Theulen graduated from Western New Mexico University this May with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and in the year leading up to his walk on the commencement stage he was busy looking through a camera lens, sharing his talents with film partners and producing work that will eventually be used by companies such as the Discovery Channel.

"It's been an eye-opening time during the last few months," said Theulen, a native of Anchorage, Alaska. "Every project and every contact I've made have led me to doors being opened."

Gila's Fight is two minutes and forty seconds of footage of Gila National Forest landscapes, showcasing the mountains, streams and animal life, of this wilderness area in southwest New Mexico.

"I called it Gila's Fight because of the ongoing discussion surrounding the Gila River, one of the last wild rivers in the Southwest," said Theulen. "Pictures and video of the river and the majesty of the area will hopefully educate people on why these natural wonders need protection."

Since the release of the video, Theulen has provided wilderness video footage to filmmakers who are working with the Discovery Channel for a documentary.

Just before graduation day, Theulen's film project Pancho Villa's Raid was awarded the Grand Prix Award for the Invasion film competition in Silver City. The nine-minute video documented the festivities commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Pancho Villa raid near Columbus, New Mexico.

"Living in the Southwest has given me the inspiration to appreciate how the outdoors and how our history can be used for impactful storytelling," said Theulen.

Other projects, including promotional videos for WNMU, have helped Theulen land his first film-editing role outside of college with the Dallas Cowboys.

"This is a big opportunity to work for a company that knows how to tell powerful stories through film," said Theulen. "I'm ready to take it to the next level."

Theulen is relocating to Dallas in June and is hoping to stay connected to the Southwest.

"The Gila National Forest is an amazing place to live, learn and grow as an artist."

Theulen's videos are avilable to preview online at http://vimeo.com/freelancefilmmaker.