Meet the Writer/Director, Kirk Findlay, whose passion for the camera started with a Kodak Super-8 camera as a teenager. Hailing from Vancouver, WA, Kirk's unwavering love for filmmaking collided with baseball, collecting sports cards, watching Portland sporting events and writing a weekly column for his school newspaper. From Little League all-star, to pitching his high school teams to three State Finals.
A graduate of Washington State University, he interned at ABC-TV station KATU, worked as a sports reporter, then behind the camera as a writer/ producer of short and long films. After producing several short films and videos for advertising agencies, he directed his first documentary on Showman, theater promoter Jack Matlack.
Two years later, his first feature doc “Farewell Beavers” aired on CBS-TV after game 2 of the World Series and received critical acclaim, which led to “Rose City Hockey' aired on FOX, followed by the short “Winterhawks.” While other films were in development, he worked at several TV stations as an on-air host, feature reporter, and anchored the nightly sports and weather segments on network affiliates.
Through an illustrious vision, reaching back to The Pioneer team of 1866, Kirk has crafted his latest documentary, “Pioneers of the Pacific,” the original baseball players and teams of the West. The “rough-cut” premiered to good reviews in 2024 for the Northwest chapter of SABR, Media and invited guests in Tigard. A companion book is now in the works, which shouldn’t be a surprise for Oregon artists.
Findlay’s cousin Ellis Lucia was a pioneer author in the Northwest, writing more than a dozen books about Northwest subjects including “Ben Holliday,” “Tillamook Burn” “Klondike Kate,” and his biggest hit “The Big Blow” which chronicled the destructive and powerful Columbus Day Storm. His Aunt LaRoyce Findlay was an art teacher and musical director at Parkrose High School for more than 25-years.
Check out Kirk's Passion for editing the documentary!
Here's Kirk, Director, Writer, Producer, and even an Editor for "Pioneers of the Pacific" Editing.
Kirk's personal Super8 film!
Kirk is pitching on his baseball team, Hazel Dell Metro, to the Babe Ruth Finals in Vancouver, WA. Findlay led Hazel Dell to the Washington State Finals three straight years in high school.
