Life & Work with Robert Helphand of Manhattan Beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Helphand.

Hi Robert, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a native Angeleno who grew-up with a passion for filmmaking thanks in a large part to my parents love of the classics. I attended San Diego State University where I earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Film. Upon graduation, I returned to Los Angeles focused on breaking into the industry. I got my first break working for Roger Corman at Concord-New Horizons, where I received a crash course in independent feature film production. My next opportunity came at Propaganda Films. They were revolutionary in the way they applied a music video storytelling aesthetic to commercials and features. That experience led me to pursuing a career in commercial production and the art of the “30 second story”. I am fortunate to have worked at some of the top shops including Go Film, HSI Productions and MJZ. During my tenure at Executive Producer at Tool of North America, I was fortunate to have been awarded the Palm d’Or at the Cannes Lions Festival — the highest achievement in the industry. I have recently started my own production company, Helphand Productions, Inc. And, while I still work in the commercial arena, my creative focus has shifted back to feature films with a focus on documentary filmmaking.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I truly believe that any goal worth pursuing is going to have its fair share of obstacles and challenges. I began production on a feature documentary right before Covid-19n hit. Instead of throwing in the towel, we invested our time researching and developing the story and hunting down precious archive content. We turned a negative into a positive and the finished film came out better because of it. Obstacles and challenges are really what you make of them. There is always a solve or a way around them its all a matter of perspective.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I recently completed a feature documentary titled Shaping the Future that I produced and directed. The story documents the life of a man who achieves the American dream only to realize that the more important thing is to find peace and joy.
We premiered at the 2024 Newport Beach Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award. It has gone on to win Best Documentary Feature at the Los Angeles Movie Awards and Best Feature at the Surfalorus Film Festival. I absolutely love sharing it on the festival circuit. Seeing your film projected before is live audience is amazing. Instant feedback.

I am currently in pre production on another documentary that focuses on the evolution of surf culture from the 1970’s to today through the eyes of an ex-professional surfer, Dave Parmenter. We are utilizing some incredible footage he shot when he was a kid on Super 8 film.

My passion is sharing stories that preserve and celebrate people and elements our culture that might otherwise be lost or overlooked.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I think it’s important to find out who the people are behind the work that inspires you the most and seek them out. Passionate people want to work with others who are driven and share the same passion. Who knows, they might need an intern or an assistant or perhaps a new head of a department? When you surround yourself with talented people you begin to realize that they share certain work traits. Soak it in and make yourself invaluable.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shapingthefuturemovie.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wavetoolsdocumentary/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-helphand-b760197/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76WXHPn5Fnw