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

Hi Riley, as a parent, what have you done for you children that you feel has had the most significant impact?
I have one child who is 3 years old. The most important thing I have learned through trying to parent him is emotional regulation. A bit of advice that I have *attempted* to carry with me in parenting is that a good parent is able to be present with themselves while connecting with the child. It is not just about responding, listening, or using any one particular set of words. You have to be present and connected to how you are feeling and communicate that feeling to yourself and others to best connect with that child. I’ve tried to carry that importance of self trust (knowing and trusting your feelings and being able to communicate them) into almost every aspect of life – work, relationships, etc.

What should our readers know about your business?
First and foremost, I am a listener. I think that is the most important part of my job.

Most of my film work revolves around storytelling and personal journeys. The first thing I have to do is to truthfully connect with that subject and to fully understand their story and gain a level of trust with them.

As most of my documentary work is for commercial clients, the next step is the hardest: distilling a long story into 2 minutes. No one’s story can easily be taken down into a short, digital segment. You wouldn’t expect to go out to coffee with a friend to catch up on their life and have them only talk for 2 minutes. Something has to get left out. I think the biggest challenge I face is making sure that the distilled version of the story, filtered for brand approval, is still an honest and truthful representation of the subject. That is an art form that I have never perfected and don’t think I ever will – it is just an ever moving target to aspire to.

My career has been a long slow burn. I started in college making event videos, filming weddings, and making promotions for nonprofits. Over the years I have built up bigger and bigger clients that are willing to let me tell stories for them. Through the years I have always maintained a practice of pursuing at least 3 passion projects each year. I feel it is important to be able to play creatively with the art of film and I think passion projects are the best way to push yourself creatively and to help define your look. I tend to connect with local nonprofit groups as a way to make a passion project have purpose and life beyond practicing my craft.

I think the most important lesson I’ve learned along the way is to be considerate and excited for documentary subjects. When you’re on set for doc work, all the crew are just having a regular day at “the office.” For the subject – they are likely completely out of their comfort zone, in a new environment, and in an emotionally vulnerable state. I have had one too many sets where I feel we are just bringing too much production in and it’s not feeling real for that person anymore. I think it’s important to make sure that this person is met with kindness and excitement and that their reality is reflected in the production.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite thing about Colorado is the huge variety of landscapes you can find by just driving around. I also love getting to show people around my town – Golden. Of course, I would start with coffee from Red Silo and a cold plunge in Clear Creek in downtown Golden. Next up would definitely be skiing – either A Basin or doing some backcountry lines off Berthoud or Loveland. And if we really had time for adventure I love going way out to what I think are the most dramatic spots in Colorado – Great Sand Dunes, Rattlesnake Arches, or the San Juans.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My teacher is failure taken not in aloneness and my foundation is my family and friends. I have not taken on a specific mentor in my career – but I have worked with a huge range of people over the years. Some of the biggest growth and learning points have come from the struggles – when things don’t go as planned or when things fail, and when you have trusted people around to help you through that. Processing through difficult tasks with other people I think has what helped me become more resilient and successful over the years. And throughout my entire career, my family, specifically my wife, has always been there to me to support a career that calls for unconventional scheduling, financial risks, and a personal level of dedication.

Website: rileyhanlon.com

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

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.