From Louisiana to Los Angeles, Denny Hooten, 35, has been a fan of the film and media industry since his youth.  Born and raised in Gonzales, Louisiana, Denny Hooten left the South at 17 to pursue a life and career in California.  Hooten studied Digital Media on a Presidential Scholarship at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. In 2001, Hooten joined Global Science Productions, GSP, as a Producer and Director, which allowed him to exercise his film and documentary making skills in full swing.  Some of his favorite work with GSP included documentaries about human cloning, genetically modified foods, and the scariest and deadliest moments in space.  

 

Hooten took his experience and efforts across the Atlantic Ocean. He applied his passion for life and media to research how technology can be used as a tool to fight hunger, malnutrition and poverty in Africa.   Denny Hooten worked with Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International as the Marketing Director and Member of Board of Directors.  His work there led him to film African scientist coalition at The World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa as well as co-author the case study, Leveraging Biotechnology and Information Technology Solutions in Productivity Enhancement for Social Advance in Kenya.  Hooten continued this work in Africa from 2001 – 2006. 

 

At the same time, Hooten never slowed down his video career in California, organizing The Hub, a production company with peers from Otis.  The Hub was awarded four Telly awards for best commercial production in 2002 and produced a feature nominated for Best Comedy at Shriekfest in 2003.  

Still wanting more from his life and his career, Denny Hooten applied his background in film and media to earn his Master’s in Business Administration from Pepperdine in 2004.  After wanting to share his life experiences and spend a little time back in Louisiana, Hooten served as a Professor at Louisiana State University.  His classes ranged in size from 15 to 500 and he taught advertising, graphic design programs and documentary film making to LSU students.  Hooten was in Louisiana for Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and was privileged to film during and after the storm with the Ascension Parish Sherriff’s department.  After two sweltering summers in the South and finding the love of his life, Hooten packed up and headed back to the West Coast.  

Hooten is currently Project Manager for DaVita®, a Fortune 500 healthcare company, in El Segundo, CA, where all of his skills seems to work together perfectly for his daily job.  Being Project Manager with the Wisdom Team, Hooten keeps busy traveling to national conferences, doing leadership and management training, and media production for DaVita.  

 

Hooten resides in Manhattan Beach, CA with his 14 year old daughter and his girlfriend.  Hooten loves to entertain and cook and keep the spirit of the South in his South Bay home.  He spends his free time surfing, watching film noir movies and cheering on the LSU Tigers. He shares a passion for travel and adventure; lives life to the fullest and welcomes any challenge that may come his way.