E11: Getting the Message Across, with Spencer Davies of Trespasser Productions

I’ve mentioned before that the land is our common denominator. We may have differing ideas and approaches but generally, at least in my experience on a local and regional level, people are willing to listen, make compromises, and change the way they do things if you take the time to talk through it with them and have it makes sense. My guest on this episode of All Land is Beautiful is Spencer Davies, owner and one of the directors at Trespasser Productions, a production company based out of Placerville, California. Spencer and I connected several months ago working on a video to highlight the legacy conservation project in El Dorado County, the El Dorado Ranch State Wildlife Area. I guess you could say that we clicked from the beginning, but not because we necessarily agreed on everything. I would say that is was more based on both of our willingness to listen and discuss our differing opinions on land management and conservation.

This episode is a bit different from the rest as Spencer isn’t a biologist or representing a conservation organization, but he instead represents what I think is a critical connection for nonprofits and government agencies working in land protection and natural resource management. One of the biggest challenges these organizations face is translating their work into something that the general public can see and interact with. Trespasser Productions has made a name for itself in the commercial industry, but has taken on more recent work with organizations like American River Conservancy, the El Dorado-Georgetown Resource Conservation District, Calfire and US Forest Service, taking a technical production approach to capturing and presenting grassroots community efforts. We talk through this, along with Spencer’s upbringing, the beginnings and growth of Trespasser Productions and the how they’ve found success outside of the Hollywood scene, and how Spencer has found excitement and fulfillment supporting his community the best way he can, through film.