FEATURED FILMMAKER: KATELYN CALHOUN

While she’s originally from Northeast Ohio, Katelyn Calhoun has embraced the Hoosier documentary filmmaking community after moving to Indiana for college. From our waterways to our wildlife, she’s created films documenting a variety of subjects.

“Life is incredibly interesting and everyone has a story,” says Calhoun. “I love connecting with people and connecting the dots of their experiences both through an individual and community lens. Often my films highlight the lovable aspects of a subject that is not typically recognized as lovable or popular.”

One such film is “Hellbender in the Blue,” available for streaming on Hoodox. The film features the Eastern Hellbender Salamander, an important river health indicator species, and the communities that rally around it to improve Indiana waterways for everyone. As Director, Calhoun calls it her favorite film she’s worked on. “I pulled in so many talented collaborators,” she explains, “and the community surrounding and loving the featured Hellbender Salamander was wonderful as well.”

Among these collaborators were other Hoosier storytellers, including Director of Photography JD Schuyler, editor Kayla Woodward, and aerial cameramen Paul Nurkkala and Winston Garthwaite. Jessica Dunn and Justin Shimp, animators at The BrainTwins, created animations throughout the film to tell the Hellbender’s story in a playful way. Composer Eric Salazar also created an original score for the film. “They all brought a speciality beyond my own capabilities, making the piece greater than the sum of its parts,” says Calhoun. “Many of these folks you’ll see in the credits of other works that you can find on Hoodox.”

“Hellbender in the Blue” has traveled far and wide since production wrapped up in 2022. As part of the Indiana Humanities Waterways Film Tour, the film screened at events across the state. And it’s not just Indiana where Calhoun’s work is making an impact. The film also played at festivals across the country, including the International Wildlife Film Festival in Montana. “I regularly hear about the film’s utilization in the wild,” Calhoun says. “Even last month, I was able to show it in a local outdoor shop in Dayton, Ohio where we assembled a panel of local waterways experts to speak specifically about the impact in their region. I’ve also heard anecdotally from Purdue professors that they are utilizing it in their environmental classes.”

As her films reach a broad audience, Calhoun says it’s their reception that makes all the work worth it. “The most rewarding thing about making documentaries is seeing a massive impact on your community,” she says. “It is really fun to hear from folks that have seen my films that didn’t know that I directed and produced the films. I’ll be at a networking event and someone will bring up one of my films and what they learned. It is cool to see how far and wide educational storytelling can go.”

Calhoun says she takes inspiration for her storytelling work from other female entrepreneurs and filmmakers who are further along in their careers. “I see how hard they work and how much they give,” she adds. “I see them and I recognize the path that they’ve paved.”

At Hoodox, we’re always excited to watch Hoosier filmmakers adapt and grow over time, finding their voice and style as they continue to tell real, impactful stories during different stages of their careers. “In my early years as a filmmaker,” Calhoun says, “I had aggressively paced goals. Now I simply want to make what I want when I want. My artistic inner voice and drive feels much more like mine.”

As her career has grown, Calhoun has channeled her love for documentary storytelling into a passion for helping others tell their own stories through consulting, speaking engagements, coaching, and more. She now runs Calhoun Creative Consulting, helping creators and businesses share their stories with the world.

While Calhoun sees Indiana as a home for her filmmaking, she spends her time traveling - sometimes by land, sometimes by boat - and witnessing different stories unfold. Follow her work on Instagram @calhouncreativeconsulting.

Photos provided by Katelyn Calhoun.