Meet Erik Smith | Director of photography, owner operator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erik Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erik, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I never set out to start a film and video production company—it just unfolded naturally. In 2012, I moved to Bali, Indonesia, to volunteer at an orphanage. Of course, I spent plenty of time surfing, but my main focus was the children and the work being done there. At the time, I had no real experience in filmmaking, but a friend encouraged me to launch a Kickstarter campaign to fund some basic gear and document the orphanage’s story. With a Canon 7D, a few lenses, and a small audio recorder, I immersed myself in filming everything around me—daily life at the orphanage, local ceremonies, surfing, and lots of time lapses around the island.

I began cutting short films for the orphanage to use on their website, helping share their mission with the world. That experience sparked something in me. I fell in love with the power of filmmaking as a tool to tell meaningful stories—stories of communities in need, but also of resilience, hope, and the people working to make a difference. When I returned to Los Angeles, I was fortunate to transition out of my day job and into video production full-time. Today, my work spans corporate clients, from tech and medical companies to a casino in Palm Springs, but I remain drawn to stories that capture the human experience—the moments that remind us why we connect, care, and strive for something greater.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My company, Banana Man Films, is a full-service production house specializing in small to medium-sized film and commercial projects. We own our own cameras, sound, lighting, and grip equipment, allowing us to produce high-quality work without the overhead of a large-scale production. With a small but highly skilled team, we create final products that look as though they were shot with a much bigger crew and budget. That’s our niche—understanding our clients’ needs and constraints, then finding the most efficient and creative way to bring their vision to life. Our agility as a smaller team allows us to stay nimble, adaptable, and highly efficient.

For example, this past year, I was the Director of Photography for a feature documentary about the Snake River in Idaho and Washington. Over the course of five weeks in the Pacific Northwest, our team—just three crew members plus the director—captured stunning b-roll, interviews, and drone footage that looked like it came from a much larger production. Because each team member was multi-talented—operating cameras, setting up lighting and sound for interviews, and even handling drone work when I was busy filming elsewhere—we were able to move quickly and capture a wealth of high-quality material. Projects like this, where a tight-knit team comes together to make something extraordinary happen, are what I love most about what we do.

Banana Man Films has been around for about 10 years, and until recently, I never actively marketed the business—it’s been entirely word-of-mouth. But over the past few months, I created a short promotional video to quickly showcase what we do and to give potential clients a sense of my personality. I put this video together because I’m now making a more intentional effort to connect with clients and projects that truly inspire me.

I often get asked, “Where did the name Banana Man Films come from?” Well, 20 years ago, I moved to LA with a funk-rock band. The four of us shared a tiny two-bedroom apartment in Santa Monica, and one night, after a long shift waiting tables, I came home to find our guitarist and singer deep into a night of drinking and listening to records. I grabbed a banana to eat, and the singer, in his drunken enthusiasm, declared, “Look at him! He’s Banana Man!” I laughed it off, thinking nothing of it. But the very next night, during our big gig at the Whisky a Go Go on Sunset Boulevard, the singer put his arm around me mid-set and announced to the crowd, “Hey! This is Banana Man! He plays the Banana Bass!” And just like that, the nickname stuck. I fought it for a while, but eventually, I gave in. Years later, when I opened my first business bank account for my video work, I thought it would be fun to call it Banana Man Films—and, wouldn’t you know it, that stuck too.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my friend was keen I’d book us a few days camping at Leo Carillo camp ground in Malibu. Skateboard down to the beach in the morning to surf then back at camp for breakfast burritos around the fire. We’d probably then get lunch at Neptunes Net where I would recite countless lines from the movie “Pointbreak” starring Keanu Reaves. Eventually we would head back to my place in Venice but as we passed the Santa Monica Pier I’d likely tell my friend about how the very first person to lease a boat slip at the Santa Monica Pier when it was built was Charley Chaplin. I’m love odd bits of history about LA.

At some point we would probably bike down to the Venice pier and do a bar crawl along the boardwalk. We’d definitely get a burger and a pitcher at Hinanos. I’m from a small town in Nebraska and Hinanos reminds me of a lot of my hometown bars. I love it.

If we wanted to watch some live music I’d first see who was playing at the Teragram Ballroom. The sound at Teragram is fantastic, you can actually hear the different instruments.

I’m a big fan of space, rockets etc. so once again if my friend was keen, I’d take a tour of JPL in Pasedena. A lot of people don’t realize all of the cool satellites, telescopes and Mars rovers that were made there! Yup, I’m a space nerd.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Robert Downs – A legendary rock and roll photographer who has quite literally photographed everyone. When I first moved to LA 20 years ago, I used to see him up the alley from my place, repairing surfboards. We started surfing together, became friends, and one day he said, “You seem pretty smart—think you can carry a C-stand?” That simple question led to several years of assisting him, where I learned invaluable lessons—not just about lighting, but also about the soft skills of freelancing, working with clients, and navigating the industry with professionalism and adaptability.

Reuben Reynoso – A phenomenal photographer and documentary camera operator who gave me the initial push to launch my Kickstarter campaign. Quite literally, he set me on the path to becoming a filmmaker.

Bali Life Foundation – The Bali Life Foundation welcomed me in, made me feel like family, and gave me the opportunity to capture powerful stories with my camera. Without their generosity, the incredible kids at the orphanage, and the work they’re doing in Bali, I don’t know if I would have ever been inspired enough to take the leap into freelance filmmaking.

Website: https://bananamanfilms.com

Instagram: @bananamanfilms

Linkedin: Banana Man Films