Henry Simonson ’28: Telling the Story Behind the Smoke
By: Maggie Junkins ’26
When political science major Henry Simonson ’28 returned to Altadena last summer, it wasn’t just to revisit his childhood neighborhood. With support from the College of Arts and Sciences’ REAL Program, Henry stepped into a role that blended his academic interests with a deeply personal mission: helping to create a documentary about the devastating Eaton Canyon fires and the community’s ongoing recovery.
Henry grew up attending school in Central Altadena, playing Little League on the same fields that are now central to the documentary. The January 2025 Southern California wildfires tore through the region, burning down homes belonging to his former teammates, coaches, and their families. “Many of the friends and coaches that I knew from Little League had their homes burned down,” says Henry. “Families were devastated. They are living elsewhere and will not be able to move back home for years, due to lingering, harmful fumes.”
When the production team at Herzog & Co., an award-winning documentary company, began filming a project about the fires and the resilience of the Central Altadena Little League, Henry knew he wanted to be part of it.
“One of my interests, even though I am a political science major, is documenting and filming real-world issues,” he explains. “I looked forward to learning about the experiences that individuals impacted by the devastating fires were going through.”
Experiential Learning in Action
Supported through REAL, which provides funding for undergraduates to explore research, internships, and creative work during the summer, Henry joined the production as a Research Assistant and Assistant Editor. He researched Altadena’s history, gathered archival materials to help tell the town’s layered sociopolitical story, assisted on shoots, and began learning the technical side of documentary editing.
“I had no prior experience with film editing software,” he admits, “and this experience allowed me to really dive in, learn about it, and apply my own creativity to the film.”
The work turned out to be hands-on and heavily engaged within Altadena’s community spaces. Henry found himself filming at locations across Altadena, helping conduct interviews and capturing pivotal community moments: “I had the opportunity to film the Little League championship game and watch my former team, Central Altadena, compete in it for the first time in 20 years. It was kind of, like…straight from a movie.”
Finding the Story Behind the Tragedy
For Henry, the most challenging part of the project became the most meaningful.
“One of the most challenging, but also rewarding, parts of this project was working with and interviewing the kids on the Little League team,” he says. “In a way, these kids are the ones who feel the greatest impact of the devastating fires. It was rewarding to be able to talk to them and hear their stories, because in filmmaking, it is easier to collect testimonies from adults who can better articulate what they are going through.”
The experience also made him recognize the documentary’s broader significance. “I think this work gave the community hope, as if their stories were finally being heard,” Henry explains. “Most news coverage focused on the impact of the fire on the Palisades, and sort of left Altadena out of the spotlight.”
The production team immediately noticed Henry’s commitment. “Henry has been a wonderful addition to our film,” his manager shared. “He is eager to learn and has been an asset on production shoots as well as post-production research and editing.”
A New Creative Path Forward
Though Henry began the summer rooted in political science, the REAL opportunity opened his eyes to an unexpected career direction. He can now see himself working in political documentary filmmaking, blending policy, history, and storytelling to illuminate real-world issues. “This opportunity helped me build the skills and experience to understand the process of creating a documentary firsthand,” he says. “It really sparked my interests.” He credits the REAL Program with making this meaningful experience possible. “The REAL program opened up a brand new door by providing funding to take on this role,” Henry says. “Without support from REAL, I likely would not have felt prompted to pursue this project. I would definitely recommend the REAL program because it gives you a unique and realistic opportunity to explore your interests.”
While Henry has wrapped up his work on the film, he plans to return to the area to attend the upcoming premiere and celebrate the community story he helped bring to the screen. He shared that the film has been nominated for an award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and is set to be screened in select theaters across Los Angeles County.