Today we’d like to introduce you to Simon Hawkins
Hi Simon, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born in New York City and grew up in Darien, CT. After my parents took me to see every movie made in the 90’s, I became obsessed. My passion for film led me to pursue a degree in film and television at the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. During my time there, I found success with my thesis film, which premiered at South by Southwest. It became clear to me that working in film and television was the only thing I wanted to do with my life.
I made the bold decision to relocate to Los Angeles after graduation. Once there, I endeavored to break into the film business. I worked on a variety of videos for Funny or Die, including a Godfather-inspired musical series and a pseudo-PBS-style interview show featuring Kristen Wiig. In addition, I took on a full-time job directing and editing web content for GOOD magazine, all while diligently pursuing my own independent projects.
Along the way, Rough & Tumble Films (Brian Udovich, Justin Duprie) offered my brother Zeke and me to direct our first feature film, which I would also edit. The film follows three Texas teens (Jeremy Allen White, Logan Huffman, and Mackenzie Davis) hoping to escape their dead-end existence, only to get sucked into the underbelly of organized crime when one of them steals from the wrong man. ‘Bad Turn Worse’ premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and won the Audience Award for Best American Independent at AFI Fest. Starz would distribute the film theatrically and on VOD.
Recently, XYZ Films announced that they will be re-releasing ‘Bad Turn Worse’ under its original film festival title, ‘We Gotta Get Out of This Place,’ and I couldn’t be more excited!
I have also just launched a multi-media production company, Hi Duck Productions. Please visit the website, hi-duck.com, for more details.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Smooth road, far from it! It’s been rocky, bumpy, and everything in between! Transitioning from my first feature film, ‘Bad Turn Worse,’ I naively anticipated a smoother path ahead. Every endeavor in the film industry feels like starting from scratch, with no guarantees of getting your next project made. I’ve been fortunate to work as both a director and an editor, especially when the pandemic hit. Editing has provided a steady anchor while I work on and write my own projects.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a film and commercial director and editor. I am probably best known for directing and editing the film “Bad Turn Worse,” but in recent years, I’ve been focused on editing commercially while I write and develop my own feature films and launch my independent production company Hi Duck Productions.
Recently, I led the post-production team for Pique Action, a new media company focused on climate solutions. At Pique, we partnered with Google on their podcast series, “Where the Internet Lives,” which showcases the technology, people, and places that make the internet run. For the project, we shot around the world! One particular video that I really loved focused on a Dutch water treatment company and the hopes for the future of the Netherlands.
I also directed and edited a really fun commercial spot for the athletic apparel company Rhone. We got to build a makeshift tennis court on a dry lake bed in El Mirage, California. It was a pretty spectacular shoot. I played highly competitive tennis throughout high school, so it was a great mix of my interests. You can see the finished product here.
I usually have a strong vision for the projects I work on, but I think because I grew up working with my brother, I work very collaboratively. I think the film process is at its best when each member of the team cares deeply about it and treats it like their own project.
I post most of my work at simonahawkins.com. And please check out the upcoming re-release of “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” when XYZ announces more details!
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love LA! And I’m originally from New York so I have high expectations for my cities. I adore the multitude of experiences at your fingertips in Los Angeles. Living blocks from the beach in Venice, I used to go boogie boarding almost every day (I never learned to surf… please don’t judge me). Have I been lying about being able to surf for years? Maybe.
Now, my wife and I reside in Los Feliz, fully embracing the east side. We hike in Griffith Park every week and revel in the diversity of neighborhoods nearby. We love to eat in Koreatown, Thai Town, Little Tokyo, and the San Gabriel Valley. Also, Los Angeles has the best movie theaters in the country. No question (even with the ArcLight still closed). Can someone please open the Cinerama Dome again?! Please?
What do I like the least? I used to say pizza, but now we’re living in the Los Angeles pizza era! Quarter Sheets in Echo Park is my number one.
I’m over snowy winters. Long live Los Angeles!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://simonahawkins.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hurricane_hawkins
- Twitter: https://x.com/simonhawkins1
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2122957/
Image Credits
Headshots of Simon by Julia Gang
