THE PURPOSE OF SONG
GREATLAND STUDIOS ORIGINAL | SHORT DOCUMENTARY
THE PURPOSE OF SONG | ORIGINAL Short Documentary | 2022
Growing up in the remote Alaska village of Toksook Bay, Byron Nicholai fell in love with his native Yup’ik singing, drumming, and dancing. When his original songs began going viral, he decided to see how far his talent could take him. Driven by the pain of his father’s abandonment long ago, Nicholai found purpose and healing through music and set out to keep his Yup’ik culture and language alive–a journey that has taken him to new heights, and ultimately brought him right back home. “The Purpose of Song” is an award-winning short documentary.
DIRECTOR: Brad Hillwig (2022, 21 minutes).
CREDITS:
Director: Brad Hillwig
Consulting Producer: Victoria Hillwig
Consulting Producer: Todd Dean
Drone Photography: Joey Barranco
Featuring: Byron Nicholai
WATCH THE FILM:
SCENES:
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR:
Brad Hillwig is an award-winning filmmaker driven by the art of innovative storytelling. During a career in Alaska media that spans more than two decades, Brad has developed and produced television shows for U.S. cable networks, created brand-defining commercial campaigns, and directed documentaries in some of Alaska’s most remote places.
In 2021, Brad launched Greatland Studios, a startup production company built around authentic, community-based documentary storytelling. Using an immersive, cinematic style, Brad’s films range from independent documentaries to brand-funded content that defies traditional marketing in favor of authentic, people-focused storytelling. At the core of his work is a simple mission: to tell purpose-driven stories that capture unique aspects of the human experience.
