Erin Hudson: Portrait of a Film-Maker

This year, Erin Hudson has four short documentaries screening in the film festival: “Unhitched,” “Afloat,” “Long Haul,” and “Rotation.” A native of Albuquerque, she holds a BA in women’s studies from Colorado College, and an MA in Documentary Film and Video from Stanford University. As a film-maker, freelance cinematographer, producer, and editor, as well as an educator and sole proprietor of Rotation Films, Erin Hudson certainly has a lot on her plate.
HPR: How did you get involved in film and film-making?

Erin: I had a real passion for film, mainly as a viewer, an audience member; and I always really enjoyed viewing documentaries that were character-driven. So that’s how it all started but I can’t say that I knew I was going to be a film-maker, or even would be able to be a film-maker. It wasn’t until after I graduated college that I bought a Mac and a really simple camera from Best Buy, and made a film about my grandmother, just to see if I could do it and to learn how to do it. Then I started looking into graduate programs in documentary film and used the next film to apply. After I sent off my application, I also submitted it to some film festivals and it got into a couple. That really gave me a boost of confidence, to make me feel like I was actually becoming a film-maker. It kinda was a ...just a process for me. Sometimes I kind of pinch myself and go, “Am I really a film-maker?” Because it feels like one of the best jobs to have and to be able to say it is unreal sometimes, for me.

HPR: A lot of people seem to view film as a medium mostly for entertainment. What is it about film, for you, that makes it more than that?

Erin: That is a great question. Well, film festivals like the Fargo Film Festival and others really support this idea that films are social change vehicles, they’re ways to touch deeper and more complex issues than mainstream entertainment does. So film connects people in ways that can create social change and create windows into people’s lives or into issues that we don’t experience…media as a way of building community and providing voice to people that usually are voiceless—just the simple fact of projecting someone onto a big screen that normally is marginalized, is a pretty big deal. It’s so important in our day and age.

HPR: What inspires you? How do you decide what to do a documentary on?

Erin: That’s another great question (laughter). It has changed, for different films. For me, it always comes back to what resonates. The stories that I feel passionate about, that I feel like I can tell. Also, I really see film as a collaborative process so I ALWAYS build friendships first before I even bring out the camera. So my strategy too is if I feel like I’m good friends with the person, then that’s a great reason for me to make the films that I do.

HPR: What is the most difficult part of being involved in film?

Erin: There are a lot of wonderful parts to it of course, so coming up with challenges is sort of a challenge in itself. But, yeah, trying to create a sustainable lifestyle, that’s an untraditional lifestyle…but one that I’m passionate about. So, striking a balance, as it is for everyone!

HPR: So, out of everything that you do, when it’s all put together, what’s the most rewarding part?

Erin: The most rewarding part is by far the relationships that are built through the process. It’s tremendous, the connection, real human-to-human connection that happens when you’re welcomed into people’s lives. And then, this beautiful thing that happens between what’s on the screen and the viewers. To be a part of that intricate process, to me, is so rewarding. That’s by far the reason that I’m in it.

HPR: For you, what’s it like being a woman in the film industry?

Erin: To speak personally, the film industry is quite intimidating, when you’re an outsider. It feels mired in technology and things that often, girls just don’t feel as comfortable with, and that’s for a whole variety of reasons. And I have to say, I was one of them. But it’s not at all what film-making is. Film-making is about relationship building, and communicating, and access to people and emotions. And so I’ve found that being a woman has given me great access to stories. I come off as non-threatening, and I’m always interested in building relationships over making a flashy movie. But there are definitely ups and downs, and I have felt like I haven’t been taken as seriously as I’d like for what I do. But then, I’ve also felt like I’ve been honored for being completely who I am.
HPR: So would you say that the hardest part for women isn’t being in film but breaking into film?

Erin: Yep, I think that’s big, but also having access early. I still think that teenage boys are more likely to start as media-makers just because of how society thinks of how boys and girls are different. I think we need to be intentional about getting those media tools into the hands of girls.
HPR: So what advice do you have to give to, not only young women but to all women who are considering pursuing film, or somebody who has an idea but hasn’t acted on it yet?

Erin: Yeah, well…to do it! To not be afraid and to just try. I think it’s as simple as that. I think sometimes we feel like we have to start something and be the best at it immediately, but we’re all on that learning curve. So even if it’s just something really short with old family pictures and a voiceover track and some music, that’s something! That’s getting a voice and a vision that wouldn’t have been heard otherwise. And right now, because of our interconnected world, you can have things seen! So just start!