SOBER SPOTLIGHT: Cameron Greene of Venice, California Makes Sobriety Look Good For Young People Everywhere

December 07, 2021

This week I am thrilled to be shining the sober spotlight on Cameron Greene. As a person in long-term recovery. I strive to be of maximum service to others, and one of the places I serve is as a board member for Ninety 90 Pictures. Their mission is to help people in recovery achieve long-term stability through gainful employment in the film industry. They provide jobs and peer support to people in recovery through their projects. And this is how I came to know Cameron Greene.

Cameron recently worked on the first project, Die Pretty, produced by Ninety 90 Pictures, which was recently filmed in New Mexico. Die Pretty is an Indie TV Pilot based on the life of Ninety 90 Pictures Co-Founder Rachel Ellner. You can read more about that project, including ways to get involved or donate here.

I frequently connect with Scott Langer, the other Co-Founder of Ninety 90 Pictures, to help guide him with marketing, public relations, and fundraising strategies. When Scott shared the story of his experience working with Cameron Greene for that week onset, I knew I wanted to meet Cameron. I wish I could accurately capture the enthusiasm of Scott as he filled me in on how this first film project went. Of the many stories he shared, it was his gratitude and pride surrounding hiring Cameron and watching him flourish on set that stood out to me. Scott’s story was so compelling; I wanted to reach out to Cameron to hear about the experience in his own words.

Sober Spotlight Q&A with Cameron Greene

What’s your Sobriety Date?

November 6, 2020 – This is my first time getting one year, and it gave me a lot of anxiety leading up to it. I’ve been in and out of treatment since I was 17. I want to succeed in my life. Until the addiction part was handled, I instinctively knew I wasn’t going to move forward.

Favorite Non-Alcoholic Beverage of Choice?

Red Bull – I never drank energy drinks before getting sober…snorting cocaine was where I got my energy from, LOL.

What’s your favorite #QUITLIT Book or recovery podcast?

Ok, it’s not a book. But I’m a massive fan of Andrew Huberman, Founder, and Host of the Huberman Lab podcast. The Huberman Lab Podcast discusses neuroscience: how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health. Learning the science behind my addictions was huge for me.

What advice do you have for someone new to recovery?

Learn to surrender. It’s important to learn to surrender what you believe and think about sobriety might be or might look like. Let that shit go. Just follow what people with more time do, follow their guidance. Your head is your biggest enemy.

How does your recovery benefit your career?

It has allowed me to create and hold relationships in the work field and my personal life; These two places cross over frequently. I’ve learned to be consistent and to show up.

How has recovery impacted your family life?

Everyone has grown a lot closer, tighter. It’s been a fantastic time with my family. We are now full of joy. Communication skills have improved, and we work through our problems. It feels good to know my family isn’t worried about me anymore. I have a sister two years younger, and she can be proud of her older brother now. She even comes to me with questions and seeks advice. That’s not something she did before I got sober.

Let’s talk selfie-care. What do you do to take time for yourself?

Bike ride, surf, and listen to a lot of music. I love learning new things. I can go down the rabbit holes on YouTube. Recently, I learned product design, specifically on products we buy that enhance specific sounds. They give an impression that something is happening in the machine reinforces that the device is doing what it is supposed to. For instance, vacuums could be quieter, but companies choose to have them loud so consumers “feel” like they are working better. Fascinating stuff! I also love to create and really lean into my artist side.

Going public with your recovery can be intimidating. What tips or benefits do you have to share?

I spend time thinking about how I present my sobriety to the world. I just got a year, and I don’t post about it on social media. I didn’t make very many posts over the last year either. I don’t want people to define who I am with my sobriety based on what they perceive from social media. With private conversations, I have no problem talking about it at all. It’s more of a personal journey, and I always want to make sure what I’m doing, I do for the right reasons.

If you could go backwards and give your newly sober self some advice, what would it be?

Days or times that you feel down or that you can’t or won’t make it out, just keep going. If you practice, the skills learned in therapy, you can do this one day at a time.

Sober Pop Culture with Cameron Greene:

Do you have a favorite Sober Celeb?

Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean. Until I was 10, I was obsessed with Peter Pan from being in the theater. When Pirates of the Caribbean came out, I needed to be that guy. I was so drawn in by the character and the costume design. This is what got me into wardrobe styling. I started making costumes; I began thrifting. It opened up an entirely new world and passion.

I love the idea of a nomad, the clothing and jewelry, as they go thru their travels. The way clothing slowly accumulates is like a road map of their journey on their body. When I work on magazine styling, I get to choose from designers’ looks, but there’s not usually a lot of room for creativity. For myself, I love mixing different eras and adding my touch with spray paint.

Sober Curator Side Note from Alysse: I wish I could have found a way to capture how Cameron lights up when he talks about costume design and styling. Maybe one day I’ll be able to say, “I knew this young man before he made it big.” Because let me assure you, as long as he stays sober, I have zero doubts that this young man is going places with his career.

What’s on your playlist right now?

I love all types of music, but right now I’m listening to a lot of Aphex Twin and Playboy Carti.

What’s your favorite TV series or movie with addiction as the storyline?

Die Pretty (and then Cameron smiled really big)

What was it like to work on the Ninety 90 Pictures set for Die Pretty?

In the beginning, I’d never really worked on a film set. I had done photo shoots before, but I knew there would be more moving pieces with video. The first day was critical to organizing the wardrobe options, and I found myself paying attention to the different roles and jobs and taking note of the entire production crew. I looked at it as if it were a machine that I needed to learn the other parts and how they worked together.

Building relationships with the people on set, the feeling of the camaraderie that was building, made me more comfortable. This enabled me to know what needed to be done without being asked. I took every opportunity to be helpful and to learn. By the end of the week, I felt comfortable with everyone, which was a huge surprise. In a creative team environment, it was so inspiring in a way I haven’t experienced since being in college. It was super inspiring to see sober people on set with a good amount of recovery time under their belts. This experience taught me that if I stick with sobriety, maybe one day I could have a position that they do, to be a full time working sober creative,

What’s your meditation practice like?

I listen to different sound waves on YouTube. I enjoy working out and then meditating right after, finding a spot in the sun. For 20-30 minutes, I stay as still as I can and focus on my forehead and breathing.

Do you have a favorite place to travel?

Venice, Italy is a place I’ve been once, and I’d love to go back for the Venice Biennale, which is like the Olympics for the art world.

What’s next for you Cameron?

I am currently really inspired by the craft of acting. There are a few acting coaches I’ve been pointed towards. School will be starting soon, and hopefully, I’ll see where that can go. I’d love to get back into painting and clothing design.

Follow Along with Cameron Greene!

SOBER SPOTLIGHT: Ninety 90 Pictures Is A Non-Profit Film & Television Production Company That Provides Jobs To People In Recovery

SOBER SPOTLIGHT: This section of our site highlights extraordinary people in recovery. Sober small business owners doin’ their thing gives us all the feels. Who is making a difference in your recovery community? If you know someone we should spotlight please connect with us at [email protected] or DM us on social media. 

Resources are available

Resources are available

If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.

Reply

or to participate.