Meet Colin Havey | Commercial and Television Director, Camera Man, Editor

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

Hi Colin, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I work in the film and television industry and over the years, I’ve worked jobs in both production and post-production. Honestly, for me it made sense from a tax standpoint to become a business and make myself the sole employee. So I started a production company!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When I first moved to LA, I had probably $800 in my bank account. I was 21 years old and thought I was a hotshot video editor. How naive I was! I got a job editing wedding videos. The pay was $10 an hour. I hated it! But I learned a lot. Eventually I started shooting the weddings too. When you’re shooting weddings, it’s a high stress environment. You can’t miss anything or else you’ve failed the clients. I learned how to shoot quickly, while also still getting beautiful shots.

I really hated it though. It was tedious and not in line with my “dreams.” So I quit, and reached out to a movie producer I had done an internship with, while I was in college. He got me a job as a camera production assistant on a movie called “Hope Springs.” From there I learned I didn’t want to be in a camera department doing technical stuff. I wanted to make my own content.

A friend had begun working at UFC as a post production supervisor and hired me as an editor for a show called UFC Ultimate Insider. I worked ten hour days and worked my way up to lead editor. The opportunities kind of snowballed. Now I shoot and edit content for TV as well as commercials for big brands like Barbie and Google.

I wouldn’t have been able to get where I am today without putting in long hard hours that I often hated, but more importantly without cultivating and maintaining strong relationships with people in the industry.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First stop: Big Deans for a large Kona Big Wave and some tacos or a cheeseburger. If you know, you know.

Then I would probably take them for a marina cruise on my little boat in Marina del Rey. Perhaps we would bike down the Venice bike path or maybe take bird scooters.

Day two: maybe a day trip to Malibu Wines or down to Manhattan beach for a beach day and some bar hopping.

Day three: Explore downtown and Silver Lake, maybe hit a game at Dodger Stadium.

Day four: Relax at Golden Road Brewery or Arts District.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The person who probably deserves the most credit for my success is my mom. When I was 18 and had no idea what I was doing with my life, she suggested I study film and television (since I watched so much of it!). She really raised me right and helped me find the path to success. I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today without her.

Website: https://granitevillefilms.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/granitevillefilms/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colin-havey-38934349/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colin.havey