Today, we’d like to introduce you to Galen Murray.
Hi Galen, I’m so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed with your story and how you got to where you are today.
I was born in Missoula, MT, where I grew up and eventually went to college at The University of Montana and got degrees in Broadcast Journalism (BA), Media Arts (Minor) and Entertainment Management (Certificate).
Originally, I had planned on pursuing physical training due to my background in sports and coaching, specifically ski racing, as both an athlete and coach. That fell apart quickly as I struggled with some of the science requirements. My dad’s career as a high school English and creative writing teacher also gave me interest and some skill in writing, so I decided to try to combine the two and chase sports writing in journalism school.
However, a chance elective class I took in non-linear editing led me to switch my emphasis from Print to Broadcast. Unintentionally, this gave me some technical background in cameras, as well as an understanding of how to produce, shoot, and edit images into a story.
Growing up in Montana, the thought never crossed my mind that a career in film production could be something I could chase. I also didn’t grow up with a camera in my hand like so many filmmakers did. The first time I touched anything close to a real camera was when the Journalism School at The University of Montana handed me a Sony EX3, a small Mic kit, and Lowell Tungsten Lights (that exploded randomly on set!).
But from the minute I touched the camera, I was hooked. I shot and edited all I could through the school and then bought my own little Nikon D5100 DSLR to work on my own projects. Along the way, I worked for the CBS affiliate, where I ran cameras, audio, Technical, Directed, and shot and edited sports highlights. I also got involved with a local production house, Warm Springs Productions, where I logged footage for reality TV shows like Mountain Men.
The itch for something more caught me, though, and the fall after I graduated from UM, I moved to Crested Butte, CO, where I dove into production full-time, working on commercials and live sports broadcasts like the X Games, Snowmobiling events, and an off-road truck racing series for Fox Sports called TORC. These early shoots were a great chance for me to get my hands on all sorts of equipment.
Alongside a coworker who would quickly become one of my best friends, we drove equipment all over the country, filling whatever positions were needed, from Camera Operator to Technical Director to Drone and Jib Operator when our planned operators didn’t show up. You’ll never learn more than when you’re broke, lack sleep, and eager to work on whatever you can. Those adventures could fill a book by themselves.
In the midst of these adventures, I decided to make the move to a bigger market. My love for the mountains kept me from chasing the dream of traditional film markets like LA and NYC. I landed in Salt Lake City, which seemed like a big enough city (especially to a kid from Montana) and had a good combination of mountains and outdoors balanced with a film market with a history of great films coming through.
From there, my career in video production really began. I hopped on whatever shows and commercials I could, and in the early years, I often lived on a negative bank account and empty gas tank. It didn’t matter whether it was America’s Got Talent, House Hunters, Idaho State University commercials, or Diesel Brothers; I did whatever I could to get on as many sets as I could.
I slept in my car in Aspen for two weeks in the middle of January to work on shoots; I lived in that same Subaru for a summer when my roommate unexpectedly had to move, driving to set during the day and moving it during the night when police told me to move. Bit by bit I moved up the production ranks, from Production Assistant (PA) to Assistant Camera (AC) and Camera Operator, I realized the camera department was where I needed to be. I was a tech nerd with an eye for imagery.
I had a unique experience in that I was mostly what’s called a “Day Player” which meant rather than working on full show runs I hopped on for a day here, a weekend there on whatever show came through town. This has always been frustrating, as it meant I had to constantly look for the next job. But it also meant that I met people from around the country and shot in different styles depending on the look of the show. Being a chameleon is an invaluable skill in that world.
I’ve worked myself up to Camera Operator and Director of Photography and am immensely proud of the shows I’ve gotten to put my fingerprints on. Shows like “Mormon No More” and Tan France’s “Home at Last” gave me a chance to tell beautiful stories of amazing people.
I’ve also started up a video production business with co-founders Josh Finbow and Todd Schlopy called Rotate Media. You’re always better when you can collaborate with other creative people, and I hope to see it flourish into something much bigger than I could do on my own.
Up to now my emphasis has been on Documentary projects, which I will always love, but I also look forward to pushing into Narrative Features and TV in the coming years. This adventure has just begun!
Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
The road of a filmmaker is never a smooth one. When people ask me how to get into the industry, I always give them the same answer:
“If you can imagine yourself doing anything else, you should do it. We’re in this industry because we can’t see ourselves living any other life.”
I gave up a lot to even start the journey. I left the only place I had ever known, a familiar place with family, friends, a girlfriend and job possibilities. I moved to a tiny town into a 3-bedroom condo I found on Craigslist that I shared with 3-9 people (depending on who lived on our couch or in the garage.
I also fought financial struggles. I made the first move with a small amount of money that quickly disappeared when the boss didn’t pay me. I was helped a lot by a friend who helped me get on my feet in Salt Lake when I ran away from said job and boss. And I lived paycheck to paycheck and overdraft fee to overdraft fee as I worked my way to building enough of a reputation and network to survive.
Honestly, the struggles will always be there. Freelance work and running your own business are hard, and it’s never a steady ascent. It’s a roller coaster. The work comes and goes, and you make decisions along the way that you will inevitably look back on and regret. But life is mine. I’m chasing the career I want.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a Freelance DP, Camera Operator, and FAA Certified Drone Pilot based out of Salt Lake City, UT.
My genre-spanning 150+ credits over nearly ten years include GLAAD award-nominated documentary DP work on the Hulu Original “Mormon No More,” DP work on the upcoming feature “Masquerade Mixup,” 3 seasons on the A&E and Lifetime favorite “Escaping Polygamy,” and work with athletes and celebrities from Queer Eye’s Tan France on his series “Home At Last” to Hollywood A-Listers Dwayne Johnson and Mark Wahlberg to PGA Tour Pros Mike Weir and Tony Finau to NBA All-Star Donovan Mitchell. I am also Co-Owner of Rotate Media and creator of the online blog, The Visual Vagabonds.
I specialize as a Camera Operator in Film, TV, documentaries, and Commercials, with particular strengths in fast-paced and handheld shooting and a knack for following and capturing stories and emotions.
I have used these strengths to tell the stories of those who can’t tell it themselves, stories like the LGBT fight for equality in the LDS church (MORMON NO MORE), the FLDS and Kingston polygamist group children’s struggle to free themselves from the control of their fathers (ESCAPING POLYGAMY), and like the internal struggle of Influencer Moms raising their children in the public eye (MOM FAMOUS).
I believe the beauty and fulfillment of filmmaking as a career is the ability to master tools and technology to tell stories and combine them with beautiful imagery.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
For me, Salt Lake City represented a chance to chase my career as a filmmaker and stay outdoors and in the mountains, I love it so much. I grew up in Montana and spent my youth up through college ski racing, so staying in a place where I could continue to be in that setting was very important to me.
There’s also a rich history of filmmaking here, with shows and movies like “The Sandlot,” “Thelma and Louise,” “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “SLC Punk” and more all shot here. That, combined with the growing and welcoming film community here, is a huge plus. I was also pleasantly surprised to find a rich culture here that I didn’t expect. The music, the food, and the community events are all super important to me when I’m looking for a place to call my home.
I’m hesitant to talk about any negatives. I really do love this place more than I ever thought I would. It has its little quirks that we don’t need to delve into, but I think the biggest “negative” is that, like all places that have so many positives, Salt Lake has exploded in popularity and population, even in the short time I’ve been here. This carries with it the challenges related to how to handle more people wanting to see and do the same amount of things as were here when the population was half of what it is now. Outdoor and skiing access, traffic and overall crowds are all something we have to negotiate as our city keeps growing, which can be tough to adapt to. The plus side of all of this, though, as it relates to my world in the film industry, is that as more people move here and the popularity of Salt Lake and Utah grows, we become more and more of a viable location for shoots, films and TV shows. And we have more of a talent pool to draw from.
Ya, it may be tough to swallow the lines and crowds heading up The Cottonwoods now, but I think our growing community is a plus and I hope to be a reason the film community continues to grow along with the lift lines! It’s a beautiful, quirky place that’s being discovered and I think rather than grumble about it, I’d like to find a way to embrace it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.galenmurray.com
- Instagram: @galen_murray
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/galen-murray/
- Other: https://vimeo.com/galenmurray
Image Credits
Landon Hale
