MY STORY The very first thing I fell in love with was lighting. When I was 13 years old, I began an ill fated career as an actor at a community theatre. Fortunately I knew I was terrible, and discovered that I belonged in the lighting department. Ever since then I’ve never had a job outside the entertainment industry (excluding that time when I was the chef on a private yacht... but that’s a different story).
For a number of years I worked at that community theatre in my hometown of Naples Florida, and also at a couple of small rental houses. My theatrical career was a sure thing in my mind... until the day a big Warner Brothers film came to shoot in town. I begged and begged my way into a job on set, and changed my goal to cinematography by the time I finished my first breakfast burrito.
After that I graduated high school, got a job as an Avid editor during my first year of college, shot local videos and commercials, and was accepted into the Florida State University Film School – where I soon became the top DP, and occasional gaffer. So then after I managed to shoot my first feature before graduating (for Roger Corman), and received an ASC Heritage Award, I kind of figured I’d be a big deal when I moved to Hollywood. And of course... my phone didn’t ring once for 3 months! I struggled while I worked a tiny bit as a PA, camera assistant, and key grip until I fell back into my love of lighting and had a very successful run as a gaffer on several feature films and over 100 commercials and music videos.
Throughout all of this I slowly grew and evolved my reel. As much as I enjoyed gaffing, it was a huge relief when I was finally able to shoot full time. I love going to work and telling stories through cameras, whether it’s a commercial, feature, music video, TV show, or documentary. It’s all fun for me, and I like mixing it up and taking what I learn from one and working it into another. Just like I enjoy working with first time directors, those who have been directing for many many years, and everyone in between.
VISUAL EFFECTS It broke my heart when I got that rejection letter from the ILM Internship Program... but I’ve recovered well! Much of my work has been very visual effects driven, which the 15 year old Star Trek geek in me would be freaking out about.
I’ve learned a lot, and have had great experiences pushing the boundaries with things like motion control, unconventional keying methods, real model spaceships, massive greenscreen rigs, figuring out how tiny element shots fit into big scenes, adding and subtracting camera movement, breaking the rules to achieve an effect, and working with some of the best supervisors in the business. I’ve shot a ton of effects work across all genres... mostly as the principal DP, but occasionally as a dedicated VFX DP.
DIGITAL BEAUTY I’ve spent most of my career with a mix of film and digital. The ratio has changed from being very film heavy in the early years, to being very digital heavy over the last few. I’m sure most people are shooting primarily digital now, but most don’t have the depth of experience with a mix of both mediums that I have... and now I’m known for being able to move past the technology back to the simple truths of telling a story (or selling a product) with mood, composition, movement, and color.
I’m format agnostic... I shoot what’s best for the job, and have used every major format. Throw me an Alexa, Phantom, 5D, RED, F35, Varicam, XDCAM, whatever you want. It’s all second nature to me – regardless of whether it’s for a 40 foot theater screen, a four inch window on a computer, or anywhere in between. Have something crazy or technical that needs to be figured out? Not a problem. Chances are I’ve done it before, or already have a good idea of how we can accomplish it.
OTHER STUFF My work has been very eclectic, so I’m a versatile and great camera operator. I’ve followed the action in a lot of handheld documentaries and narratives, I’ve shot a ton of Technocrane work, I’ve shot from nearly every type of transportation (boats, helicopters, planes, trains, ultralight, snowboard, ATV, and more), and of course I’ve done a lot of classic smooth dolly and gear head work.
I’m not a specialty underwater DP... but I have done many jobs where we had anywhere from one shot in a lake to a couple of days of underwater work in a tank with full sets and lighting. I do my own operating underwater as well. One of my coolest moments behind the camera was on a WildAid commercial in a pool... It was a really complex shot with a construction crane lifting a giant fishing net with talent inside out of the water – while I did a crazy handheld dive down tracking shot while pulling back wide. On the third take I felt really good... but I really knew I nailed it because the AD accidentally left the hydrophone on, and I heard the director and everyone at the village break out into cheers and applause. Never would have happened if I was standing 10 feet away!
Aerial shots are cool, and I’ve done a lot of them from commercial and military helicopters, ultralight aircraft, gyro stabilized rigs, and handheld. I’ve also coordinated with and directed the photography of specialty aerial cameramen.
I’ve shot a lot of multiple camera work. Most of the time it’s only two or three cameras for a narrative shoot or commercial. Sometimes though it can be a dozen or more - as is often the case when shooting my live concert DVD work.
I’ve worked in a lot of odd places, and have figured out how to deal with extreme situations. I’ve been freezing cold on top of a mountain, sweating like mad in a swamp, and fighting blowing sand and rain in a tropical storm. I’ve worked with crews where I was the only english speaker, and have shot in the middle of nowhere in places like the deserts of Jordan, a glacier in Alaska, and the center of North Carolina. I’ve climbed to the top of a Navy Destroyer, rappelled down a cliff, rolled across the roof of a skyscraper on a skatedolly, and jumped into the ocean from a helicopter in order to get the shot. And I’ve had a blast doing it all!
MUSIC Just a quick word about this... music has been a very important part of my life and my work. When I was playing the sax in my high school’s music program, I had no idea how much this training would make me a better filmmaker. It’s something I’ve used every day at work on the dozens of music videos I’ve shot while figuring out how to cover a performance. It guides me with pacing and mood when I’m shooting a film, and it makes everyone’s day brighter when I play music during prelights. My formal music education started in 5th grade, and went all the way through my first year in college. Lots of kids in this country don’t have access to the programs I had. The music industry has been good to me, and I’ve chosen to give back to a music education program called Little Kids Rock, which brings inspiring music education to public schools in need of these programs. Take a look at Little Kids Rock.
