MEET THE CREW
- Elora Griswold
- Jan 10, 2023
- 5 min read
The Talented Maine-Based Team Behind The City of Servers

The Maine film community is notoriously small, but also filled to the brim with passionate pine state filmmakers: some of which we are lucky enough to have on our team entering production for The City of Servers. The following blog post (also our first blog post!) will illuminate the talent of each crew member and provide links to their most recent work. Without further ado, it's time to meet the people making it happen!

PRODUCER, DIRECTOR, LEAD EDITOR: ELORA GRISWOLD
BIOGRAPHY: "Elora Griswold is currently an undergraduate student at Southern Maine Community College who is majoring in Communications and New Media with plans to transfer to a four-year news media production program upon graduation. Her primary interests include writing and producing documentary films on issues surrounding local politics, working-class rights, and cases of gender-based discrimination. In addition to film pursuits, Elora edited the local politics section of The SMCC Beacon and plans to incorporate the foundations of strong written journalism into each media piece she produces, starting with The City of Servers as part of the SMCC Maine Mayhem Film Festival in May 2023."
SAMPLE OF PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED ARTICLES FOR THE SMCC BEACON AS
LOCAL POLITICS EDITOR:
1. SMCC Student Speaks About Ongoing Humanitarian Crisis in Ethiopia (read here)
2. Maine Food Trucks Face Uphill Battle After Being Moved to a Lower Parking Lot (read here)
3. There Are More Fake Abortion Clinics in Maine Than Real: Here's What You Need to Know (read here)
RECENT VIDEO PROJECTS:
1. "The View From Eastern Promenade Road"; Directed, produced, edited, camera operator (watch here)
2. "Maine Activist Protests PACs with Paint"; Directed, produced, and edited (watch here)
3. "Shin Splints": Co-producer and sound operator (watch here)
CONTACT/SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS
1. Instagram: @elora.abigail
2. Facebook: Visit profile here
3, LinkedIn: Visit profile here
3. Email: eloraagriswold@smccme.edu OR cityofserversdoc@gmail.com

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY:
BODHI OULLETTE
BIOGRAPHY: "I'm honored to join this project as its Director of Photography. I’ve been a working professional in the industry within Maine and the New England area for over five years now, working on many commercials, music videos and feature films. Helping to capture the visual look and aesthetic of our servers and their experiences, and collaborating with Elora and the team is something I'm really looking forward to. "
RECENT VIDEO PROJECTS:
1. "Bodhi Ouellette Cinematography Reel: 2020-21" (watch here)
2. "I'll Miss You" official music video for Joshua Fichera (watch here)
3. "Brownie" a Maine Damnationland film (read about here)
CONTACT/SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS:
1. Instagram: @bodhitouellette 2. Facebook: Visit profile here
3, LinkedIn: Visit profile here
3. Email: bouellette12@gmail.com

1st CAMERA OPERATOR:
GABE HIRST
BIOGRAPHY: "Gabe is currently a student at Southern Maine Community College who has a deep passion for film and has worked on a variety of different projects--one of his recent pieces includes serving as 1st AC on the short Broken Petals and several other student films. Elora & Gabe have also collaborated to create documentaries together in the past."
RECENT VIDEO PROJECTS:
1. "Shin Splints" (watch here)
2. "Broken Petals" (watch trailer here)
CONTACT/SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS:
1. Instagram: @hirstybar 2. Facebook: Visit profile here
3. Email: gabrielahirst@smccme.edu

2nd CAMERA OPERATOR:
SOKHEAN J OUK
BIOGRAPHY: "Sokhean is Director/ DP who moved back to Portland, ME but continues to work in academia in Boston. With an MFA in Cinematography from BU’s Cinema and Media Production program he’s taken his technical and visual storytelling knowledge to produce his own productions while pursuing his other goals in film and television. Having spent the last few years developing a workflow in Virtual Production using Unreal Engine, he now works as an Interim Manager for the Immersive Media Lab at a university in Boston where he hopes to leverage XR technologies in the use of storytelling."
RECENT VIDEO PROJECTS:
1. "Wish I Was There" (watch trailer here)
2. "Quintessence of Charracter" (watch here)
CONTACT/SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS:
1. Instagram: @sokheanjouk 2. Facebook: Visit profile here
3. Email: Sokheanjouk@gmail.com

DRONE OPERATOR:
SAM BRILLIANT
BIOGRAPHY: "Sam Brilliant is a drone operator & cinematographer based out of South Portland, ME. He has filmed a variety of narratives and music videos in the greater New England area and owns S.B. Films--a Maine based production company."
RECENT VIDEO PROJECTS:
1. "You Are Not Alone" (watch music video here)
2. "The View From Eastern Promenade Road" (watch here)
CONTACT/SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS:
1. Instagram: @sambfilms 2. Facebook: Visit profile here
3. Email: sam@sambfilms.com

LEAD GAFFER & SET PHOTOGRAPHER:
TRAVIS HARDIN
BIOGRAPHY: "Hi! My name is Travis Harden, and I'm a southern Maine based photographer and filmmaker. I'mvery excited to help bring this project to life as it has such a meaningful message."
RECENT VIDEO PROJECTS:
1. "Broken Petals" (watch trailer here)
2. "“The Things They Don’t See”
CONTACT/SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS:
1. Instagram: @tdhphotographyandentertainment 2. Facebook: Visit profile here
3. Email: travis.harden34@gmail.com

ART DIRECTOR:
HANNAH PERRY SHEPHERD
BIOGRAPHY: "Hannah Perry Shepherd is an actor, filmmaker and has also worked in different areas of art and design (hair, make up, props, etc.) for both theater and film. She is thrilled to be working on this project and to help achieve the artistic vision for this documentary, collaborating with this great team of individuals."
CONTACT/SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS:
1. Instagram: @hannahelaineperry OR @theantiquefilm 2. Facebook: Visit profile here
3. Email: hannaheperry@smccme.edu

LEAD PRODUCTION ASSISTANT & SOUND OPERATOR:
MACIE BEAUDET
BIOGRAPHY: "My name is Macie Beaudet, I’m a SMCC Communications And New Media major, I’ve directed multiple short films and I’ve just recently got into documentaries, when I heard about this documentary, I knew I wanted to be a part of it and hear more information on this subject. I’m so happy to be part of production."
CONTACT/SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS:
1. Instagram: @crazy_demon_fighter 2. Facebook: Visit profile here
3. Email: macieabeaudet@smccme.edu

ASSISTANT EDITOR & SOUND OPERATOR:
ANDI HAMMOND
BIOGRAPHY: "Howdy! I'm Andi and I'm in my second year at SMCC as a film and graphics student. I've come to really enjoy video editing and I'm looking forward to helping with the fine tuning of The City of Servers."
CONTACT/SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS:
1. Instagram: @jammondproductions 2. Facebook: Visit profile here
3. Email: andiahammond@smccme.edu

ASSISTANT EDITOR & SOUND OPERATOR:
GILON BACKLUND
BIOGRAPHY: "Gilon Backlund graduated from Oxford Hills Technical High School with completion of the Advanced Communications program. He has a comprehensive background in cinematography work, video editing, and live audio engineering. Additionally, he was a member of the non-profit Blunt Youth Radio from 2019-2021. During this time he wrote, hosted and engineered several radio pieces, which aired live."
CONTACT/SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS:
1. Instagram: @bgilon 2. LinkedIn: Visit profile here
3. Email: gilontbacklund@smccme.edu

Comments