Life & Work with Blaine Hensley of Gainesville, GA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Blaine Hensley.

Hi Blaine, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I began any considerable part of my life as an athlete. I was on my way to becoming a state runner for Cross-Country and Track around 2o16 and that was also a time where I was really trying to find myself. I wasn’t really happy being an athlete. I also found myself unable to make any true, lasting friends. Around that time I was approached by childhood friends to help join theatre, since small schools in the backwoods don’t really have a lot of guys in their program. On a random Thursday, I tried out for Footloose, and got the lead roll without and prior experience. I don’t remember how I convinced myself to do it — I just remember thinking “I’m gonna meet so many girls if I join theatre…”
Fast forward to college…
I realized before college that Theatre wasn’t my bag, so I got behind a video camera and decided that I enjoyed it a lot. Funny enough, I was more of a natural on a film set than on stage.
During college, I worked my tail off trying to get PA gigs, acting gigs, and generally always being near a set. It paid off. I got some decent paying jobs, shut up and did the job when I was on a big set, and always stayed in my lane, quietly working on my craft.

When I graduated, I had shot, acted in, and directed / produced a handful of long form shorts (20-40 mins in length each) for myself and others. It was a good body of work, but when I graduated, I met my business partner, again actually…

My first semester of college I met Skyler, a decent fellow looking to start a video / media company. We parted ways when we both shifted schools and campuses. I met him after I graduated after he randomly offered my a gig in Texas. After the job he offered to start a business with me. It was random, it was off the cuff, and it was my only way I felt I could control my future and make a way for myself.

And here we are: we run Shift Z Media, a full-stack media and marketing agency that brings a true level of craft and filmic storytelling to a generally… boring corporate company landscape. We have helped individuals and small companies be seen, be acquired, acquire others, and find their brand (as much as I hate that word…) image by being a down to earth, open minded, and seriously driven company led by an overwhelming creative mission: make dope as hell content that doesn’t feel like content, it feels like a documentary.

That’s the Highfalutin version. To put it far more simply: we identify what makes the individuals attached to companies interesting and create fun and engaging content that actually feels purposeful and personal so that we earn enough to make movies about characters and stories that influence us to be in this business anyways. That’s what movies are all about!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There’s been many. Starting your own company is one of the hardest things you can do. There’s all it’s own rough, albeit predictable set of challenges. What was tougher, and something I never anticipated, was coming from where I came from and diving so fast head first into this life and career.

I come from the north GA backwoods. When I began my career in film, there were certain judgements passed onto me by those in my circles and there was belief that it wasn’t a real or “moral” industry. You know how those old fashioned ideals go.

Then, I came to school and came face to face with a truly modern world politically, socially, and economically. I grew up an only child and spent a lot of my early years in my echo-chambers, so it took a while to open my mind and find myself because I was conflicted on who am I supposed to be.

Then, when I found myself, I battled the usual self confidence issues of trying to be an artist with two backgrounds: I’m an old school guy. I drive an old car, wear vintage clothes, live a life Don Draper would be proud of, but at the end of the day, I live different lives when I’m around different people: because I have to be to fit in with these different groups I’m apart of. It’s hard (and ironic) finding who you are when your job is helping others do the same.

Also, as you can tell, I’m horribly self aware of myself. A blessing and a curse in it’s own right.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a working filmmaker and creative director with Shift Z Media.

I started Shift Z with my business partner, Skyler, when we realized we had a mutual love for story telling, but considering I had directed and produced short films while keeping them on schedule, under or on budget, and considerably better in quality than my peers at the time, I was perfect as a creative lead on all operations for the agency.

I help clients (such as real estate agents, motivational speakers, start-up company owners, music artists, scientists, motorsports teams, just to name a few archetypes we’ve helped…) find their messaging and image then execute robust content systems (video long and short, graphic design, website, merchandise…) for socials, collaborations, short-form and long-form narrative, and marketing campaigns.

Already, we’ve worked with impressive clientele doing work of all manners, whether it’s building their entire brand identity from the ground up, building an effective social media strategy that gains views, or helping with philanthropic or competitive means to push an individual or team ahead of the competition.

Personally, in my filmmaking career, I’ve directed 2 award winning short films, a crime thriller about bank robbers and then a college thesis-style film about unstable pool hustlers, and acted in many large productions like Tulsa King, Saturday Night, Fly Me To The Moon, I Love Boosters, and Madden… as key background characters.

My latest endeavor is bringing the true story of Virginia, Georgia, and Florida based drug smuggler Wally Thrasher to a narrative film adaption. There is a book out about him called Chasing the Squirrel. I very much want to option the book and have the film financed!

What sets me apart… besides what’s obvious from all my answers, I’ve got the driest sense of humor of anyone you’ll ever meet. Also, I look just like Robert Mitchum out of a noir film on any given day.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I was recently asked to play in a poker tournament. I denied entry, saying, “I am not a gambler at the table.”
The guy replied, “Implying you gamble away from the table…?”
“Yes,” I said, “My career is enough of a gamble as is…”

He told me more people need to think like me.

And I’m no Tom Cruise, but I’ve hung out of car doors and jumped through windows to recreate my favorite John Woo style action shot many times…

So, I’d simply say I take risks all where it matters.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shiftzmedia.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blainetyhensley/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@blainehensleyfilms