Bill Breithaupt had the realization that photography and filmmaking were what he wanted to do in life. By age 10 he was enrolled in classes, and made his first film "Trick or Treat". This film was screened at the Mill Valley Film Festival.
Bill Breithaupt inventing the selfie photo technique way back at age 9. Class project film presented by Darrell Sevilla
With a competitive streak ever-present in his character, as well as a high level of energy, Bill was involved in many sports including swim team, soccer and skateboarding. Skateboarding became his passion. As his skills grew, followed by his trophy collection, he decided to attract the attention of sponsors by filming his incredible tricks.Skateboarding became his passion. As his skills grew, followed by his trophy collection, he decided to attract the attention of sponsors by filming his incredible tricks.
Burning Man Selfie from Director Bill Breithaupt Director Bill Breithaupt with Burning Man creator Larry Harvey
Bills idea worked, and under the sponsorship of such companies as Independent Trucks, Skate Rags Clothing Co., Stylized Sun Glasses and Walker Skateboards, Bill went on to win more skate competitions, bigger trophies and even more sponsors.
He then returned to his earlier passion of filmmaking. Apprenticing under the photographer Mike Voorhees in Newport Beach, CA he improved his framing techniques.
He studied graphic arts at the Art Institute of So. California, film/audio techniques at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, FL, computer animation under Jimmy Hayward at the Academy of Art in San Francisco.
He began his career making videos: music, modeling, wedding, corporate and extreme sports, you name it, he has probably caught it on film. None of that compared to the footage he began capturing in 1999 when he was invited to by a friend to attend and film the annual Burning Man Festival held in Black Rock City, Nevada. What started off as fulfilling a friend’s request for a souvenir video of the event became a passion for Bill. He passed out the edited footage to friends, who passed it to friends, who gave it to their friends, etc.
Stoked by the floods of compliments, Bill began his own tradition. It was in the year 2002 that he made his breakthrough film "Aqua Burn". At the Santa Cruz Film Festival showcasing films about Burning Man, only one month after the festival itself, "Aqua Burn" was premiered and garnered a standing ovation from the 300+ crowd. "Aqua Burn" later went on to take 1st place in the Coney Island Festival.
When he is not making killer films he can be found tearin’ up the slopes in Lake Tahoe with his friends. The Scuba Dive Master, with over 150 dives under his belt, is also fond of taking trips to Monterey, CA to catch a few shots of the "locals" with his underwater camera.
