Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
The Friendly Fishes teams are ephemeral. We function more as an arthouse collective. Each project attracting different individuals with varying skills in the film industry.
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Although most of our work is centered in the documentary realm, we produce both narrative and documentary films. Here we are storytellers and follow the stories that inspire us most.
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Good films come about in the process, no matter the genre or format, so we like to make the process as fun and inclusive as possible. Our sets, shoots, and edit rooms are fueled by creative drive, laughter, and comradery.
Our values are simple.
We approach each project with love, respect, humility, honesty, and open minds. Filmmaking, especially documentary, involves many tough conversations. We always strive to create an open, respectful environment, where our teams' main goal is simply to listen. Each team member contributes their thoughts to the project and we are constantly learning from each other and our subjects. We encourage cohesive teamwork and, as we grow together, we add to our collective team wisdom.
LONG-TERM TEAM
Jordan Hoffmaster
director, producer, & team leader
I am many things, but for the purpose of this introduction, I am a creative. An award-winning filmmaker. A writer, director, and producer. A cinematographer and photographer. And, maybe the most important of all, a storyteller...
I see the world most clearly through the lens of my camera. I have a passion for creating content that sheds light on issues with roots in conservation, wildlife, and the natural world. Over time, I have developed a deep fondness and respect for wild spaces, and I am fascinated by the stories that can be found there.
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Loaded with camera equipment and raw creativity, I find myself following threads, different versions of Earth's breadcrumbs, to find stories worth telling. I often help to weave translations for the scientific jargon of research papers and documentation, to share important research and discoveries in a way that everyone can understand. I work closely with scientists and conservationists, people who have a voice that needs to be heard and amplified outside the scientific community. With a background in zoology, I use my experience in the scientific world and my skills as a filmmaker to be that amplification. Films and digital media platforms bridge the gap between scientists and a broader audience. Effective, clear communication with the public is a key element of successful conservation. I believe films serve that purpose beautifully.
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My one goal is to share stories that matter, stories that will make a difference. With my work, I want to make audiences think more critically about the earth and the impact their choices make on the future. By merging film with science, I want to spur contemplation and questions about the steps that we as humans can take to protect the world around us. If I can craft a film that changes one person's mind and shifts a single perspective, I am doing something right.
Kay Ownbey
head script editor & producer
I am honored to serve as the Head Script Editor at Friendly Fishes Films. My passion for crafting unique and impactful stories knows no bounds, spanning from fictional narratives to documentaries. I am committed to supporting Jordan's mission of sharing stories that have a positive impact on our planet's future.
In addition to my role at Friendly Fishes, I also work as a TV writer and film director. My original action-adventure series, SEGMENT, was named a finalist in The ISA TV Pilot Pitch Challenge 2023 and Page Turner Longline Competition 2024. Furthermore, my limited series, NIGHT OF THE GRIZZLIES, was shortlisted for the 2024 NRDC Climate Storytelling Fellowship. I received training from the prestigious National Film and Television School in London.
Joshua Lisbon
host, narrator, naturalist, & tracker
I am an avid outdoorsman and educator, a skilled naturalist and researcher. I want to open the door for understanding and connection to the natural world around us. I’ve reached many thousands of students through my work as an educator and many more through documentary films. As the narrator and host for both Stewards of Land and Montana Bushcraft with Friendly Fishes Films, I hope to continue to share the secrets and wonder of nature through honest and engaging stories.
My background is in education and research, with a master’s degree from the University of Montana. I was the education director for a large private conservation organization for many years and co-founded the Montana Folk School.
One of my passions is for tracking mountain lions, and for over a decade I led a winter study that pioneered noninvasive practices to follow populations over time. This study produced the award-winning documentary, ‘Tracking Notes: The Secret World of Mountain Lions’. To be a tracker is to live in an ever-unfolding present moment moving across time and landscapes. As famed tracker Boyd Varty says, ‘We are a species that belongs within stories. We are the meaning-making animal. Tracking is a narrative that can help us reimagine why we are here.’ And so, I love nature, I love tracking, I love teaching, and I love telling stories through film.
When I’m not following tracks in the forests, I teach ancestral wilderness skills and have for over 20 years. This provides another doorway to deep connection with the wild that surrounds us, our ancient human lineages, and the wild within. I believe in the importance of providing direct, authentic connection with the natural world through education, conservation, advocacy, and film.
Luc Hoffmaster
actor & model
I am love. I am hugs. I am laughter. I am an actor, dancer, singer enthusiast, an inspiring writer, and guitar and songwriting hopeful.
My imagination allows me to follow dreams that seem unattainable but manifest differently every day. It allows me to view the world with purity and true hope.
I hope to meet some of my favorite Disney actors and be able to work on a Warner
Brothers movie. I truly hope to change the acting industry from the inside out. I really want to make it so
that we can all hang out outside of “the industry” and just be friends. I want to celebrate love, life,
togetherness, and friendship…not “celebrities”.
