Darkness Rising
Darkness Rising is the only non-profit organization offering free mental health therapy to formerly incarcerated people of color. They are a vibrant and creative community seeking to heal where it is needed most. It was such an inspiration to witness how so much talent can gather to make a difference. The Laurie M Tisch Illumination Fund has supported their efforts to provide access to mental health services in underserved communities.
Role: Co-Writer, Camera, Editor, Motion Graphics
Theater of War Productions
Theater of War Productions is a unique social impact company that seeks to address community trauma of various forms, PTSD in veterans, domestic violence, dementia, burn out for frontline medical workers, through a theater-based event that gives everyone in the room a voice. To experience their work, even as a camera person, is quite powerful. The Laurie M Tisch Illumination Fund has supported four of their initiatives. For this video they requested no music tracks, only ambient sound and an aesthetic more in line with the raw energy of their productions.
Role: Co-Writer, Camera, Editor, Motion Graphics
Fountain House Gallery and Studio
The Fountain House Gallery and Studio program has sustained a creative community for individuals with severe mental illness for nearly 25 years. Thanks to the Laurie M Tisch Illumination Fund they were recently able to expand their studio space in Long Island City. They asked me to create a video to convey the impact of both the artistic and recovery work the resident artists experience in the program.
Role: Writer, Camera, Editor, Motion Graphics
Common Threads Project
The Common Threads Project has developed a unique approach to group therapy for survivors of gender-based violence that is based on the ancient practice of stitching story cloths. This video was created to celebrate the project starting in New York after successfully helping women in other countries around the world for years. The goal was to highlight the transformation that happens within the healing circles and how they can become places to experience joy after adversity. The Laurie M Tisch Fund has supported Common Threads bringing their work to New York.
Role: Co-Writer, Camera, Editor, Motion Graphics
Cochrane: 30 years of evidence
This video was created to mark the 30th anniversary of Cochrane. It was a challenge to write something succinct enough to cover the big ideas that gave rise to the collaboration and cover major achievements, while letting those who were there at the beginning lend their voices. I wrote a narration to tie it all together and drew from archival footage and materials to highlight the remarkable people who have made this organization truly unique in health research.
Role: Writer, Editor, Motion Graphics
MARR: The First 25 Years
When the Michigan Antibiotic Resistance Reduction Coalition was planning their 25th anniversary forum last year they asked me about creating a compilation of self-filmed congratulation video clips. I proposed a mini-documentary to cover milestone achievements in their work over the last 25 years. I collaborated with them to dive into their history and shape a narrative with some of the major players. We overcame an early setback, when a key coalition member had a stroke. But she was remarkably resilient and willed herself through rehab. She had also produced a documentary on antibiotic resistance nearly 25 years ago that proved invaluable as background and b-roll, along with photos from the coalition’s archives. I am told the final result exceeded the board’s expectations.
Role: Co-Producer, Co-Writer, Director, Editor, Motion Graphics
Changemakers: Artists and Curators in Community
An increasing number of gallery shows and museum exhibitions have examined both art and artists impacted by the criminal justice system. This video introduces curators and artists working in community to confront the human toll of mass incarceration through artistic expression. The Art for Justice Fund has followed and supported these individuals and organizations working at the intersection of art and advocacy.
Role: Producer, Co-Writer, Editor
Antibiotic Stewardship in the Dental Office
When the Michigan Antibiotic Resistance Reduction Coalition decided they wanted to have live action scenarios for their educational video I helped them cast and produce it remotely. While they had never undertaken a similar video project they rose to the challenge and we completed many hours of table reads together to shape the dialogue and the narration scripts. So far the final result has been well received and will be used to educate third year dental students and others on the urgent need for antibiotic stewardship in clinical practice.
Role: Producer, Co-Writer, Editor, Motion Graphics
See C. diff PSA
In one of my first in-person recordings since the start of the pandemic I sat down with brothers and co-founders, Christian and Liam, who started the Peggy Lillis Foundation after their mother succumbed to a C. diff infection following a routine dental visit. Clostridioides difficile, or C. diff, is estimated to affect 500,000 people annually, causing 29,000 deaths. Christian and Liam are dedicated to education and advocacy on C. diff so others don’t have to experience what their family went through. The C. diff awareness campaign this year was very successful.
Role: Director, Co-Writer, Editor
Designing Justice + Designing Spaces
I have rarely met such an organized and focused team in the non-profit space. They provided abundant footage and images to showcase their creative work in the space of restorative justice. I was given the opportunity to immerse myself in this innovative arena and create a message to showcase their vision. I tried to focus in particular on a look and feel that would match their ethical approach to design. The video was created with generous support from the Art for Justice Fund.
Role: Director, Co-Writer, Motion Graphics, Editor
Redaction Project
I was commissioned to create this video exploring a collaboration between artist Titus Kaphar, poet Reginald Dwayne Betts and civil rights lawyer Alec Karakatsanis. The Art for Justice Fund supported their work to create an installation that exposed the injustice of the money bail system in the United States. Because of pandemic restrictions the testimonials were recorded remotely and then layered with their singular artworks to tell the story of art and activism working together for the cause of criminal justice reform.
Role: Director, Co-Writer, Editor
Setting an inclusive tone
I shot and edited a third eight-video training series for Consumers United for Evidence-based Healthcare to explore interpersonal dynamics on guideline panels between patients (consumers) and researchers, specialists and other clinicians. For this series they created scenarios based on real life experiences and we shot it with non-actors who in fact are consumer advocates, health researchers and doctors. It was amazing how ready the cast was to jump into roles they had in many cases not even seen yet. Additionally we shot on location at an international conference in Seoul, Korea – so most of us were jetlagged. The goal of the series is to prepare consumers for what to expect when they serve on a panel.
Role: Co-Director, Camera, Editor
Our own Soup Kitchen Community
I was honored when Trinity's Services and Food for the Homeless asked me to create this video series for them. The dedication of the volunteers and staff really impressed me on the day I spent shooting there and after as I worked the material. They used this video and four others in an online fundraising campaign that exceeded their goal. It’s great that they will be able to continue and expand the services they offer.
Role: Camera, Co-Writer, Editor