the Gap

27:06 From Lockdown to RTS Nominations and 95k Views

34:25 Creative Leadership: Delegating and Managing Volunteers

37:03 The Conversation: "Ash, I Need to Go All In"

42:53 The Fear of Pressing "Publish"

47:57 Escaping the Loop: Create More, Consume Less

49:09 Tips for Overcoming Creative Burnout

52:59 One Word to Nurture Your Zest: Honesty

Links & Resources

Visit Newcastle Film Club:

https://www.newcastlefilmclub.co.uk/

Follow Sam’s YouTube Journey:

https://www.youtube.com/@SamanthaJoe

Sam’s Dinosaur Bullet Journal Video:

https://youtu.be/OzRtrJtQlXk?si=23AzVLlAXSdODIWd

Connect with Samantha Castro on LinkedIn: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthacastro1/

Connect with Your Host, Ashleigh King: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleigh-elizabeth-king/

This podcast was filmed at Flamingo Heights Podcast Studio. 🦩

 If you would like to record a podcast or have any questions about starting a podcast please write to: 💌 bookings@flamingoheights.co.uk www.flamingoheights.co.uk