Daily Inspiration: Meet Evan Morton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Evan Morton.

Hi Evan, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
It was 2007, before 4K smartphones and fancy DSLRs, when I first borrowed my dad’s JVC mini-DV camera and hit the streets of LA, filming skate videos at iconic spots from Venice Beach to Hollywood High, often one step ahead of security. I’d go home, borrow a neighbor’s editing software, and cut late into the night. That spark turned into sleepless weekends, making 48-Hour Films, and eventually filming National Geographic’s Life Below Zero, filming native communities beyond the Arctic Circle, and driving my Prius from LA to Yellowstone in the dead of winter to film wolves in the wild. And I’ve loved every minute of it.

I fell in love with cinema from an early age. My dad raised me on films from Spielberg, Cameron, and Tarantino. But how did that love lead me to directing a documentary about wolf-dogs that’s now premiering at the TCL Chinese Theatre?

Like most things, it started with a domino effect. While working on “Life Below Zero” for National Geographic, I took a side gig filming a tech launch party. One of the attendees noticed my oversized camera rig and took my info. A few weeks later, I was invited to a “wolf hike” at Apex Protection Project, a non-profit wolf sanctuary outside of LA. You can learn more about them: @apexprotectionproject

When I was five, I dreamed of being the next Steve Irwin. Growing up in LA, my mom always had dogs, so animals have been a part of my life from day one. But I knew nothing about wolf-dogs. When I arrived at Apex and learned people were breeding wolf-dog hybrids, while shelters were euthanizing domestic dogs and wild wolves were being politicized across the country, I saw a deeper story.

“Folsom’s Run” dives into the gray area between wild and tame, through the eyes of those who’ve devoted everything to a beautifully misunderstood species.

So what happens when people play god and mix “man’s best friend” with the “big bad wolf”? That’s the heart of “Folsom’s Run,” and I’m honored it will have its world premiere at Dances With Films on Thursday, June 26th, 4:45 pm at the TCL Chinese Theatre.

We started filming in 2021, but I soon dived into self-funding a feature documentary, “War on Wolves,” which explores the root of the polarization around wild wolves in America, as I talk with ranchers, hunters, biologists, and beyond. I continue to work on finishing this film, and believe the short will only help get the feature across the finish line as it kicks off its festival run here in LA.

The wolf-dog story was too layered to fit inside the larger narrative, and it naturally evolved into a standalone short. It not only highlights the complications of blending wild and domestic—it also honors the lifelong dedication of Paula and Steve, who run Apex with a tight-knit team and a deeply bonded pack where they make an impact on both wolf-dogs in captivity and wolves in the wild through education, advocacy, and rescues.

You may be wondering who Folsom is… and why he’s running.

I guess you’ll have to join us for the premiere to find out! Follow the film @folsomsrun to keep up to date with our latest news!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Smooth? No, but does the smooth road ever take you anywhere worthwhile?

I put my entire life savings into a feature documentary, which got me 33 days of filming in 10 states, capturing over 30 interviews on red wolves, gray wolves, and Mexican gray wolves. So there weren’t any shortcuts taken on this journey.

The last four years were anything but easy. My time at National Geographic came to an end. I moved twice. I’ve spent the last two and a half years focusing on my production company, Blind View Productions, while the film and TV industry went through historic strikes, and social media changed how we all consume content. Did I mention I’m a dog dad to two sibling pups, Archer and Lana?

Anyone who says documentaries are easier than narratives because there are no actors might overlook one key thing: there’s no script. The story shifts constantly—during filming, and again in the edit. And with limited funds (putting it mildly), I never had more than a two-person crew. I wore many hats: director, cinematographer, sound op, editor, colorist, VFX artist, and executive producer.

On top of all of that, one part of “Folsom’s Run” took a couple of years to film.

Luckily, I wasn’t alone. I’m incredibly grateful for Dani, our B-cam operator; Danny, our composer and producer; Yuka Kobayashi, our executive producer, Vernon Wells, our narrator, and Trevor Misplay from QLS Audio, as our dialogue mixer; and the many friends, collaborators, and past co-workers who gave feedback on early cuts. Their support helped this passion project reach the finish line.

Now that we’ve begun our festival run, the work hasn’t stopped; it’s just shifted. We’ve had to write cover letters, cut a trailer, build a website, put together an EPK, launch social media accounts, design promo material, and start releasing content to spread the word.

