In the woods behind his parents house near Buffalo Bayou, you might have caught a glimpse of a 12-year-old Keith Houk running around with his brothers, recording parodies of movies with a video recorder almost the same size as him.
“We were children with 70s parents, and 70s parents did not hang out with you, nurture you, supervise you in any way, shape or form,” Houk said. “So we did some stuff that I doubt any parent would let their kids do today, like lighting firecrackers and throwing them off in the woods while riding bikes.”
Exploring the woods, filming Western-inspired films with BB guns, spy plots and sometimes recording some clips from the roof of their house, was just the beginning of Houk’s creative journey.
Houk had spent a few semesters leading a teaching lab for film, radio, and T.V. after graduating from college, before ultimately running a production company with two other people. Yet, a few years of working in the company made him realize it wasn’t what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. He ended up moving back home for a year, fixing up his parent’s porch, and applying to graduate school where he ended up getting a Master’s of Fine Arts in Photography from UH.
“The reason I went back to grad school was so that I could teach,” Houk said. “Because I realized after everything I've done, that has been the most rewarding. Not financially, but the most rewarding as a person.”
As a professor, he’s taught a wide range of classes from film production, screenwriting, editing, film history and more. Even though the media industry has changed a lot from his time as a kid in the 70s, Houk believes that it matters now more than ever to find a purpose when it comes to creative work.
In the past, you only had one shot to make a photo, a frame, or a recording. It would take time and effort to take that one photo or shot, and it would become the only version of that media to exist. The only way to make a copy would be to rephotograph or to refilm, depending on the equipment used.
Nowadays, everyone can pull out their phone to take a photo or film, and with the rise of artificial intelligence, it is easy to discredit creative work. It has made the world of film and photography accessible, but with a few downsides.
“I had a student who didn't do their task. I don't think they actually said it, but they had the attitude that it didn't matter. And I'm like, you're right. Nothing matters. It doesn't matter,” Houk said. “Nothing matters unless you make it matter. You have to care. And if you don't care, then it doesn't add up to anything at all. But if you invest yourself, and if you can find a reason to care about whatever you're doing, then at the end of the day, you're going to be a happier person. It's going to reflect in the world.”
His philosophy resonates with his students who are passionate about their work. Titi Rivas graduated with a bachelor’s in media production with a concentration in digital cinematography and took several classes taught by Houk.
“Professor Houk once told me ‘Don’t do stuff just because it is easy’ and that is something I apply to all of the work I do,” Rivas said.
Raul Alejandro Mendoza Diaz graduated in 2021, and remembers Houk pushing his students to reach their full potential because he always believed in them. With a serious, caring, and enthusiastic presence, Mendoza Diaz knew as long as you gave Houk your 100%, he would match your energy.
“He always reminded me of something that wasn’t just creative advice,” said Mendoza Diaz. “He always stressed when it was time to move on from a project. Once you’re done, you’re done. I think that can also be a massive life lesson.”
For Luis M. Garcia, a 2020 media production graduate, Houk’s constant reminders of working hard and placing trust in his students made him thrive in his field. On the final day of his short film practicum, he asked Houk what direction might be best to take.
“Rather than a straightforward answer, he simply told me that as hard working as I am, I shouldn't have a hard time doing pretty much whatever I want. I think about that interaction a lot, especially as I work on set full time now during 12 hour plus days,” Garcia said. “Because the same hard work that Professor Houk noticed and reminded me of has opened a huge amount of doors for me in the field now.”
It’s clear from these testimonies that Houk has left a lasting impact on his students. His students can feel his passion, and it's rare to find educators who pour so much love and time into the work that they do.
“That's why I'm still teaching after 20 years,” Houk said. “My main goal is to get students to care, to realize that everything you do adds up to more. Everything you do, every person you meet, every interaction you have, adds up. It just moves on and everything you do can matter, but it has to matter to you.”