From Backyard Movies to the Utah film industry: the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity Spotlight
Every great story has a beginning…
Ours started with a kid, a VHS camera, and a whole lot of imagination.
Long before Emmy Awards, production studios, and filming commercials across the country, Savvy Productions owner Stephen Smith was making movies in the backyard with family and friends. There wasn't a giant crew, fancy equipment, or a Hollywood-sized budget—just a love for storytelling and the excitement of seeing an idea come to life.
It's amazing where that passion can lead.
We're incredibly honored that the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity recently featured Savvy Productions and our journey in Utah's film industry. Looking back, it's a little surreal to see our story shared alongside so many other businesses helping make Utah an incredible place to live, work, and create.
While the article highlights awards and milestones, what means the most to us is everything those moments represent:
Every early morning call time.
Every late-night editing session.
Every mile driven across Utah.
Every client who trusted us with their story.
Every teammate who poured their creativity into a project.
Those are the moments that built Savvy Productions…
Over the years, we've had the privilege of filming all across Utah—from the busy streets of Salt Lake City to small towns that many people have never visited. We've rolled cameras in mountain valleys, deserts, schools, businesses, manufacturing facilities, hospitals, and breathtaking outdoor locations that remind us just how beautiful this state really is.
As a Utah video production company, we never take that for granted.
One of our favorite things about filmmaking is that every project introduces us to new people and new stories. Some productions make people laugh. Others inspire, educate, or encourage action. No matter the goal, we're always grateful to play a small part in helping our clients connect with their audiences.
The article also shares Stephen's entrepreneurial journey—from starting the business in a basement to building a dedicated production studio where creativity can thrive. Like any small business, there were challenges along the way, but every obstacle became another opportunity to learn, grow, and keep moving forward.
We're especially grateful to call Utah home.
Utah's business community, creative industry, and incredible landscapes have given us opportunities we could have only dreamed about when those backyard movies first began. Whether we're producing television commercials, corporate videos, training videos, documentaries, or animated explainers, we're constantly reminded how fortunate we are to do work we genuinely love.
Of course, none of this happens alone.
To our amazing clients—thank you for trusting us with your stories.
To our creative partners and agencies—thank you for inviting us on so many unforgettable adventures.
To our talented team—thank you for bringing passion, creativity, and movie magic to every production.
And to everyone who has supported Savvy Productions over the years, whether you've hired us, referred us, cheered us on, or simply watched one of our videos...thank you. You've helped shape this journey more than you know.
Being recognized by the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity is an incredible honor, but we see it as motivation more than a finish line. There are still so many stories waiting to be told, so many places left to explore, and so many opportunities to help our clients shine.
The cameras are still rolling, and we're just getting started.
If you'd like to learn more about our journey—from backyard VHS movies to an Emmy Award-winning Utah video production company—we'd love for you to read the full feature.
Thank you for being part of the adventure…
Here's to many more stories, many more smiles, and plenty more movie magic along the way.
