The Society of Camera Operators

I'm excited to share the new publication of The Society of Camera Operators, which did a short stint on yours truly. This group is based in LA and is the only group that is not a union that helps support the role of camera operators in film and television.

People may wonder what path I'm on because they see me doing various roles in a production. My technical skills are still aligned with the camera department, just as they have for over 25 years. I went from AC to Camera Operator and am now DPing many projects. There are many layers to this path, and I don't live in a film-friendly region. So the journey to survive and be in the business is real and has taken me into a few other roles that I need to keep the balls rolling. The number two role I often own is producing.

I love storytelling and crafting the story just as much as shooting one. So I decided to take on producing head first. As a producer, I can lead the team and project into manifestation. I especially love conducting interviews and working with people. Of all the jobs I do in production, producing is probably the one thing I have done more than anything else. I'm great at problem-solving and confident that there is only one problem I can't solve, but I don't want to share that detail.

I grew up in Michigan,

where people have a can-do attitude, and I refuse to wait for that big break or call back. I believe it's important to allow myself to thrive where I feel passionate in my creative life. When I produce a project, I get to do this every time.

I often work as a camera operator

for other producers and directors between my projects. These relationships are essential to my path to becoming a full-time Director of Photography represented by the Iaste Local 600 Labor Union. I will always work on my personal projects that I produce and often shoot too.