Golden Time with OPTiONS’ Doug Sherin
What Doug Sherin do you know? Is it the guy who used to post those warmly comic videos featuring his father? The guy who used to appear in toy commercials as a precocious pre-teen. How about the rep who says his motto is ‘we don’t sell, we tell,’ or the former board member of the repping trade group, the Alliance of Indie Representatives? Maybe it was the glad-handing host of those adland dinners at Vito Restaurant, the sort of red sauce place where you might expect to see Christofer and Paulie Walnuts arguing at the next table.
He’s all of the above, and more. As co-founder of OPTiONS, the L.A.-based repping shop, Doug is a long-time presence on the West Coast production and post scene who got his start in the business in front of the cameras, not behind them. Born in Queens, his family headed to California when he was a baby. “I’m a Valley boy at heart, grew up in Calabasas way before there were any Kardashians,” he explains. “We moved to Beverly Hills when I was 12 because my mom kept having to drive me every day from the Valley to my commercial auditions in Hollywood.”
These days Doug and his partner Kimberley Griswold (they’re both business and domestic partners, btw) like to spend their weekends browsing estate sales, hanging with family, chilling with their pets and amusing themselves with game-show trivia questions. That’s when Doug isn’t sifting through his garage stuffed with gewgaws and gimcracks, playing online poker with his chums or prepping for a week of connecting clients with prospects and basically laying out their options. Here’s how he likes to take advantage of that Golden Time.
Where do you live? What do you like best about where you live?
Doug: After 16 years of living in Venice, home for the last eight years has been in a great pocket in L.A. called Carthay Square. A certified historic neighborhood with homes and duplexes built in the 1930’s, it’s full of timeless character and charm. I’m in an upper duplex on a street named after the great Rita Hayworth. Archways, textured walls, original wood floors, vintage tile and all the classic nuances that make you so comfortable, like living back in time when life was more innocent and the quality abounded, or when Art Deco was in vogue and Old Hollywood ruled the world. It’s located in Mid City, not far at all from Beverly Hills, The Grove / Farmers Market and a straight shot to downtown and Koreatown.
I’ve lived in L.A. my whole life and had never heard of this neighborhood, but upon discovering it, for sure it’s a hidden gem where you would never expect such a wonderful place to live. A great find!
How’d you get into the business? And how long have you been in your current role?
Doug: From the age of nine, I’d always wanted to be in commercials. So, I got myself an agent and almost right away appeared in spots for Kenner Toys, Pizza Hut and Subaru. Over the years and through an awkward stage, my career in front of the camera transitioned to behind the scenes, first as a talent agent, then moving on to representing post production super stars. In 2004, my partner Kimberley Griswold had the genius idea to start our own company together representing directors and creative talent for commercials and branded content, so we joined forces and launched Options. The rest is history. I’m still in commercials today, just not in front of the camera – unless of course you want to cast me :-). I still have my SAG card!!
How often do you end up working on the weekend? How much time do you spend on work-related stuff from Friday night to Sunday night?
Doug: My running joke is that I am like Denny’s, I’m ‘always open.’ And that’s true. Work happens at any time, and I welcome it, whether it’s a producer request that comes in over the weekend, or catching up on stuff from the previous week or just being proactive and doing stuff to help the next week be a success. I work a little bit each and every weekend, and that’s ok with me.
What’s your favorite weekend decompression activity? How often do you get to do it?
Doug: Weekends are a great time to recoup my mind and body. Sure, I’ll lay around and do nothing – it’s one of my favorite things to do. Naps!! But before the afternoon nap, I must exercise in the morning. It is the ultimate in decompression. I start with a long walk up and down the streets here in my neighborhood, then it’s off to my garage for a ride on the stationary bike. I ride it every day to get the blood flowing and then move on to lifting weights and stretching. Oh, I’m not that serious about it, but I do force myself to do it. It’s good for my mind, and yes, for the body & soul too.
I must note that as far as decompression is concerned, spending time with Josie my cat gives me absolute peace and puts me in a relaxed mental state. She follows me everywhere, including the bathroom. Poor Josie. Yes, I’m a Cat Daddy, and she loves to cuddle and purr. And she makes me purr, too. I love my cat!!
