BIO
The Quick:
Director/Writer/Photographer. My focus is emotionally resonate, produced, integrated content featuring people and lifestyle on location. I'm equally confident guiding pro talent or real people. Bring cinematic eye and story craft to content libraries.
Moon child of Cancer and an Enneagram 8. Directed, shot and co-produced ISHues, a 77 min documentary film. Lurzer's Archive 200Best (multiple years), Communication Arts Photo Annual (multiple years), American Photography.
The Longer:
I am deeply interested in showing relationships in the work. Relationship can be with a place, it's not always happy and sometimes our ride or die is an 80 pound Labrador.
Talent: I can't ask people in front of my lens to "get there" by barking orders or doing 25 takes. Part of the skill set is reading the room, connecting and sliding inside what they need to give us the performance we're looking for. Give them a real action they know and the room to show us. Get the safe shot then play further. Lighting is part of the sauce: continuous for stills and motion both. Whole areas so talent and camera can move to find it. I love locations and think of them as another character to collaborate with. When all this blends together, the scene feels as real as if you just walked into the room.
I’m protective of the term Story. She has worn tattered edges along with Design, Authentic and a few other overexposed superstars. In an ocean of everyone howling online, the audience is grateful and still leans in when we encounter solid story craft. People are infinitely interesting. Why is my foundation. Audience will not fade from an interesting story well told.
My Story: my parents and grandparents are from a small mill town south of Pittsburgh long with stout working people, local bars, rusted trucks and church on Sunday. I spent a lot of time there and it formed me. Elementary school, we moved 15 minutes from the beach in Southern California and all its sun baked possibilities. The blend gave me a dual citizenship of eastern work ethic and blind romantic optimism.
Best surprise of adulthood was daughters. The girls changed my work from what I thought was "Cool" to what I had always been looking for all along. Family, Relationships, Home.
Real stories are never perfect or easy…. lost my mom to a long term illness. Lost some good people to the politics of divorce. The leap of faith getting married again. My story is messy and scratched up and wonderfully my own - probably a lot like yours.
Play for me now is food, several hours on my road bike (Scott Mont on Strava) and a good bookstore. I have a mild obsession with cooking that has grown since waiting tables in college. I know people who only eat to avoid hunger: they’re not my people. I prefer spoons, sometimes eat with my hands and judge a little if you don't share a taste with me. I use my grandfathers 100 year old Griswold #10 daily. My wife says I have a man crush on my elderly Dominican butcher. I can’t rebuild a car engine but I can go into any kitchen and feed you a good meal.
Fun Fact: my high school/college job (among others) was selling Cokes/peanuts/hotdogs/malts in the stands at California Angel baseball games. In front of thousands each night, I learned to hustle for commission pay all while entertaining a crowd. Dealing with drunk fans saying "Hey You, get your nuts over here" eye roll..., flirt with popcorn girls and see the occasional double play. I never caught a ball.
To get this far you need a team. I’m surrounded and supported by passionate producers and crew plus Doug. All of us have a similar need to be excellent. We tend to find each other.
Bring your ideas and let’s play in the sand box. It’s a gift to do this.
I hope to see you on the road soon.
Recognition: Lurzer's Archive 200Best • Communication Arts Photo Annual • American Photography • APA National & SF Something Personal Awards
Abbott Laboratories, AbbVie, Andersen Windows, Aramark, Bearpaw, Damen, Del Webb, General Electric, Land O’ Lakes, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Memorial Sloan Kettering, National Park Service, Nationwide Insurance, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Pennsylvania Tourism, Pfizer, Pulte Homes, Proctor & Gamble, Shea Homes, SoFi, Sprint, State Street, Sunovion, United Healthcare, US Army, Univ. of California Irvine, Verizon, Werther’s, Wyndham, Zoetis