For a number of years I worked at that community theatre in my hometown of Naples Florida, and also at a couple of small rental houses. My theatrical career was a sure thing in my mind... until the day a big Warner Brothers film came to shoot in town. I begged and begged my way into a job on set, and changed my goal to cinematography by the time I finished my first breakfast burrito.
After that I graduated high school, got a job as an Avid editor during my first year of college, shot local videos and commercials, and was accepted into the Florida State University Film School – where I soon became the top DP, and occasional gaffer. So then after I managed to shoot my first feature before graduating (for Roger Corman), and received an ASC Heritage Award, I kind of figured I’d be a big deal when I moved to Hollywood. And of course... my phone didn’t ring once for 3 months! I struggled while I worked a tiny bit as a PA, camera assistant, and key grip until I fell back into my love of lighting and had a very successful run as a gaffer on several feature films and over 100 commercials and music videos.
Throughout all of this I slowly grew and evolved my reel. As much as I enjoyed gaffing, it was a huge relief when I was finally able to shoot full time. I love going to work and telling stories through cameras, whether it’s a commercial, feature, music video, TV show, or documentary. It’s all fun for me, and I like mixing it up and taking what I learn from one and working it into another. Just like I enjoy working with first time directors, those who have been directing for many many years, and everyone in between.
VISUAL EFFECTS It broke my heart when I got that rejection letter from the ILM Internship Program... but I’ve recovered well! Much of my work has been very visual effects driven, which the 15 year old Star Trek geek in me would be freaking out about.
I’ve learned a lot, and have had great experiences pushing the boundaries with things like motion control, unconventional keying methods, real model spaceships, massive greenscreen rigs, figuring out how tiny element shots fit into big scenes, adding and subtracting camera movement, breaking the rules to achieve an effect, and working with some of the best supervisors in the business. I’ve shot a ton of effects work across all genres... mostly as the principal DP, but occasionally as a dedicated VFX DP.
DIGITAL BEAUTY I’ve spent most of my career with a mix of film and digital. The ratio has changed from being very film heavy in the early years, to being very digital heavy over the last few. I’m sure most people are shooting primarily digital now, but most don’t have the depth of experience with a mix of both mediums that I have... and now I’m known for being able to move past the technology back to the simple truths of telling a story (or selling a product) with mood, composition, movement, and color.
I’m format agnostic... I shoot what’s best for the job, and have used every major format. Throw me an Alexa, Phantom, 5D, RED, F35, Varicam, XDCAM, whatever you want. It’s all second nature to me – regardless of whether it’s for a 40 foot theater screen, a four inch window on a computer, or anywhere in between. Have something crazy or technical that needs to be figured out? Not a problem. Chances are I’ve done it before, or already have a good idea of how we can accomplish it.
OTHER STUFF My work has been very eclectic, so I’m a versatile and great camera operator. I’ve followed the action in a lot of handheld documentaries and narratives, I’ve shot a ton of Technocrane work, I’ve shot from nearly every type of transportation (boats, helicopters, planes, trains, ultralight, snowboard, ATV, and more), and of course I’ve done a lot of classic smooth dolly and gear head work.
I’m not a specialty underwater DP... but I have done many jobs where we had anywhere from one shot in a lake to a couple of days of underwater work in a tank with full sets and lighting. I do my own operating underwater as well. One of my coolest moments behind the camera was on a WildAid commercial in a pool... It was a really complex shot with a construction crane lifting a giant fishing net with talent inside out of the water – while I did a crazy handheld dive down tracking shot while pulling back wide. On the third take I felt really good... but I really knew I nailed it because the AD accidentally left the hydrophone on, and I heard the director and everyone at the village break out into cheers and applause. Never would have happened if I was standing 10 feet away!
Aerial shots are cool, and I’ve done a lot of them from commercial and military helicopters, ultralight aircraft, gyro stabilized rigs, and handheld. I’ve also coordinated with and directed the photography of specialty aerial cameramen.
I’ve shot a lot of multiple camera work. Most of the time it’s only two or three cameras for a narrative shoot or commercial. Sometimes though it can be a dozen or more - as is often the case when shooting my live concert DVD work.
I’ve worked in a lot of odd places, and have figured out how to deal with extreme situations. I’ve been freezing cold on top of a mountain, sweating like mad in a swamp, and fighting blowing sand and rain in a tropical storm. I’ve worked with crews where I was the only english speaker, and have shot in the middle of nowhere in places like the deserts of Jordan, a glacier in Alaska, and the center of North Carolina. I’ve climbed to the top of a Navy Destroyer, rappelled down a cliff, rolled across the roof of a skyscraper on a skatedolly, and jumped into the ocean from a helicopter in order to get the shot. And I’ve had a blast doing it all!
MUSIC Just a quick word about this... music has been a very important part of my life and my work. When I was playing the sax in my high school’s music program, I had no idea how much this training would make me a better filmmaker. It’s something I’ve used every day at work on the dozens of music videos I’ve shot while figuring out how to cover a performance. It guides me with pacing and mood when I’m shooting a film, and it makes everyone’s day brighter when I play music during prelights. My formal music education started in 5th grade, and went all the way through my first year in college. Lots of kids in this country don’t have access to the programs I had. The music industry has been good to me, and I’ve chosen to give back to a music education program called Little Kids Rock, which brings inspiring music education to public schools in need of these programs. Take a look at Little Kids Rock.
