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

Hi Scott, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
Never stop learning. Stay current in your field, but don’t forget to read about topics outside your field in order to understand different perspectives.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My day job is editing, which is creative and challenging. Editing is about problem solving and putting the pieces together, but the drawback is that it keeps me in a dark room all day. I started making documentaries in college and getting out into the field on a doc is a nice contrast to the edit suite.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Pacific Coast Highway up to Malibu is one of the best drives in the country. You can visit a variety of beaches, see the ocean, and watch the surfers. It’s never a bad choice. As for local spots, you can easily eat a great, inexpensive taco at Tacomiendo in Culver City, sample single-origin chocolate at Letterpress on Robertson, and then drink a fancy cocktail at Shutters on the Beach at sunset in Santa Monica all in one afternoon. Kenneth Hahn Park off of La Cienega is a hidden gem. On a nice day, you can see amazing views of the Westside all the way to downtown and then visit a Japanese garden, pine forest, and a pond with ducks, geese, and turtles!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Too many to mention individually, but mostly the work colleagues, friends, and family who supported my work throughout the years.

Website: www.MataOrtizMovie.com www.HitchhikingDocumentary.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/hitchhikingdoc www.twitter.com/soccamovie
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MataOrtizDocumentary www.facebook.com/hitchhikingdoc www.facebook.com/soccamovie
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAyt_lVgZZ-B1rdYJUHIhmw

Image Credits
Carol Flores

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