Meet Cassie Goldgehn | Videographer & Editor

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

Hi Cassie, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Creativity has always been a part of my life. When I was young, I was always drawing, involved in music classes in school such as chorus or band, on stage for drama class and took video production in high school. My dad was heavily involved with computers growing up, so I was started on them at a very early age, as early as 1993, and later on I would play around on photoshop making silly little banners for people in the forums I was in. In my teenage years I picked up special effects makeup after working at a haunted house for about 5 years. I also always had a digital camera in my hands taking pictures of anything and everything. Then moved to Colorado to pursue my dream of glassblowing, So, it was no surprise to me that whatever I would end up doing as a career would involve creativity. It is definitely my happy place, to be cliche.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a self-taught videographer. We all have the goal to try and stand out, but for me it’s hard to say what sets me apart from other videographers, because every person I have met so far in this industry has something different about them, whether it’s their styles or how they approach challenges. There are no two creators alike. I think that’s one of the things that makes me most excited about the path I’ve taken, is getting to learn and grow from meeting and watching other creators and how they do their magic. I do have a keen sense in visualizing shots in my head and the feeling of bringing them to life right in front of you is very euphoric for me,

This whole adventure started when I found my love for off-roading, and I bought a GoPro to record my ventures. After making my first video I was hooked. A few years later I bought a drone to catch even better shots of my trips and loved it so much I decided to get a commercial drone pilots license in 2020 to see what I could do with it. I loved following recreational sports and recording beautiful landscapes at a bird’s eye view. While building my portfolio I would capture my friend’s wakeboarding, snowmobiling, and go to different off-roading events and make videos for the event coordinators for free, until I finally landed my first paid gig with the town of Kremmling. And wouldn’t you know it, they wanted me to make videos showcasing the recreational activities possible in the area to help draw more tourism, which is exactly what I wanted to do.

It definitely hasn’t always been easy. With being self-taught, there’s is a large learning curve, but I take it one video at a time and try to teach myself something new with every creation. Besides the learning portion, I have to say I probably couldn’t have picked a more expensive career. Ha! I have had quite a rough year. At the start of 2022, I got covid and it kept me from my 9-5 job for nearly half the year due to some long-term complications. I eventually made it back to work, also doing the videography on the side, but ended up being let go in September. From there I was job searching for a bit but couldn’t find something I could fit into, so I made the decision to dive into my videography full time. I’ve been fortunate in finding enough work to keep the bills paid, but it has made getting gear that I need a little complicated. I have a joke that I thought about making my business slogan “Doing what I can with a kit lens”, as one of the costly things in this industry is the cameras and their lenses. But I’m hopeful for the future, and have no intentions on giving up anytime soon, I love it too much to do that. I’ll make do with what I have but I’m hopeful that eventually I’ll find the room to improve my gear.

I guess that’s something I always hope my clients learn about me when we work together, is that I may not have the fanciest and newest gear, but I will do everything I can and work very hard into making sure they are completely happy with what I give them. Not only do I want them coming back to me because of the quality of the product they get, but I want them to look forward to the quality of the person they are working with too,

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The second a friend of mine lands in Colorado, the first obvious spot to show them is good ol’ Blucifer at the airport. But besides that, my tour in and around Denver would consist of great places to eat like Denver Biscuit Company or the Sunday brunch at Simms Steakhouse for breakfast. For lunch either Cheba Hut or this small BBQ place that reminds me of my home in Georgia where I grew up, Ragin Hogs BBQ on 44th and Lowel. For dinner, it would be a choice of either Slice Works or The Brutal Poodle. Then it’s time to take a trip either through Meow Wolf or over to the RiNo Art District. But no trip around Denver is complete without seeing the view from Red Rocks!

Next, it’s time to head up into the mountains! Nothing compares to the feeling of seeing the Rocky Mountains for the first time. I’d take them through Black Hawk and Central City to show them the beautiful lights bouncing off canyon walls at night. We would also go through Rocky Mountain National Park or drive up to the top of Mt. Evans to show them the highest paved in North America. And if we really had the time, I wouldn’t let them pass up seeing some of the most beautiful scenery in Colorado and go to Ouray, where we would drive up Imogene Pass during the fall in a jeep or my RZR to see some of the most beautiful colors and landscapes Colorado has to offer.

I’m never bored with exploring this beautiful state and I love every chance I get to share it with those that haven’t witnessed it yet.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d love to first shout out to my parents. Though they are both no longer with me, it was their initial support and guidance who made the ambitious person I am today. I wouldn’t be anywhere in life without them and also the support from my closest friends who have believed in me since day one. Ryan Arnold with Frostbite Glass who helped re-spark my creativity, and also Parks Thomson and Connor Nelson for helping mentor me on my videography journey and letting me work closely with them while they film their documentary, Troublesome, which is about the East Troublesome Fire that happened here in our home, Grand County. I couldn’t wish for anyone more inspiring to have in my life than my friends. And also, my sister and my stepmom, we have all been through so much and they both have been super supportive while I find my way.

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Image Credits
Denise Thode for the headshots.