ABOUT ME
Alaskan Films is an Indigenous-owned production company specializing in film, television, photography, and multimedia storytelling. I produce documentaries, promotional videos, organizational storytelling, event coverage, and digital media.
My experience includes contributing to documentaries recognized with 50+ film festival laurels, award-winning editing, and digital strategies that have doubled or tripled organizations' social media audiences. From concept development to final delivery, I combine creative storytelling, technical expertise, and proven results to bring every project to life.
I'm ‘Wáats’asdíyei Joe Yates, a Haida filmmaker and producer from Southeast Alaska with over 15 years of experience in award-winning film, national television, and multimedia production. My credits include two Emmy nominations for PBS KIDS' Molly of Denali and producing for National Geographic's Life Below Zero: First Alaskans.
In addition to television and film, I have managed creative projects, produced media for Indigenous organizations, and taught filmmaking and storytelling to Native youth in rural Alaska.
LET'S WORK TOGETHER
Whether you're developing a film, planning a multimedia project, or looking for an experienced creative professional to join your team, we'd like to hear from you. Tell us about your project, goals, or opportunity, and we'll discuss how our experience can help bring it to life. From initial planning through final production, we're ready to explore what's possible.
LIFE BELOW ZERO: FIRST ALASKANS
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
STORY WORK PRODUCER &
FIELD PRODUCER
MOLLY OF DENALI
PBS KIDS
WRITER
SELECTED WORK
Selected work reflects more than 15 years of storytelling across national television, independent filmmaking, documentary production, and community-driven projects. From award-winning films to National Geographic and PBS KIDS productions, each project demonstrates our commitment to compelling visuals, authentic storytelling, and meaningful audience connections.
WATCH HERE
INDIGENOUS RESISTANCE: NOW & THEN
ALASKA HUMANITIES FORUM
CINEMATOGRAPHER
& EDITOR
WATCH HERE
MY MESSAGE TO YOU
ALASKAN FILMS
PRODUCER,
CINEMATOGRAPHER
& EDITOR
WHALING CAPTAIN
ARCTIC SLOPE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
EDITOR
REUNITING OUR NATIONS
TLINGIT & HAIDA
CINEMATOGRAPHER
& EDITOR
BEFORE THE CUT
A drifter. A carver. A shed full of second chances.
A young Haida man returns to the community of Hydaburg after the death of his estranged father, expecting to leave his past behind. Instead, he finds himself drawn into a carving shed, a community, and a relationship that forces him to reconsider who he thought his father was—and who he might become.
Before the Cut is a feature screenplay by Wáats'asdíyei Joe Yates, rooted in the people, places, and lived realities of Southeast Alaska. It is a story about grief, inheritance, community, and the difficult process of deciding what we carry forward.