It’s a three-day weekend. How do you spend that bonus day?
Doug: Wow, a Bonus Day! That usually means that my sister Lysa, who lives not far from me in Koreatown, will be visiting her grandson “Q,” or Quintin. He’s adorable and the smartest little boy. Yep, I’m a proud Grand Uncle!! That said, I’ll be spending some time watching my sister’s dog. His name is Buddy, and he’s sooo cute. He’s just little dog that makes all kinds of faces and noises. He sounds grumpy but is so friendly and loving. We’ll take a long walk around the block, then hang out playing doggie games until exhaustion. Then we both plop on the couch for rest time. What can I say, I’m an animal lover.
How much time do you spend on your phone/tablet/laptop on a typical weekend?
Doug: To be honest, I spend wayyy too much time on my phone. I’m always looking at my phone, not because I’m expecting work-related stuff or aimlessly scrolling, but because I’m constantly playing online chess with my pal Phil. All throughout the day, and night, there’s always a move to be made. Until of course it’s 8:30 pm, when it’s online poker time each and every night with the poker boys. We usually play in person once a month, but online is every night, and not for big money, just a few bucks. It lasts about an hour, but it’s well worth the interaction and distraction from stressful thinking and worries.
What have you been watching lately?
Doug: I haven’t been binge watching any shows or movies, but Kim and I love to play games. We aren’t gamers in that sense – more like playing a Scrabble marathon, hands on. But lately we have been watching episodes of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” and “Family Feud.” Answering those questions is a fun and playful way to spend time together instead of just staring at the screen for hours. We do that enough already with our phones and computers. This is more interactive, and creates moments for laughs, learning and friendly competition. It keeps the mind working, too.
What do you listen to? What’s on your playlist?
Doug: Just like most everything in my life, vintage anything rules my soul and my home. From the furniture to the artwork, that ‘moment in history’ kind of style that has touched me forever. Same with the music, which basically means I prefer listening to some of the more classic tunes, but from the 70’s!! Bet you thought I was going to say something like Frank Sinatra. I do love him, but the 1970’s had the best music of all time and yes that includes DISCO!! Let’s go, Donna Summer! Other faves from the era include music from Boston, Foreigner, Neil Diamond and of course the soundtrack from “Saturday Night Fever.” Oh, yes, I’m Stayin’ Alive listening to my 70’s music.
What’s been your best weekend live experience of the past year? What made it special?
Doug: My favorite live events are going to estate sales –not that I need to buy any more crap, but I do love to look at stuff and there’s always the chance I might find some gem that I gotta have. Looking for vintage stuff is an all-time favorite, so much so that my cup runneth over right into my garage, where ALL my extra stuff is for sale. Need a set of 1937 movie theater seats? Or how about a 3-sheet movie poster with Mickey Mantle & Roger Maris that’s almost life size? Yep, I have too much STUFF. It’s just for fun, but it's the simple things in life that make me happy.
So, it’s Sunday night already! How do you get ready for Monday morning? What’s your nighttime routine?
Doug: Most of my friends know that my Sundays were once filled with my dad and “The Dad Show.” That’s gone on a permanent hiatus due to his passing a few years back, but the episodes live on, along with my cherished love for him and my mother. I was so lucky to celebrate my parents while they were on this earth. They were the absolute best ever. If you check out our website, I’ve created a section where you can enjoy the laughs and the FU’s from “The Dad Show.”
As for my routine, I typically transition into a mini work mode in the late afternoon /early evening. I start pulling together my clients’ social posts in preparation to repost them for the new week, so everyone can see all the good stuff they’re working on. Then I’ll make a top 10 list of people/producers/creatives that I want to reach out to that week. New friends or existing friends, too – it’s all about personalization. I think it’s really important to keep it real and with a personal touch. We’re representing many of our companies nationally now, so it’s essential to make the right impression while showing people what a great resource we can be for them. It’s like we say, “we don’t sell, we tell,” while remaining authentic and true.
