Hey there. Welcome to Handwritten Kin.
I’m a freelance writer, musician, and filmmaker. I started this blog because I simply had too much to say about the various mediums I’m passionate about. You can read more about why I started the blog here, but let’s just say that I enjoy talking about art. My main mission is creating my own original projects, but in the meantime, I love writing about topics that interest me.
I was born and raised in Missoula, MT and I’m a proud Montanan. I stayed close to home and attended The University of Montana. There I studied animation and graphic design before I eventually found myself on a film set. I graduated with a BFA in Digital Filmmaking, as well as a Minor in Spanish, in spring 2015.
What Have I Been Up To?
I’ve been all over the world since graduation day. In 2016, I was the Director of Photography on a documentary about a mixed martial arts foundation in Panama City, Panama. It followed three young men from poverty areas and their coaches as they trained to become professional fighters. The film is currently in post-production and expected to be available online in 2020. You can watch a teaser trailer for the project on my YouTube.
After wrapping production in Panama, I backpacked my way through Colombia and Peru for a few months before returning home to Montana in early 2017. I was soon hired by Warm Springs Productions in Missoula, MT as an on-staff cameraman. I traveled around the United States to shoot episodes of reality television. In my two and a half years at Warm Springs, I worked on shows such as History Channel’s Mountain Men and HGTV’s Beach Hunters, Island Hunters, and Log Cabin Living. I learned a lot about airplanes and hotels while improving my camera skills and knowledge of tv production.
Nowadays, I’m making my way professionally as a freelance cameraman and photographer. I’m available for work on music videos, weddings, and film sets. In between video shoots, I’m usually working on some kind of side project. I operate a film recommendation page on Instagram called Ya Oughta Watch. You can find it @yaoughtawatch if you’re looking for a good movie tonight. In 2020 my aims are to continue posting blog articles, continue the movie Instagram, release my first hip-hop album (stay tuned), and to shoot a short film.
A Bit More About Me
At 26 years old I’m a steady autodidact and firm advocate for lifelong learning. I’m currently learning French and guitar, though I’m still pretty bad at both. I believe that to better understand ourselves and the world around us is to live a richer, more profound life. I’m a student of film first and foremost but I also find interest in fields such as language, philosophy, psychology, and history. I’m fascinated by time and probably think about it way too much. My love of art led me to appreciate all the avenues and substrates of life. Inspiration is found everywhere and I love looking for it.
I’m always eager to collaborate with other artists. You can contact me via email below, or follow me on Twitter and Instagram and feel free to say hello.
-Michael