Meet Rick Baraff: Adventure & Socially Conscious Content Pro

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

Hi Rick, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Well, since I like doing everything alone, juggling 17 balls while wearing 11 hats, I figured why not? No, actually it was born simply from the fact that I have a pretty unique skillset as an adventure cinematographer and multimedia content creator and when I was starting out, I was getting hired for (and seeking out) pretty particular (okay, extreme) gigs and it just rolled into a business that way. And also, I was getting jobs they were for things that didn’t quite have the budget to hire more people, so it became a solo business that way, too.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art is Storytelling. I do it in a variety of shapes and sizes from video to writing to design. I feel what sets me apart is that I’ve not only truly studied the craft for years (in formal and informal settings) but that I’ve had the fortune of living so many different adventures personally and professionally. The best storytellers pull from their experiences and then have the ability to overlay those with some very specific and archetypal ways of embellishing them so that they are universal and easily understood. Joseph Campbell, the amazing professor of literature who studied numerous cultures and found that good stories have an overall structure – what he called “the hero’s journey” – has been a big influence on me as it’s a touchstone for aspiring screenwriters. And like any good dramatic story, my own journey hasn’t always been easy but I’ve learned something almost every day that goes into the databank. Most notably, I always tell people that I learned much more on film projects that weren’t done well or executed properly. There’s nothing like seeing how NOT to do something to help guide you when you’re planning your own project! I’ve always overcome the challenges by simply believing in myself and my abilities. It really is that simple (and hard). If you’re passionate about something, go for it. Most artists fail, stumble, go through a myriad of ideas and changes, and run up against criticism for long periods before they (we) find our own voice and footing. So it’s all about staying true to what makes you happy and what you think will make others either happy or engaged or inspired. I will say that I’ve been fortunate enough that I’ve gotten a lot of super positive feedback along the way so that does help tremendously with pushing forward. That can help you gauge if you’re on the right path, so to speak. But it’s also about learning along the way and constantly pursuing knowledge. Another thing I tell aspiring writers is that if you want to be a doctor you don’t just go out and buy some implements and set up an office fo business – you go through years of study. Same with practically any profession. So why wouldn’t you do the same with, in particular, script writing? Or video production? That said, I’m proud of most of the projects I’ve worked on but two that stick out are traveling across the US at literally 3 miles per hour to film a documentary called “Running America” (about two ultra runners trying to break the cross-country record, which we filmed in the midst of Obama’s first Presidential election, so it’s a great snapshot of the time) and being part of another documentary about the destructive practices of the palm oil industry in the jungles of Sumatra. This film, “Leuser: The Last Place On Earth,” should be coming out soon and has some Oscar-winning producers behind it now. As for what I’d love folks to know about my personal brand and my own story: I’m always positive and proactive when it comes to helping others plan things out from the beginning. Really, I do this to a fault! I’m often blubbering over with outside-the-box ideas and things to pull off… but in the end I almost always get “wow!”

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?
Are we talking about the Dallas-Ft Worth area? Well, I’d first put my friend on a plane and get them as far from here as possible because things to do (that I’m a fan of, at least) are super limited. If we’re still talking Covid, I’d at least put them in a car and drive to Austin, or with a whole week, either the mountains of New Mexico or SW Arkansas. I like to be outside and enjoy Nature with some adventures, picnics, fresh air; and you have to go pretty far outside the Dallas area for that unfortunately. BUT in Dallas there are a few spots that can make you feel removed from the hustle and bustle. So my friend would stay at an Airbnb in Little Forest Hills neighborhood; we’d grab some beer and juicy sandwiches from GoodFriends Package store and go to the Arboretum for a picnic (you can take anything you want inside in terms of food and drink!); catch some live music (Covid be darned, or at least planning for post Covid activities) in Deep Ellum and enjoy the really unique drinks and Hungarian-styled foods at Armoury; grab some fresh cut ribs and meat at Rudolph’s Meat Market (one of the oldest businesses in Dallas) to grill up; maybe check out the DMA or the Dallas Contemporary for their outside-the-box installation art; and then take the next five days to get out of town! Ha.

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?
I’d be remiss not to thank my mom first and foremost for giving me every opportunity to succeed and while I didn’t turn out to be the doctor or lawyer she was hoping for, I’m “me” and she appreciates that. A close second is my wife for putting up with all my crazy ideas and energy. And then, as many wide-eyed kids of my era reference: Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and the whole maverick filmmaker crew of the 70s and 80s that introduced us to Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and plethora of other heart-tugging, seat-gripping eye candy that caused me to want to create.

Website: www.change-machine.com
Instagram: instagram.com/rickbaraff
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickbaraff/
Other: Vimeo.com/rockpapermedia

Image Credits
All images my own. Copyright Rick Baraff