Director of Photography 

Getting the chance to have the role as Director of Photography again was a great honor. Especially getting to work with all of my closest friends again after completing our Senior Capstone course.

I knew this was going to be fun, but challenging. Having constant help and director from our professors was invaluable, and not having their help on this project definitely took adjustment. Much of this process involved me trusting myself and my judgment, and when facing something difficult, knowing how to fix it, and quickly.

Pre-Production began in early March 2025. Our Director, Hannah Beck, was located in Chicago, so all of our meetings were over video call. Outside of my traditional tasks, I also had to make sure I was accurately reporting back to the director on what was happening as production would take place in Madison, WI, where the rest of the crew is located.

Production took place over the course of two weeks, in May 2025. Balancing this project while also working a full-time job was no easy feat, as I had to make sure everyone everywhere was getting the attention they deserved. Luckily enough, I was able to work with an amazing cast and crew who were able to make this experience fun, even during the harder times.

I personally learned that being in this role means you need to have a clear vision of what you want going into each day, and being able to effectively communicate that with the entire crew. Not being afraid to speak up is not only a needed skill on set, but a skill in everyday life.

This project was a learning curve, but I feel that I have come out of the project a better cinematographer, and especially and better communicator.