We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Aaron Doolittle. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Aaron below.

Aaron, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?

I think any good storyteller knows (consciously or not) to include three things: a piece of themselves, some kind of inventiveness, and a familiar structure. If I’m making a film (or collaborating) I look for something that is important to me. This is where the theme comes from. If I am working with a contemporary I look to find something that they’re passionate about.

Once we know what the story’s significance is we’ll look to see how can we tell the story in a unique way. Maybe I’ll blur the lines between different genres, or maybe we’ll explore something controversial. The objective is to make something we haven’t seen before. Lastly, what I think is most important is a beginning middle and ending. All three should be true to the story, slightly unexpected and above all else: satisfying.

That’s what I expect of a film I watch or a film I make. I try to incorporate that into my business life as well as my personal life. If each day I explore something personal to me, I find a way to make it unique, and I try to structure my day. It has helped me be a more balanced and reliable creative person.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I went to Niagara University and received my bachelors in performance theory. Shortly after moving to Los Angeles I started writing, I’ve placed in the top twenty percent of the Academy of Motion Pictures Nicholls fellowship (something I’m still trying every year at). Making my own content to promote our stories and troupe of actors I saw a lot of my friends go on to successful careers as cinematographers, photographers and sound designers. Instead of focusing on one role in the industry I’ve spent a number of years learning to digital camera operating, NL editing and I have a superficial understanding of sound editing.

I love pre, production, and post. There’s so many stages in making a film. All of them require respecting what has been written, what the actors will bring to the role and how the editor will assemble and pace the final film.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

The world is full of storytellers. And with the internet and camera phones anyone can share their story. My aim as a storyteller is to entertain through humor that might walk the line while being mindful of the world around us. I like to tell stories about people on the fringe of society and reveal how they got to that place whether by choices they made or by an outside force.

A good friend and collaborator Victoria Truscott needed a short film to submit for a big audition. We shot all day and I edited all night so she had something to show the filmmakers. I took a 90 page script I had been working on about Jodi Arias and fit it down to a three minute film. You can watch her as Gina the hostess at Musso and Frank’s in Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood… Victoria got the role because she’s talented and deserved it, but I like to think being a good friend and working together helped out a bit.

You can watch it here: www.aarondoolittle.com/short-films.html

Have you ever had to pivot?

My first love is narrative films. I love movies that introduce us to memorable characters, I love when those unique characters are presented a conflict that is new and engaging. While I would spend all my time telling these stories, creating content for other businesses is steady work.

The change of course I’ve had to make in my life is to spend less time making films and more time making content to promote small businesses. Someone will refer me to a business that wants to showcase what they do, what it is about their business that sets them apart in a visual way to get the word out about their service. Because it is essential to private business to have an internet presence. It is very rewarding to film and edit content for private businesses because I get to do what I love and I always learn something new from interesting and passionate people.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.aarondoolittle.com
• Instagram: @riversinkd
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/AaronDoolittle
• Other: Illustrations @aarondoodleslittle

Image Credits
Tina Vonn