Daily Inspiration: Meet Will Dorrien-Smith

I grew up skateboarding in the UK. I became obsessed with Spike Jones since he started in skate videos, and then Jackass, and then music videos and then commercials and movies. I started filming skate videos and stupid jackass pranks, and I thought, hey if Spike Jones can do it why can’t I!?

I went to film school and came out wanting to be a music video director. But after a few years, I ended up filming for a short video magazine called Crane.tv. They did artist profiles, short 3-minute mini-documentaries about designers, musicians, architects, artists, etc. I filmed hundreds of short videos in the UK, Italy, France, Brazil, LA. It was an incredible adventure and really sparked my love for documentary.

I moved to LA a few years later with the five years goal of filming with National Geographic. My first job was for a Snapchat channel called Brother. We filmed lots of ridiculous and fun things like exploding pineapples, bmxing, skateboarding, car drifting and eventually we evolved into making short reality and documentary shows with millions of views a day.

I made some great friends there and got into rock climbing and hiking. And I met my wonderful partner Barbara and she took me to so many beautiful places and I really fell in love with the unique landscape of California and beyond. We went to Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Sequoia, Zion, Mount Whitney, June Lake, The Redwoods, Idyllwild, Anza Borrego, and dozens of other jaw-droppingly beautiful places. I knew then that I had to find a way to make this a career.

After a few years of creating Snapchat content, I quit and went freelance, building my adventure reel and networking hard to fulfill my goal of working with National Geographic. I spent two years networking and filming rock climbing all over California and scuba diving scientists in Taiwan, and then the pandemic hit.

I went back to London to be with my family for three months, and I was lucky enough to be given a chance to edit a feature documentary, Kid Candidate. I loved working with the director, Jasmine Stodel, and it gave me something to focus on during my time in lockdown. It was my first time editing a long-form project and it was such a beautiful experience. It ended up being nominated for best documentary at South by Southwest.

All of these projects were unpaid. I did them to build my reel and make sure that when the opportunity came, I had something really great to show. I got by on various short projects but times were pretty lean for a few years.

In 2021 Nat Geo gave me a chance as a camera assistant on their Emmy Winning TV show, Life Below Zero. Almost 5 years to the day from when I arrived in LA, I was up in Alaska working with the most talented and kindest crew I have ever had the pleasure of working with. It was a life-changing experience. I had never worked with such incredible people, both cast and crew, and I continue to love the adventure 2 years later.

Last year I was promoted to Director of Photography on another beautiful Nat Geo Alaska show called First Alaskans, which is about indigenous Alaskans living on ancient lands but facing a new climate of challenges.

I couldn’t be happier with my life and career in LA. Every adventure I had with my friends and partner has contributed to the person I am today, both in my personality and career. It has been a mind-blowing seven years and I’ve done things far beyond my wildest dreams. Climbing in Yosemite, camping in -30F, hiking Mount Whitney, filming king crab fishing while crunching through ice in our aluminum skiff.

I head back out to Alaska in a few days, and I’m excited for the next adventure.

I think I’ve been incredibly lucky. It definitely has not been a smooth road, but I have always been able to find a way to get by.

I’ve been a freelance filmmaker for over 15 years now, and although I’ve had some very lean times, I’ve always been able to find work, however big or small.

I think the key is to work with people you love and create work that you love as often as possible. There will always be jobs or projects that may not be the best experiences. But if you work hard and make sure your clients have the best experiences, it will lead to better work in the future.

Do projects for free, apply for assistant or junior roles for people you really admire. Get by however you can but always be reaching for your dream.

Primarily I am a Director of Photography and Editor. I particularly love working on documentary projects because in my opinion, it’s the most direct form of storytelling in film. You find a fascinating person in an extraordinary place doing an incredible thing, and you can’t really go wrong!

I’m most proud of my work with National Geographic in Alaska. I’ve met so many incredible people and it’s completely changed who I am as a person and as a cinematographer. This work gives me a deeper understanding of humanity, and I learn so much on every shoot, both in honing my craft and style as a cinematographer, as well as becoming a stronger, kinder and more patient person.

I think what sets me apart is being skilled at multiple disciplines at quite a high level. Having always filmed and edited, from when I was about 14 years old, I believe I am a strong editor and a strong shooter. Documentary demands you to be both and I think that’s why I love it so much.

I also love being an assistant to people more experienced and talented than me. I’d happily be a PA on an exciting project. I will learn a lot and connect with incredible people. And it could lead to a more senior position later down the line. I’m 35 now with a lot of experience, but I’d happily be an intern for the right project!

I’m excited to continue to grow as a documentary filmmaker. I’m excited to work with more talented people on more projects. Nat Geo has been an incredible opportunity and I have so much more to learn from both the crew and the cast.