Filmmaker/editor (non-narrative documentary film style):

This is a short snippet from the feature-length documentary film We Are Tuvalu that received worldwide distribution with ABC Australia and is airing in over 50 countries and territories.

​In this video, we meet Bernard Kato Ewekia-- one of the Tuvalu youth who helped film the documentary-- and we explore what Tuvalu means to him.

I interviewed Bernard, filmed, and assisted with the edit of this piece.
In this "One in 8 million" style piece, I profiled WGN sports anchor/reporter Lauren Magiera who discusses the power of words and shares the most hurtful and encouraging phrases that have made a lasting impact on her.

Lauren is WGN's first female sports anchor and has been the victim of cyberbullying throughout her career. I reached out to her asking if she would share her story. I interviewed, filmed, and edited this piece together to share her story and show the power and impact words can have people.
Farming on rooftops, beekeeping in backyards, and having goats are just a few of the many ways Chicagoans are providing food for themselves and their communities. With reports of climate change already impacting our food system, I wanted to take a closer look at the local food system and see what the urban farming movement is all about.

"Farming in the Windy City" is a short documentary that highlights a few of the unique ways Chicagoans are farming in the city. I first researched and sourced urban farmers in Chicago--I stumbled upon the beekeeper in Rogers Park on my way home from the local farmers market. I then pre-interviewed and then interviewed each character on camera and got b-roll of their farms. My goal in creating the piece was to spread awareness about the urban farming movement and hopefully inspire others living in large cities to participate. I edited the short documentary together in a way that told the story of each farm while also showing the urban agriculture community as a whole by highlighting the challenges and benefits of urban farming.
 A small community in Northeast Alabama. A mayor whose town sits on the river’s banks. A businessman in the Mobile Bay. All of these communities are impacted by coal ash in Alabama.

"Ashes to Ashes" is a short documentary that shows how Alabamians throughout the state are impacted by the pollution by-product of burning coal. As a  Southern Exposure Film Fellow during the summer 2018, I had six weeks to source, interview, film, and edit this piece together. My goal was to create a compelling, non-narrative film that interwove stories from various communities.


The film was selected for the 2019 Wild & Scenic Film Festival and will be on the national tour throughout 2019. It also received the 2019 Big Muddy Film Festival John Michaels Film Award.
Paint Cuba is a short non-narrative film that takes viewers on a journey to Havana, Cuba.

While visiting Havana, I stumbled upon a group of American painters who traveled to the City of Columns to paint the iconic city and classic cars as part of a Plein Air Painting trip. I asked if I could interview and film the painters (they said yes), and I began interviewing and filming them on the fly. I wanted to create a piece that not only showed the beauty of the artwork, but also showed the beauty of the antique cars they were painting and the city itself. I incorporated natural sound from the environment around me while filming the piece in an effort to give viewers an experience rather than a report.
“Dachshund” is a music video that tells the story of a musician’s struggle to accept himself.

I first interviewed Sun Kissed Kid about his new album, his personal story, and the meaning behind his song "Dachshund." I then filmed him playing the song. Sun Kissed Kid had a moving and inspirational story, and I wanted to convey that by editing the piece together to incorporate both the most compelling sound bites from the interview and snippets of the song. 
“Fueled by Fries” is a short non-narrative story about Loyola’s Biodiesel Lab. I interviewed, shot, produced, and edited the story together to explain what the biodiesel lab is and how it helps protect the environment.
In this "One in 8 Million" style piece, one man shares how coming out to his mom impacted his relationship with his family and helped him grow as a person. I worked on this piece with my cohort, Robert Zeglinski. We collaborated on the interview and script, and I took the photos and edited the piece together.