Meet David Altrogge | Filmmaker

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

Hi David, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I never wanted to be a business owner. In college, I interned at a production company in DC that specialized in reality TV. Their main show was something like Small Space, Big Style, if I remember right. I got to know the owner, and he was constantly stressed. I remember thinking, I will never own a business. All I wanted was to make movies, and I didn’t see what running a business had to do with that.

But after that internship, my best friend and creative partner, Ian Murphy, put things in perspective. “David,” he said, “if we want to make movies, we have to show people we can handle money.” Reluctantly, I agreed, and we came up with a plan to start a production company called Vinegar Hill (we both lived in Indiana, Pennsylvania, the hometown of screen legend Jimmy Stewart…he grew up atop Vinegar Hill). The idea was simple: after graduating, we’d get jobs in the film industry and build Vinegar Hill on the side.

Six weeks later, Ian was in a head-on collision that nearly killed him. It was unclear if he’d ever be able to make films again. I didn’t want to leave him behind (we’d been best friends since we were three), but I needed a job. Trouble was, at the time there were exactly zero job opportunities in video production in Indiana, PA. So, I decided to give Vinegar Hill a shot for six months. If it didn’t work out, I’d move.

After six months, it was obvious the business was holding its own. I wasn’t rolling in cash and I certainly wasn’t directing Super Bowl spots. But new clients kept coming in, and I could pay my cell phone bill (thanks to living with my parents and setting up an office in their basement, that was my only bill). At the end of the year, I borrowed some money from my grandpa to buy a Canon XL-H1 and partnered with my buddy Mike—a killer DP/editor who was still in school in Baltimore. As this was pre-zoom days, we did our daily meetings via Skype. Every month, we’d meet up for shoots.

That was 17 years ago. Since then, I’ve done some cool stuff and made some films I’m really proud of. After directing three features, I had my first film accepted at SXSW this year, where it won the Documentary Spotlight Audience Award. I’ve upgraded from the XL-H1 to an Arri Amira, and I’m still best friends with Ian, who lives with a traumatic brain injury and inspires me every day. Today, I can’t imagine not owning a business. It’s let me travel the world, make films I’m proud of, and work with incredible artists and creatives (many of whom are in Pittsburgh—best place to live, hands down).

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a producer, writer, and director, best known for my work in documentaries. My most recent film, CLEMENTE, explores the life and legacy of MLB trailblazer and Puerto Rican icon Roberto Clemente. Executive produced by LeBron James and Richard Linklater, the film took home the Documentary Spotlight Audience Award at this year’s SXSW. I also direct commercials and branded content. You can check it all out at www.VinegarHill.film

The biggest lesson I’ve learned? Filmmaking is great, but friendship is better. Prioritize relationships—they’re what make life worth living. Success, without relationships, feels pretty empty. And besides, making films with friends is way more fun than making them on your own.

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?
Pittsburgh is what’s up. If visiting, you gotta hit up the Strip District (known for Primanti Brothers Sandwiches that are topped with fries and coleslaw) and the Warhol Museum. The zoo is also pretty great. And the Clemente Museum in Lawrenceville is a must.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Ian Murphy and his amazing wife Larissa. There would be no Vinegar Hill without them!

Website: https://www.VinegarHill.film

Instagram: @daltrogge

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/david-altrogge-237b2911