Check Out Edward Uken’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Edward Uken.

Hi Edward, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story. 
My passion and love for film started with film photography. When I was little, my parents filmed with Super 8 cameras and Pentax 35mm film cameras. I started taking pictures with my dad’s Pentax K1000 when I was old enough and eventually purchased my own. I learned how to expose and compose images with transparency film. I also loved performing, taking jazz and tap dance lessons, and performing in community theater. I mowed lawns on weekends, saved my pennies for two years to buy my first video camera, made “documentaries” of my family vacations, and roped my siblings into impromptu movies. 

I eventually managed to get a two-year degree in Film from DeAnza College in Cupertino, California. Shortly after that, with a cash gift from my neighbor Jerry Atnip and his wife, my former 2nd-grade elementary school teacher Anita Atnip, I put all my belongings in a used Buick Century I bought for $1,000 from my grandpa and set out for Los Angeles to chase my dreams. 

My first job in town was working for a vintage clothing thrift warehouse in East LA for 8 dollars an hour, which allowed me to practice fashion photography. Cold-calling key grips out of the LA 411 directory led to a volunteer position as a swing grip on a TV pilot for Starz. Within a few days, I was hired as a “professional” grip for the next week. 

18 years later, I’ve worked either as a Director of Photography, Camera Operator, Gaffer, or Grip for Universal Music, Starz, Toyota, SiriusXM, Awesomeness TV, HGTV House Hunters Renovation, HGTV Flipping 101, LeAnn Rimes, Melody Gardot, Anitta, Crate and Barrel, CB2, LL Flooring, Slow & Low Rock and Rye, and Ipanema Sandals to name a few notable clients/brands. 

Currently, I’m a camera operator on HGTV House Hunters Renovation. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth or straight path to now. I’ve had to work in IT as a help desk supervisor for several years and take extremely low-paid gigs to bulk up my portfolio and network in the areas of film I’d like to work in. 

And now, as I want to expand into Sports and Fitness and, more broadly, Brand Documentary Cinematography, I have to self-finance portfolio spec work to make that transition. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a Director of Photography who specializes in documentary-style work. I’m proud of my behind-the-scenes work for Universal Music, Toyota, and LeAnn Rimes. I’m great at fast turnarounds, assembling and working with small crews or as a one-man band, delivering with challenging budgets, and finding creative solutions to production deliverables. 

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Los Angeles is a fantastic place to pursue a creative career. There is limitless potential with locations, potential clients, and other creative professionals to help you make the magic happen. The cost of living is high, and obtaining work is hyper-competitive here, but if you save for a rainy day and keep your expenses as low as possible, it’s a place to make your dreams come true. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.edwarduken.com/