So while the film is finally complete, the effort to get it seen is very much still underway.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I started Blind View Productions to tell stories where you don’t know what’s coming next, but as the company has become my primary focus, so have our clients’ needs.

By day, we bring brands, nonprofits, influencers, and fellow filmmakers’ stories to life through either full production services (pre-production/production/post-production) or more tailored individual services such as filming and/or editing. In the early mornings, evenings, and weekends, we focus on our creative projects, which reflect our mission with Blind View Productions, telling the stories we feel passionate about.

We help others tell their stories, as we continue chipping away at crafting our own. One feeds the other as we continue to grow. It’s not always a big crew or a breathtaking view, but it’s always meaningful, and I’m incredibly thankful to be following my dreams, even if there are a few bumps in the road along the way.

If life were all scripted out, we’d merely be actors in it, rather than directing, and when it comes to our own life, I believe it’s best not to get stuck on autopilot.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
As a filmmaker, many people have helped shape my journey, and I’m endlessly grateful to all of them. Someone once asked, “What’s more important, the journey or the destination?” And a wise person replied, “It’s the company.” I believe this to be true. Making movies isn’t easy. It was never meant to be a get-rich-quick scheme, even though it feels like sometimes we see more reboots, remakes, and IP films than original motion pictures… and we face AI now. But film at its core has always been the art of storytelling told through a magical combination of writing, acting, cinematography, directing, sound, music, and editing (as well as numerous other departments). It takes a lot of mistakes, failures, and lessons learned to be able to make a good film, let alone a great one. I often find filmmaking to depend on problem-solving in stressful moments, and who better to surround yourself with than good company?

My dad sparked my love for storytelling early on by introducing me to films that stuck with me. My mom and stepdad were generous enough to let me film at their house more than once—thank you both, and I promise not to turn it into a set again!

Countless actors have given me their time and talent for free simply because they believed in the work. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to thank them enough. David Cameli and Jules Quaas have trusted me as a DP/editor on multiple creative projects and are so much fun to work with.

There are also a few filmmakers I’ve had the chance to connect with over coffee or Zoom whose insights stayed with me. Two fellow Santa Rosa alumni, and talented directors, Austin Smagalski and Miles Levin, really stand out—I got to catch up with them this past year, and I’m proud to support their work as well.

On the feature documentary front, I owe a huge thanks to Dillon Mortensen, Mario Bosanac, Natassja Ebert, Dani Hersholt, Chad Cork, and Yuka Kobayashi, along with everyone I’ve filmed so far. Thanks, Mario for all our lighting talks on countless projects, and Danny, Chad, and Yuka for countless creative meetings discussing the feature.

Stan Zimmerman has been an incredible screenwriting mentor. Joseph Litzinger gave me my start on Life Below Zero, and Scott Sandman’s unfiltered feedback on all the deleted scenes I cut made me a better editor.

Eddie Hamel has been amazing to collaborate with on scripts, and Mike Austin has been like the big brother I never had, always showing up to help on countless projects. Devin Dilmore brought me on a few of his films, including Norm’s Rare Guitars on Netflix, which was a blast. Go check that out if you love music and LA!

More recently, Jordan Ring, Brook Hubbs, Scott Seagren, Trevor Misplay, and Jean-Pierre Laclette have all become essential teammates on Blind View Productions projects. And Danny Goor, who’s been trusting me with his scores since I was 21, continues to be a creative force in my life—he even scored this film and continues to work on the feature as we expand Blind View Productions.

My best friend Ali Valentine, from the local band Illunis, has been a constant, honest presence in my life. His song “Planes, Trains & Automobiles” is featured in Folsom’s Run.

I want to thank Vernon Wells, who put up with me directing his narration on this film with my eyes closed! My first time directing narration, and I believe that technique helped a lot.

Lastly, a huge thank you to Paula and Steve at Apex Protection Project for trusting me to tell the story of Folsom’s Run and share a small glimpse into their lives. Their passion and commitment to their mission continue to inspire me—and many others. We’ve got some heartfelt videos featuring their volunteers coming soon. You can follow our film at @folsomsrun my production company @blindview_prodcutions and Apex at @apexprotectionproject

Contact Info:

• Website: https://blindviewproductions.com/folsoms-run/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/folsomsrun/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanmortonfilm/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EvanMortonFilm
• Other: https://blindviewproductions.com/

Image Credits
Jordan Ring – Chad Cork – Evan Morton – Mario Bosanac