Winner of “Best Student Short” and “Best Actor” (Howard Raik) at Silent River Film Festival (October 2021).

Honorable Mention at Deep Focus Film Festival (August 2021).

Finalist at the Vancouver Independent Film Festival (June 2021).

Winner of “Best Narrative Short” at the Los Angeles Film Awards (May 2021).

Official Selection for the 10th Annual Spirit of Chicago Showcase (May 2021).

Recipient of “Outstanding Achievement Award” for First Time Director and Runner-Up for “Best Short of the Season” with Indie Short Fest (May 2021).

Winner of “Best Student Film” at the New York Movie Awards (April 2021).

Winner of “Best Actor” (Howard Raik) and “Best Actress” (Arlene Arnone Bibbs) at Indie Short Fest (Los Angeles International Film Festival, April 2021).

Nominated for “Best Live Action Short” at London Shorts (April 2021).

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Bird Feeder

“Bird Feeder” was my official directorial debut. Inspired by grandfather Estill Reese, the film follows a short chapter of Bernard Weldon’s life as his vision begins to deteriorate, stripping him of his autonomy and sense of purpose.

Most of production took place at a house in Irving Park, with a couple of scenes shot in Evanston. We used a full crew of Northwestern students, actors of all ages from the Chicago area, and equipment from Filmgear and Camera Ambassador. We shot the film on an ARRI Alexa Mini with Kowa Prominar Anamorphic lenses.

Special thanks to my wonderful actors: Howard Raik, Arlene Arnone, Piper Sobel, Lani Stait, and Katharine Jordan. Additional thanks to my mentor Clayton Brown, my producer Lucia Agajanian, and my Director of Photography Adam Birch. Thank you to Timothy Beltran Del Rio and the entire St. Mark’s Episcopal Church community, as well as to the Guthmann family for letting us use their home. Lastly, thanks to each and every member of my wonderful crew, as well as to everyone who donated. I love you all.

Poster design by Eddie Bednarek.

 

Stream “Bird Feeder” below.

 

Additional work:

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Blueberry Swamp 2

Announcement Trailer + Sizzle Reel

The Call of Spring

I used this project as an opportunity to fuse film, music, and sound together into one piece. I wanted to explore nostalgia through the lens of sound and image, so let me know if this makes you feel a type of way! Particularly if you live - or have lived - in Chicago…

Alex Banin - Hollywood (No This Isn’t)

I had the pleasure of producing this music video for Alex Banin. This project set a high standard for mixing fun and professionalism, and I commend the crew’s dedication every step of the way. For the viewers, stay tuned. Alex is definitely an artist to keep your eye on.

Read Lyrical Lemonade’s review here.

Find Alex on Instagram here.

Niteskool: Modern Vices

As the Director of Photography for this shoot, I worked closely with the director to coordinate the intricate positioning and movement of our five cameras. We filmed inside of the Mark II Lounge, a common venue for parties and events, but not quite for concerts. I operated a Canon C300 on a wide lens, while four other operators focused on close-ups. Modern Vices were a pleasure to work with, and gave one hell of a performance.

Find Modern Vices on Instagram here.

Niteskool: Unpopular Opinion

I was the Director of Photography for this shoot of the Evanston band “Unpopular Opinion.” Working in the sound stage of Northwestern’s Louis Hall, we were able to create a cinematic atmosphere and also have fun breaking the fourth-wall.

Brave Bash

Here is a promotional video I shot and edited for Brave Initiatives, a non-profit organization on a mission to bridge the tech-world gender gap. I was fortunate enough to work as the videographer for their annual “Brave Bash” fundraising event, where I witnessed first-hand the power and potential of their work.

Clockwork

I was the Director of Photography for this film, and due to its one-scene nature of the production, I am proud to say that we pulled off the whole thing in one jam-packed day. Marina Seyffert’s script is an anxiety-evoking relationship-based slow burn, brought to life through her excellent direction. In this one-scene short, watch as what appears to be a simple, every-day dinner turns toxic, and even bloody, through the pure divisiveness of jealousy. [Password: adam]

Ode to Debie

After seeing Gaspar Noé’s film “Climax,” I became a big fan of his invasive and often nihilistic approach to storytelling. I also fell in love with his penchant for disorienting cinematography, made possible only by the fantastic work of Benoît Debie, his go-to Director of Photography. I shot this on a custom rig in my apartment, designed the audio at the end from scratch, and included my original song “The Initial Ascent.”

Little One

For this project, I set out to explore the physical relation between my character and the world around her. Living against a backdrop of socially enforced life-spans, this character is on her designated final day, one that was delayed significantly by the ultimate sacrifice of her late mother. Without much in her life, she spends her final day alive reveling in the tactility of her surroundings.

Becoming a Media-Enabled Performer

Here is a short and sweet collage-like documentary on my experiences learning to code artistically, made entirely with leftover footage, clips, and images. I walked away from this one feeling like more of an artist than ever before. My songs “Humming and “Autumn Snow” book-end the film, respectively.

LOST_FOOTAGE

Also acting as a music video for an early version of my composition “Shimmering,” this video is a compilation of leftover footage from independent films that I shot for friends, some class assignments, and lazy days at home with my friends. Limiting myself to just this archived footage, I set out to create a free-form mood piece with enough open interpretation to evoke a variety of emotional reactions from the viewer.

Making a Musical (in 7 Days)

This “documentary” focuses on a group of students attempting to write and perform an entire musical in a single week. As this is just part of their school symposium, the stakes are quite low. However, these are thespians, and as anyone who knows anyone knows: the show must go on! Will they rise up to the challenge and pull off the show? Or will they let their differences get the best of them? Find out in: Making a Musical (in 7 Days).

Further production credits: