John Smart is a filmmaker and fine-art photographer who resides between Echo Park and Encinitas, California. At the early age of 6, inspired by his father, Jim Smart, and his passion for photography, John developed a keen eye for framing beautiful, spur-of-the-moment compositions with his father’s 35mm cameras. This interest developed into a desire to translate these images into a career in filmmaking.
In 2003, Smart graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Film Studies, and completed his first film, “Natural Expressions,” a 16mm introspective documentary about world champion surfer Joel Tudor.
Upon graduation Smart was hired as a cinematographer by surf-filmmaker and artist Thomas Campbell to work on the films “Sprout,” “The Present” and “Dear & Yonder”. These experiences led to further collaborations with surf industry clients including ROXY/Quiksilver, Bing Surfboards, Kookbox, Blue Magazine (Japan) & NIXON watches.
In addition to his experiences traveling the globe as a surf filmmaker and cinematographer, Smart has spent the better part of six years working in the Hollywood film industry as a location scout and manager. He has lent his photographic eye for detail and storytelling to major productions including Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean 2 & 3”, HBO’s “LUCK”, and NBC’s “Law & Order: Los Angeles.”
Smart is currently in the final stages of completing his second surf film, ”The Tyler Warren Experiments (TTWE).” It is a collaboration with filmmaker Mark Jeremias of “One California Day” fame, focusing on the life and surf interests of California surfer and artist, Tyler Warren. www.thetylerwarrenexperiments.com
In 2003, Smart graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Film Studies, and completed his first film, “Natural Expressions,” a 16mm introspective documentary about world champion surfer Joel Tudor.
Upon graduation Smart was hired as a cinematographer by surf-filmmaker and artist Thomas Campbell to work on the films “Sprout,” “The Present” and “Dear & Yonder”. These experiences led to further collaborations with surf industry clients including ROXY/Quiksilver, Bing Surfboards, Kookbox, Blue Magazine (Japan) & NIXON watches.
In addition to his experiences traveling the globe as a surf filmmaker and cinematographer, Smart has spent the better part of six years working in the Hollywood film industry as a location scout and manager. He has lent his photographic eye for detail and storytelling to major productions including Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean 2 & 3”, HBO’s “LUCK”, and NBC’s “Law & Order: Los Angeles.”
Smart is currently in the final stages of completing his second surf film, ”The Tyler Warren Experiments (TTWE).” It is a collaboration with filmmaker Mark Jeremias of “One California Day” fame, focusing on the life and surf interests of California surfer and artist, Tyler Warren. www.thetylerwarrenexperiments.com
