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Why did Ben Proudfoot—a promising, LA-based young filmmaker from Canada and recent graduate of the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts—make a special trip to Old Town Eureka in December? He came to make a short film about local woodworking craftsmaster/artisan Eric Hollenbeck, and what incredible things go on at the Blue Ox Millworks and Historic Park.
Proudfoot said that he discovered Hollenbeck during a massive, online search for craftsmen of all kinds that requested interested artisans to email their stories. “It was a wonderful time—and we were overwhelmed when we got almost 3,000 email resp
Why did Ben Proudfoot—a promising, LA-based young filmmaker from Canada and recent graduate of the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts—make a special trip to Old Town Eureka in December? He came to make a short film about local woodworking craftsmaster/artisan Eric Hollenbeck, and what incredible things go on at the Blue Ox Millworks and Historic Park.
Proudfoot said that he discovered Hollenbeck during a massive, online search for craftsmen of all kinds that requested interested artisans to email their stories. “It was a wonderful time—and we were overwhelmed when we got almost 3,000 email responses from all kinds of amazing people with amazing stories,” he said. One that particularly stood out came from two people who highly recommended the filmmaker contact Hollenbeck. “So, we went to the Blue Ox website, and were so impressed and intrigued that we gave him a call.”
Proudfoot spent several days in Eureka in early December in Old Town's Eagle House Victorian Inn where, appropriately enough, Hollenbeck had done and continues to do extensive custom woodwork. Spending each day at Blue Ox Millworks from early morning until dark, Proudfoot filmed Hollenbeck's activities; interviewed his wife Viviana Hollenbeck who co-runs the business and talked to everyone about why they were so involved in creating hands-on crafts in the midst of a high-tech society. He said what they told him was honest, insightful and quite wonderful.
“He is, without a doubt, one of the most incredible people I've ever met,” Proudfoot said. “He's down-to-earth, but philosophically brilliant. I think creating alone so much has given him time to ponder about life, and express himself in many different ways—from woodwork to poetry. He reminds me, in his own way, of Abraham Lincoln—another remarkable man who started out working with wood, and ended up sharing his creative wisdom with generations; but, Eric is uniquely Eric, and I can't wait to share him with the rest of the world. But, I promise to world-premiere the film in Eureka!”
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