David Poulshock

David Poulshock BS ’70

08/11/2023

David Poulshock BS ’74 is in the last stage of postproduction on his film documentary SPACE, a meditation on the meaning of art. He enjoyed a busy summer producing TV commercials for major Northwest entities, including Moda Health, Parr Lumber, and Goodwill Industries of the Columbia-Willamette. On July 9, Poulshock was reported to be the oldest individual to swim the 2023 Portland Bridge Swim. “Unfortunately, the tide was coming in, and it was like swimming uphill the entire time. So, I was among 20 swimmers pulled from the swim, too far behind. But I made it to mile seven and have started training for 2024!” He is also enjoying “the random serendipities that prove the universe is a friendly place: An alum buddy, Steve Larson BS ’70, and wife just moved from Bend to across the street from his office. “We’ve already enjoyed an evening out.”

01/23/2023

David Poulshock BS ’70 came to Portland via Klamath Falls, Oregon, to attend L&C in 1966 and never left the city. After stints as a keyboardist in the cult band Upepo and as a “Mad Man” for a few Portland ad agencies, he formed Red Door Films. He’s been “making movies” ever since, including dozens of TV commercials and corporate films, as well as the Wee Sing kid videos for Universal Home Video and the public TV programs Mathematics Illuminated and America’s History in the Making. Currently, he is nearing completion of his feature documentary, Space: A Meditation on the Meaning of Art, which he began filming in summer 2014. You can see the film’s trailer at https://vimeo.com/355448984/90133ca10f. A member of the 1966-67 L&C swim team, Poulshock is in training for his sixth Portland Bridge Swim (July 9, 2023), which consists of an 11-mile swim down the Willamette River under 12 bridges, from Sellwood to St. John’s. Reportedly, he is the oldest swimmer to have competed in this event. Poulshock says the word “retirement” is not in his dictionary.

02/08/2022

David Poulshock BS ’70, former student body president and Portland advertising and media film producer, submitted a major film documentary to the Sundance Film Festival in September 2021. He started the project in 2014, and a week before the submission deadline, he came down with COVID-19 during final editing. “After two years in this pandemic time-warp hell, I needed a deadline. It worked. I finally know how the film ends!” The focus of the film is a commercial landlord’s journey of life, death, and rebirth while fighting to make a space for artists.