About

Doug Hawes-Davis and Dru Carr co-founded High Plains Films in the mid-1990s and have collaborated on dozens of independent documentaries, branded content, PSA's, and other media for more than three decades. They began collaborating after each had independently produced early video projects while working toward graduate degrees from the University of Montana. They both hold Master's of Science in Environmental Studies degrees from the university. Carr also holds a B.S. in Biology from Davidson College. Hawes-Davis completed his B.A. in Political Science at DePauw University in 1989.

Challenging in form and content, much of their work is intended to provide insight into the relationship between human society and the natural world. Their projects have been exhibited around the world at festivals, independent cinema, and broadcast television. They have worked extensively in the public television and media realm as independent producers. In 2012, their feature documentary FACING THE STORM: STORY OF THE AMERICAN BISON, a co-production of ITVS and Montana Public Television, was broadcast on the national PBS series, Independent Lens. In 2007, their film, LIBBY, MONTANA was broadcast nationally on the acclaimed PBS Series, POV: The American Documentary, and was nominated for a National Emmy Award the following year. They have also worked as free-lance camera operators, producers, directors, and editors, assisting with documentaries, television, web video, and non-profit/corporate video production.

Hawes-Davis, Carr, and long-time collaborator, Damon Ristau, are the founding members of the Big Sky Film Institute and Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, an Academy-qualifying event for short-form documentary. The festival is consistently recognized as one of the world's finest non-fiction cinema events.

Additionally, Hawes-Davis has taught filmmaking at the University of Montana and in the Colorado College Film & Media Studies Program. Dru Carr teaches storytelling through media at the MAPS Media Institute and previously for Missoula Community Access Television (MCAT) and the Big Sky Film Institute.

Carr and Hawes-Davis are avid hunters, gardeners, and outdoor enthusiasts with countless experiences in the wild and urban environments that continue to inform and evolve their journalism and media art.

Big Sky Pictures, LLC produces THE MONTANA EXPERIENCE: STORIES FROM BIG SKY COUNTRY, a youtube channel dedicated to all things concerning the great State of Montana.

Over more than three decades, High Plains Films has accumulated thousands of hours of documentary footage of events, wildlife, wildlands, industry, urban landscapes, people, recreation, and much more, as well as interviews with many hundreds of fascinating people on equally fascinating topics. Our footage has been acquired by all of the major television networks and many dozens of independent filmmakers, content creators, and production companies around the world. Most of the images in our archive have never been used in a finished film. We have also collected a diverse array of public domain images, old home movies and other archival materials.

Over 200TB of media is available for licensing for your project. If you're interested in footage from a specific High Plains film or project, please email us a brief description of your needs and we'll be in touch about previewing footage and licensing.