Meet Riley Clinton | Director & Documentary Filmmaker

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

Hi Riley, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk taking has been one of the more important factors of my career, and it has presented itself in a variety of ways.

In 2019, I started a full-time position with the Colorado Rapids as the Digital Content Manager, and was responsible for all things video related. On my first day the head of video took me out to lunch and told me he was resigning, and was handing everything off to me. He told me about a documentary idea they began shooting, but didn’t really have a clear direction for, about legendary soccer player Tim Howard. With my documentary background he believed I could take the project on, so after a few weeks of thinking I took my first risk with the Rapids.

I approached my boss with a clear plan and told him I wanted to take over the documentary, and truly make it my own. I believe my confidence and vision for the project is what led him to entrusting me with it. Tim Howard was the most iconic player to come through the club ever, so it had to be handled with care. I was 22 years old at the time, and was the Director, Editor, (1/4) Cinematographer(s), and managed every aspect of the production. The project, “Just the Beginning: One Final Season with Tim Howard” was released in November of 2019, and in the Spring of 2020 it won a Heartland Emmy Award for best “Sports Program – Post-Produced or Edited.”

If I had not taken the risk to approach my boss about the project, and had not done it with confidence, I am not sure where I would be in my career. But once I earned the chance to take on the project, it was all about action to get it completed at a high level.

After releasing the film, I took the biggest risk of my career – resigning to pursue building my own company. For the previous three years I had a full-time job, and consistent paycheck. I gave that security up to chase that feeling again – the feeling of pressure, excitement, fear and satisfaction that comes with truly owning a project (or business) that you are responsible for. When I resigned and started working full-time at Boulder Media House, it felt like I removed both the floor and ceiling from around me, and it was entirely up to me whether I went down or up.

And now, two years later, risk taking is a key part of my day. There is only so much we can do by staying in our comfort zone as creators and business owners!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I think my art comes through in two ways: cinematography and storytelling. For a long time I have been obsessed with the possibilities of using a camera, and the types of shots I was able to create. I was much more drawn to capturing things as they were, versus staging things. Getting a lens flare as a football player’s helmet blocked and revealed the sun, a gimbal shot of a great catch – I couldn’t get enough of it and it was a snowball effect. Each shot I captured inspired me to get the next one. I think what sets me apart is simply my eye for what’s around me, combined with tons and tons of reps allowing me to execute my job without thinking too much about the camera.

My storytelling abilities are a bit more of what set me apart, as I feel I’m able to quickly identify key themes, etc. and spend lots of time diving into them. I have always gotten emotionally wrapped up in stories quickly, and I make sure to let my emotions drive the storytelling. Some stories are extremely sad, so it’s much better to sit in that sadness instead of pretending everything is okay. Sugar coating or ignoring negative emotions is dangerous because it doesn’t do justice to the story or those who experienced it.

I got to this point in my career because I have always tried to stay true to my creative vision and instincts. Even on projects where I execute what someone else wants, I am always keeping track of what I would do differently and what my gut tells me, in case I find myself in a similar situation down the road.

This is something that was easy at the start, and got more difficult over time. I started making videos in seventh grade, so back then it was just about creativity and fun. By the end of high school I had been getting great feedback, so it was easy to trust my instincts. Then joining CU Video, I was surrounded by experienced filmmakers who had so much more knowledge and know how. I quickly began the inexperienced 18 year old, and was challenged to take my ideas a step further, or think about things deeper.

It wasn’t until I completed the Tim Howard documentary that I became much more confident in my vision. Then winning the Emmy was the cherry on top, because others began trusting my vision as well. It was the confirmation that I needed in stressful times because I knew that even if I didn’t have it figured out, I was going to in time.

The biggest lesson I learned was to simply trust myself and my vision. A big thing I was told last year was that telling yourself “I’m going to figure it out” is much more powerful than “I don’t know”. No matter their age everyone is still learning everyday, so if you don’t know something now, put yourself in a positive mindset that with time and effort you will figure it out.

I want the world to know that I, along with the amazing people at Boulder Media House, are committed and passionate about telling stories. Whether it is an athlete, brand, musician, activist or anything else – your story can impact so many people out there. There have been so many unbelievable accomplishments by people and it’s important that these stories are shared with the world.

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?
Living in Denver, CO means we will definitely be doing some outdoor activities, depending on the time of year! The easy destination is ski resorts. Having snowboarded my whole life I can truly say there is a special feeling you get looking out over a range of snow covered mountains. The mountain culture is also amazing, just so laid back and relaxed compared to fast-paced bigger cities. Even just going on a hike in the mountains helps you feel so far from work and everyday responsibilities.

Red Rocks Ampitheatre is a key spot to hit as well, and is world renowned for a reason. Giant rocks shoot up on their side of the seating, creating a setting unlike anywhere else in the world. I have been fortunate enough to film a number of concerts at Red Rocks, and being on stage looking up at the fans and Rocks at sunset is something I’ll never forget.

Denver is also known for a ton of local breweries, so if you like beer there’s a huge variety to choose from. We also have the Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rockies and Colorado Rapids, so catching a sports game is another great way to spend time.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My older brother Steven is the first person to shoutout, and is the reason I pursued sports content creation after high school. Steven worked in D1 football for years, and helped get my resume sent through a few people to Jamie Guy, who hired me to his football video staff right out of high school.

Secondly, I have to shoutout CU Video (The CU Football Team’s video staff) and the amazing folks there – specifically Jamie Guy and John Snelson. Jamie had me at Fall Camp practice a month before my freshman year even started. He gave me opportunity after opportunity throughout my four years with the staff. I progressed from the youngest kid on the staff to the head of production by my third year.
John Snelson taught me a ton of what I know regarding cinematography, editing, and directing. In 2016 John directed our series “The Rise” which aired on Pac-12 TV, and brought me onto the team as a cinematographer. I found my true passion for sports documentaries running next to Ralphie onto Folsom Field, and getting to shoot CU games from the sidelines. The series was Emmy nominated, and at 19 years old gave me an experience I will never forget. He continues to be a mentor to this day.

Website: bouldermediahouse.com

Instagram: redclinton3

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riley-clinton-53472b107

Other: My athletics work can be seen at: Bouldermediahouse.com/athletics

Image Credits
Jakob Siegel Alex Connelly Matt Trappe Lemar Griffin