Film Maker Spotlight - Blake Hodges

Video Producer, Editor, and Videographer Blake Hodges

Working on this IndieHouse Rentals campaign has been a lot of fun in many ways, but I have to say the thing I am enjoying the most is getting to dive into the amazing world around me full of these ridiculously talented young film makers. I highly suggest you all find some time to take a few minutes in your day, actually sit and look at all the incredible works of art people around you are making or have made. I'm going to start you off on this little quest by introducing you to one of my favorite world traveling film makers, Blake Hodges. This guy has done it all and continues to blow me away with every new thing I learn about him.  He is the west coast video producer for the environmental organization GREENPEACE, and has shot and edited the videos for some of their major campaigns. He was the lead editor, videographer, and director for the PBS series Road Trip Nation. Blake was also the director of the short documentary Aiding the Forgotten, about ARPHEN, an organization which provides aid and education to slum areas on the edge of Mumbai. This short won best documentary at LA's and NY's Zero Film Festival.



Aiding the Forgotten - Mumbai, India from Blake Hodges on Vimeo.



This is what I mean about taking some time getting to know your friends. When I met Blake Hodges, it was at the premiere of his short film Desert Encounter which screened at last years No Budget Film Festival. It was a beautifully shot, simple narrative which I was instantly enamored with. For the longest time, I only knew him as a fellow short film director and had no idea about the depths of his background as this ridiculously accomplished documentary producer and videographer. Making documentary films are hard. Blake has the profound knack for capturing the humanity behind the subject matter while still being able to make every shot so visually engaging. He edits these moments so seamlessly together and creates an easy to follow story.

Blake on set of short film Desert Encounter

Telling the story in a documentary film is the greatest challenge of the genre. You spend so much time acquiring a massive amount of footage, listening to dozens of stories, and witnessing hundreds of moments it's hard to funnel that all into one cohesive through line. When you take that into consideration, you will really appreciate when good editors and story tellers like Blake are able to make the subject matter clear, focused, and relatable. He is currently in the midst of co-editing the feature documentary Occupy the Farm. You can see a great example of his concise editing and story telling in the trailer below which he cut together.


Occupy the Farm - Official Trailer from Blake Hodges on Vimeo.

Outside of all of Blake's documentary work, you should also set aside some time to sit back, and enjoy his wonderfully engaging short narratives. I had the pleasure of working with him on his latest project Security, about a lonely midnight-shift corporate security guard who encounters a mysterious guest on his CCTV video monitors. You can see the through lines of Blake's work in all the picturesque shots and flowing editing which keeps the story captivating from beginning to end. I really love the coloring he chose which blended so well with the music, and all around mood of the piece. Take eight of your minutes and watch this on the biggest screen you can.



SECURITY - A short film from Blake Hodges on Vimeo.

Thank you for taking this time and getting to know another awesome LA indie film maker. I hope this article has inspired you to take a look around and pay more attention to the talented folks right there in your social circle. You can learn more about Blake at www.BlakeHodges.com ! You can also check out more of our IndieHouse Campaign at our website!