Erik Heinila
Born directly across the street from The Culver Studios in Los Angeles, Erik seemed destined to work in the motion picture industry. His father worked for Howard Hughes during the Hughes aviation and movie dynasty, but it wasn't until years later, while Erik was completing a degree in photography at a university in Utah, that he would unknowingly enter the world of motion pictures after being chosen to document the first Sundance Film Institute in Utah.
Noticed by some of the top industry people attending at Sundance, Erik spent the next decade as a stills photographer, working for ABC, NBC, CBS, Paramount Pictures, Sony, and Warner Bros. Shooting over 100 TV movies and series including the Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, the Barbara Walters Specials, and Larry King Live. Erik’s photographs documented interviews with just about every major celebrity and public figure, at that time, around the globe. Erik has spent the past 20 years shooting another 150+ movies and series for HBO, TNT, ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, Sony Pictures, The Hallmark Hall of Fame and most recently PBS.
Erik hunts strategically for the “money shots” when shooting an assignment. Because of his ability to capture uniquely excellent imagery, and his quiet unassuming manner on set, he is often chosen to cover the most difficult projects and talent. His greatest compliment from actors is usually, “I never even noticed you were there….”
Whether supporting the vision of an experienced filmmaker, capturing an emotional moment of an accomplished actor, or just being in the right place to get a key action sequence, Erik’s ability to consistently produce excellent photography is perhaps unparalleled, and brings the guarantee of exceptional results.
