Meet Todd Reedy | Adventure Elopement Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Todd Reedy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Todd, other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
I believe the single most important decision that contributed to my success was deciding to actually spend some time and effort to determine what my definition to success is. I grew up with the idealistic notion of pursuing the “American Dream”…get a formal education, get a prestigious job, find a spouse, buy a house, raise a family. However, as it turns out that wasn’t MY real dream.

Instead, I chose to intentionally pursue a life outdoors, creating memories with loved ones, and freedom. Freedom to work and play as I choose. Freedom from a 9-to-5 and reporting to a boss who cared little about me. Freedom to live the absolute amazing adventurous life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started my career pursuing an education in mechanical engineering. I was good a math and science; my dad was an engineer; I like to design and build things…so it was the obvious career path. I earned a B.S. and ultimately a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering specializing in aerodynamics. Upon graduation, I secured a research and development position at a national defense laboratory. After several promotions, I found myself managing people, budgets, and schedules, rather than getting to engineer. I was unhappy and unfulfilled.

Despite the six-figure salary, sitting in an office 40+ hours per week, running (quite literally) from meeting to meeting, and the constant stress was not my vision of success.

In early 2021, I pivoted hard. I left my 9-to-5 engineering career to film adventure elopements and intimate outdoor weddings. I had extremely limited experience with a video camera, but had a strong background in optics and was motivated to master something new.

I filmed elopements and outdoor weddings under my fiancee’s (then girlfriend’s) brand to start, but then launched my own film making company, High Alpine Films, to serve more couple wanting crazy epic adventures. High Alpine Films specializes in creating and documenting adventurous elopements and weddings that include: hiking, backpacking, skiing or snowboarding, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, skydiving, or anything else outside.

This new career is pretty amazing. I’m fortunate to get to spend time with rad couples on the best day of their lives in epic outdoor locations, documenting these amazing adventures, and providing priceless heirloom films.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Easy. The mountains.

We’d head south to the San Juan mountains to avoid the front range crowds. Depending on the season, we would climb the numerous 14ers, raft the Animas or Arkansas River, ski Wolf Creek or Purgatory, drink copious amounts of local beers, and be outside as much as possible.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Megan MacPhail (an adventure elopement photographer, educator, and my fiancee) for inspiring me to leave my engineering career and to pursue a life that aligned with my values and to find the best version of myself.

How To Film Weddings (a wedding filmmaking education community and podcast) for teaching me the basics and intricacies of wedding filming.

Website: www.highalpinefilms.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/highalpinefilms/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdXrFqOqKvt6WunBxRKVo2g

Image Credits
Megan MacPhail (Hazel and Lace Photography)