Conversations with Lindsey Hagen

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey Hagen.

Hi Lindsey, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started my documentary and commercial filmmaking trajectory here in Colorado. I graduated from CU with a degree in speech-language and hearing sciences and a passion for helping folks effectively communicate and celebrate their stories. I’ve been a long skier and lover of the outdoors and worked at Freeskier Magazine and Paradox Sports as I was finishing up college.

Here, I cut my teeth in the arena of sales and partnerships in the outdoor industry and have had lots of success working with some large, reputable outdoor brands. In 2017, I brought my sales and strategy skills to film and began managing clients and development efforts as an Executive Producer with Stept Studios (also CU alum). Here, I worked with brands like Nike, Google, The North Face, and Meta on some amazing 360 campaigns across social, digital, and commercial.

After some time in Los Angeles, my heart led me back to Boulder, CO, where I helped open the Rocky Mountain offices for a production company called Gnarly Bay. Today, I lead development efforts at Gnarly Bay and direct heartfelt, emotive films and brand campaigns that lean into social and environmental impact topics.

My film work in recent years has taken me to Oscar-qualifying film festivals like Tribeca, DocNYC, BigSky, Telluride’s Mountainfilm, Boulder’s very own International Film Festival, and Golden’s Environmental Film Festival. I was fortunate to have my recent film After Skid Row qualified for an Oscar in 2023, and a project I worked on with The North Face around regenerative agriculture won the Impact Award this year at Brand Storytelling, a Sundance-sanctioned award show for branded entertainment.

I love sharing stories that help paint a picture for a better tomorrow, and there is no greater joy than collaborating here in my local community and celebrating folks who are creating tangible progressive change through action.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Luckily, since my work leans creative, creative problem-solving is just a part of the equation. No problem is too large to tackle and generally an “indirect” path only leads to creative solutions and ultimately a more thoughtful finished product. Challenges breed ingenuity.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I strike a unique balance in the marketing and film space in the sense that I have a background in sales, marketing, and PR, and I’m also an experienced filmmaker and storyteller, but my roots lay in the nonprofit, adaptive sector, so I am really drawn to emotive, cause-related work.

I love working with brands/my clients to understand their needs, pain points, and problems they need to solve. I also love coming up with a plan through content strategy, creation, execution, and distribution that exceeds their expectations and can help build new audiences.

A great example of this is a new campaign we recently launched with The North Face’s global sustainability team that shares the stories of how they source their regenerative cotton and regenerative rubber- we focused on the stories of their farmers to develop emotional connection and broaden their reach just beyond product so they viewer would truly understand the “why” behind TNF’s regenerative sourcing initiative. Beyond a successful digital launch on Earth Day, this series went on to have lots of success in film festivals, won many awards, and was even picked up by streamers.

I think what sets me apart from other marketers/content creators in the space is that my approach is people first. Before I ever worked in film or marketing, I worked in adaptive sports and fitting folks for hearing aids- my values lie in genuinely connecting with people and working with them to achieve their goals.

When I partner on a project, I’m truly on your team, and I am always advocating on behalf of whose story we are celebrating. I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I have a strong moral compass to share stories compassionately.

What’s next?
Balance is the name of the game, and for me to show up for my clients and the subjects, I need to show up for myself.

I hold my health and mental health in high regard. This is something I’m always working on. I’m also a novice beekeeper and gardener – I live at 8,500 feet, so gardening is a work in progress! Ha.

A lot of my work takes me all over the globe. I have two dogs at home, I’d like to spend more time sharing stories locally that don’t take my overseas as often and help me give back to my local community. I am always looking for the next great story or partner here in Colorado to collaborate with!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gnarlybay.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linze3/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-hagen-2770b836/