portfolio

My roles: director, producer, cinematographer, editor

Irv’s Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/irv.washington/

I was blessed with the opportunity to create a series of videos featuring queer artists in the city talking about their experiences with mental health. Conducting these interviews was such a fulfilling experience (e.g. being able to use my skills to share stories centred around the queer POC experience)

Beyond that, I have nothing else to comment on; I’m hoping the visuals and stories speak for themselves (also yes, he was on Rupaul’s Drag Race Canada! hahaha)

My roles: videographer, editor

Dani’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dani._doucette/

This was one of the first full music videos I got to put together! Dani Doucette is just. a BEAUTIFUL SPIRIT INSIDE AND OUT - caps necessary (absoLUTELY take a look at her content+music if you have the chance).

So fun testing the limitations and creativity of having just a camera, a gimbal, and a tight space to work with (the boat WAS big, but there were a LOT of people on board hahaha).

My roles: videographer, editor

Jac’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jac__v/

Just a really inspiring group of movers executing choreography from one of Toronto’s best!

My roles: videographer, editor

I got to collaborate with the team at Looka to create a video for their Design Tips and Tricks series on Youtube.

My roles: videographer, editor

OPUS’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/opus_dance_collective/

FUN FACT - This group made it onto NBC’s World of Dance! The challenge for filming this was making sure the formations were honoured through the angles chosen while also trying to direct the viewers’ eyes towards the featured dancers (be it solos or duets).

Choreographer: Shavar Blackwood

Took behind the scenes footage of a live rehearsal a few nights before the Raptors’ historical win

25% engagement rate on Instagram and Facebook, over 5K views total with reach > 10K

From my end, this was a cool intersection between my previous documentary experience and dance videography experience - trying to be a fly-on-the-wall to capture the mood/gravity of the experience while capturing choreographic footage in ways that complement the movement on screen

This was shot on the spot, without a storyboard

I was given a concept brief and general mood board for the final video, and shots were executed based off that

This was a huge collaborative effort — a lot of the on-screen ideas were co-developed by both of us on-site, bouncing ideas off each other based on what we found while location scouting

There was no plan nor storyboard to go with this visual | it was a spur-of-the-moment shoot

The weather was real nice, so we went out. Bringing my camera was an afterthought

I guess the intention here was to try to transfer the “feeling” of a memory to a visual, despite the subject(s) being documented in the present moment?

Dancer: Kaitlin Kawam | Co-Shooter: Kayla Obra (https://www.kaylaobra.com/), who is also a phenomenal photographer; seriously, if you need wedding or lifestyle photos, contact her!

Sometimes, I get such an insipidly particular vision when listening to a song (in this case, it was the part @ 2:11 - 2:18), I have to make/do something about it

Kaitlin was also so amazing to work with. I would literally scream some random words/adjectives loosely describing “femininity” or “sensuality” and she would deliver so precisely with both movement quality and face

Collaboration with Allison Phoenix Bradley (choreographer, movement director) https://www.instagram.com/allyphoenixbradley/

Dancers: Miggy Estaban, Zoe Edwards, Natalie Chung, Kennedy Elder, Lucy McGovern

Each dancer was given a different emotion to embody, through their solo improvisational and close-up shots | the choreography was originally a stage piece, but was adapted to create this project

“Joy rules all.” - Allison B. | This video is a reflection of that idea; community and love overcomes any internal turmoil

Choreographer: Neil Robles | Dancers: Jessica Ortaleza, Neil Robles

This was a collaborative concept with Neil | location was chosen by him, but spotting the specific areas to shoot on site was done on the fly (by me — ew, NOT TO BE SELF-CONGRATULATORY LIKE THAT, sorry LOL)

Getting feedback on edits by Neil really helped me with simplifying/toning down my editorial style nowadays | back then, I would include a lot of angle changes and jump cuts to (try to) keep visual interest, but for displaying choreographic sequences and execution, that’s not necessarily the best for translating the talent on screen!

This was actually one of the very first times I was given directorial reign over what I wanted to do with a video shoot

I got to direct models to pose/move in specific ways, which was sort of a pre-cursor to what I would end up doing in the future (this was before I did any dance cinematography)

Also was a fun experience trying to toy around with After Effects and learning new things

Producer [Interviewer]

Editor

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