Check Out Gantry Hill’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gantry Hill.

Hi Gantry, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. When I started skateboarding at age 12, I simultaneously fell in love with filmmaking. My brother Garrett and I would go on these adventurous day trips, camera in hand, and catch rides from our older friends to seek out the best stairs, rails and schoolyards LA had to offer. These places became our sanctuary. I always loved the challenge and creative freedom of blending skateboarding and video; the perfect hybrid of self-expression and rebellion. It was 100% guerrilla filmmaking and although I didn’t realize it at the time, that DIY ingenuity taught me a lot of valuable lessons that have come in handy later in my career as I’ve ventured into directing narrative and commercial projects.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been a wild off-road journey with healthy doses of highs and lows, and I’m honestly kind of thankful for that. Having spent nearly my entire adolescence skateboarding, the constant repetition of falling down and getting back up was like a master class in pain tolerance. Skating exposes you to a very high level of risk and danger and the constant need for necessary little adjustments. I’ve realized that it’s kind of the same in life and filmmaking. Chaos is always lurking nearby and you’ve gotta be a flexible thinker and a quick mover to get things done right.

Once I made the decision to fully dive into directing as a career, I had the growing pains of believing in myself the way I did when I was skating. It was scary committing to a new road where the familiar mile markers aren’t there like they used to be. But after my first couple of projects, I started to feel out my groove. Garret Curtis, my good friend and talented cinematographer who I worked with on my first narrative short film said to me, “You’ve been directing for a long time. You just didn’t know it yet.” That always stayed with me. Mostly because Garret’s a guy who says what he means. If I was an incompetent asshole, he would’ve told me that instead.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a director, writer and producer and I work mainly on commercial and narrative film projects with the occasional music video in the mix. I love the process of crafting a story and expressing it through the visual medium. I’ve had the pleasure of producing material for brands like Canada Goose, Chevrolet and Beats by Dre and I pride myself in bringing a high level of value and showmanship to the table. Over the last few years, I’ve teamed up with a network of talented cinematographers, music composers, designers and colorists and we collaborate on every project. I think it’s really important to build a ‘family’ around you if you’re a filmmaker. The process becomes incredibly fun and it’s always satisfying looking at a finished work that’s a combined effort. Friends helping friends realize their vision. Is there anything better?

In May of 2020, I wrote Mercy, a western short that I shot entirely on Super8 film with a very small crew out in the Yucca Valley desert. It was a strange and uneasy time to shoot a film, especially with covid being in full swing. But on the flip side of that, we had the world to ourselves in terms of locations. We rolled into Pioneertown, my lead actor twirling a real six-shooter in hand (not loaded, of course), and we shot the film. It was a truly rewarding experience to make a film during such a historical time in the world.

I get excited shooting on location and getting out of my element. It reminds me of my childhood skateboarding shoots… only without the jumping of fences, bribing of security guards and getting chased by the cops. Thankfully I don’t have to deal with those situations much anymore but I’m able to bring that experience and excitement into every new project. I think that outlaw nuance is always there in my work. It’s become part of my thumbprint as a director.

We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Before I got into skateboarding, I played basketball for a team called the Northridge Knights and we’d travel around the Los Angeles area for local tournaments. One year we won the city-wide championship. It was super cool. Before covid happened, some film biz friends and I joined together and organized a weekly b-ball crew. Every week a few new people would show up. Sarah Silverman started balling with us too. She’s got a pretty sweet jumpshot.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: gantryhill.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/gantryhill
• Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/gantryhill

Image Credits:
Jacob Boll Tyler Marie Evans Troy Gray