This article originally appeared in the Rough Draft print issue, in stands August 2025. It has not been updated and some information may be out of date.
“When I moved to Utah, I didn’t even know which way was north,” said Rylie Bolen, a recent University of Utah graduate.
This is a surprising confession from someone who spent more than a year as a location intern at the Utah Film Commission, mapping the state’s parks, cafes and buildings for the perfect cinematic shot. But Bolen, who graduated in film and media arts, has built a career out of seeing what others might miss.
Originally from Boise, Idaho, Bolen first came to Utah for family visits and then decided to attend university here. After starting, she “just kind of fell in love with all the different parts of Utah.” After graduating this spring, she’s now working full-time in Utah’s film industry, focusing on producing, scouting and helping bring indie films to life.
Bolen’s career in film “started with cameras,” she said. “I think that’s what really started my love for film. I’d always make my neighbors act in these little movies I came up with.” She soon got into photography, where you can see the evidence of her eye for detail.
Finding her focus
While she worked as a first AC on several student films, it was the U’s indie producing class that shifted her focus. “That’s where I learned so much about the real-world side of producing,” she said. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s rewarding … And I think that’s where the interest sparked. I was like, okay, I could see myself doing this.”
Since then, Bolen has produced several short films, including one she’s currently in pre-production for a project she describes as “more drama-thriller than I’m used to, but a story that needs to be told.”
When asked about the biggest challenge, Bolen said, “It’s always money. Finding people outside the film world who are still interested in supporting something creative is tough as it is.” Funding is the main way filmmakers are able to begin a project. “And then of course, locations. Producers work a lot around that,” she said.
Learning the landscape
Bolen’s time at the Utah Film Commission was her doorway into just how ecologically diverse and cinematic the state really is.
“I had no idea there were so many trails, lakes, deserts,” she said. “Utah looks completely different depending on where you are. Like in Salt Lake you’ve got your city and mountains, but down south it’s all desert. You can shoot like, five different genres here.”
One of her favorite scouting assignments was for “Lyla,” a short student film she worked on as both producer and location manager. “I found this beautiful park that ended up in the film,” she said. After working for the Utah Film Commission, Bolen “had so much more knowledge about the layout and the land of Utah. So I knew where to go and how to find these locations,” she said.
Now, some of her favorite filming locations are the Bonneville Salt Flats, the historic Ritz Theater in Tooele and La Caille, a romantic French restaurant tucked in the Cottonwood Canyons.
Filming in the familiar
Even as her scope widened, Bolen never stopped seeing the magic in her own backyard. For her capstone film, she shot an early morning scene in Presidents Circle on the University of Utah campus during the dead of winter.
“It was freezing, but it turned out amazing,” she said. “We filmed really early, so there weren’t many people around, and it looked so beautiful and peaceful. That part of campus has so much history and I’ve always loved it.”
All she had to do to get permission to film there was to call in advance, and the process was easier than expected. “That’s something I’d tell other students: just ask! Most of the time, people want to help you make it happen,” she said.
New beginnings
Now that she’s graduated, Bolen finds herself trying to figure out what’s next. “I think every post-grad has that moment where you ask, ‘Do I stay here? Do I move to L.A.?’” she said. “But honestly, the industry here in Utah, especially in Salt Lake, is smaller, and that’s a good thing. It’s more of a tight-knit community. Everyone is really kind and people want to help,” she said.
Bolen may not have always known which way was north, but she’s carved out a clear direction, one guided by her curiosity and love for filmmaking.
In the streets, deserts, diners and sidewalks of Utah, she’s found that the best scenes are often the ones hiding in plain sight.
