WE ARE YOUR VIDEO ALLY
WHAT KIND OF NAME IS ROUTE 3 FILMS?
Well, Route 3 is a lonely ribbon of road that connects my hometown of Alton, Illinois with my new home, St. Louis, Missouri. Old Route 3 is a stretch of road that I have traveled more times than I can remember. My earliest memories on Route 3 were coming home from St. Louis Cardinal games when I was a kid….and always falling asleep in the car before we made it home. It was the road we always took to the “big city” for grade-school field trips and countless family camping trips to southern Missouri. It was the road my Dad hauled me and many a race car to the drag strip where, for much my childhood, I helped him race. I loved the experiences and the characters I met at the races. Being around the cars, the people and the history shaped my deep appreciation for old stories of street racing lore that surrounded old Route 3 in the 1960′s.
Later in my life, I traveled this stretch of road many times when I was attending Webster University and dreaming about what I would do with my life and what stories I might tell someday. Many years later when I made the decision to leave a career of 10 years….it was Route 3 that carried me up to Alton to seek advice from family and friends. I guess old Illinois Route 3, to me, is about going home, about having a history and telling great stories.
My great friend and a true inspiration in my life, Michael Gebben, was the catalyst for my career change. Making films for his company and experiencing his friendship has been truly life changing. After almost three years working together, I decided to build my own company and a brand that is all me. Speaking of brand, you might notice a little hot rod vibe in my logo, what can I say, nostalgia and Americana are a huge part of my life…. I’ve always loved the open road and how maps and signs lead us to the places we want to go…and sometimes, to points unknown beyond the horizon.
If you’d like to learn more about one of my many passions, you can visit a new section of my website called The Wagon and see a 3-part series I made with my Father and our old race car.
Tell me your story at Ryan@Route3Films.com
THE TEAM
JIMMY WILDERMAN
Meet Jimmy Wilderman! Jimmy has been with me since the start. He is my lead cinematographer, shot almost every film in my portfolio and is always by my side. When he is not running around with me and Route 3 Films, he and his lovely wife, Steph head up the top wedding film company in the region: capturedinframes.com. Jimmy loves his family, his work and his big adventures in the western half of the USA.
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JAMES HOOK
James Hook has been with me from the very start and is my lead editor. James' older brother, Tim Hook was actually my college roommate and edited my films way back when. James is a pure editor who understands me better than most. He puts up with my perfectionist tendencies, my terrible questions and my impossible requests but each time he delivers an amazing edit that needs less and less input from the boss. James is married to an equally creative mind and their family is growing so hopefully I will have another Hook editing my films in the years to come.
SCOTT HELFRICH
Scott is one of our two fantastic editors. Scott is based in my hometown of Alton, Illinois and has been a tremendous addition to our team and a true journeyman editor. He was a staff editor for a hunting show for a decade but now Route 3 Films allows Scott to flex some serious creative muscle each time I bring him a challenging project. The Director/Editor relationship is a fun one as we are two chefs in a crowded kitchen bickering, tasting, guessing, investigating and looking for the best recipe that works.
ALAN SHAWGO
Alan Shawgo is a recent graduate from Illinois College, a longtime client of ours, and while still a student at IC he tracked me down and insisted on interning for me. I am proud to say he is now my right-hand man.
True story: Alan's dad actually saw my films on the Illinois College website and told me that they helped him decide where to send Alan. Since graduation Alan has proved himself over and over to be as capable as anyone on our team...as a videographer, an editor and our brilliant photographer. He has now added web designer to his bag of tricks. He can do anything and is truly a big part of the Route 3 Family.
MICHAEL GEBBEN
The one and only Michael Gebben! Where do I start with this young man? Back in 2010 Gebbs, as he is known, somehow talked me out of a decade long career in the Event Production world to help him run his company. Well, the time was right in more ways than one and I was so ready to pick up a camera again. We joined forces for three epic years...from New York to LA to Fiji to Alton, Illinois we did it all and better than anyone that could catch us. He inspired and motivated me so much that I felt the pull to captain my own ship and Route 3 Films was born. I owe him so much and love when he is at my side with a camera in his hand.
