CV
Experience
SOCIALDEVIANT | Art Director - Video Production | Chicago, Illinois | June 2022-Present
Creating compelling consumer-facing social content at scale, resulting in an average of 50%-60% decrease in cost per key performance indicator, such as cost-per-click.
Working with creative and strategy teams on concept development for clients such as Aldi, Joann Fabrics, Allegiant Airlines, Bumble Bee Tuna, and Medela.
Maintaining strategic brand voice and visual style for clients across various media platforms such as Tik Tok, Meta, Instagram, YouTube, and Connected TV.
Fitting Descriptions | Camera PA/Truck Driver | June 2023
Oversaw safe transport and storage of grip & camera equipment worth upwards of $500k.
Assisted production department in addressing logistical challenges quickly on set.
Andre Champagne | Key Grip/DIT | Chicago, Illinois | July 2021
Set up grip equipment, including lighting and cable management.
Backed up and labeled media files; edited daily cuts.
Managed clapperboard and slated each shot.
UIC Kinesiology and Nutrition “Every Body Better” | First Assistant Camera/DIT | Chicago, Illinois | June 2021
Supplied and set up camera equipment & managed equipment rental, including remote streaming of video feed to client.
Edited Tik Tok promotional video.
International Children’s Media Center | Film Festival Selection Committee Intern | Chicago, Illinois | June 2020 – September 2020
Worked with a team of 15 interns to facilitate selection process of 500+ short films for a nonprofit festival agency.
Judged finalists for 6 separate film festivals, including outreach and educational programs for young children, incarcerated persons, and the LGTBQ+ community serving over 600,000 people globally.
MDOG Productions | Startup Video Production Company | Co-Founder | Chicago, Illinois | June 2018 – Present
Manage a three-person self-started company.
Plan, produce, and direct 20 video projects over four years, winning 8 awards from film festivals.
Freelance Photographer | Chicago, Illinois | Champaign, Illinois | September 2019 – Present
Headshot, product, and event photography.
Booking and scheduling: acquire clients through personal website.
Shooting and editing: choose appropriate camera body and lenses, use Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom to edit photos.
Product distribution: communicate with client to choose top images and ensure that they receive the product through file transfer.
College of Fine and Applied Arts | Video Intern | Champaign, Illinois | February 2020 – Present
Create official university video content promoting the college’s 8 academic programs.
Fighting Illini Productions | Video Intern | Champaign, Illinois | January 2020 – Present
Film and edit highlight videos for the Women’s Volleyball team, published to an audience of 50,000.
University of Illinois Honors Living Learning Community | Head Ambassador | Champaign, Illinois | May 2019 – May 2020
Led a team of 8 resident student advisors for the Honors dorm community.
Planned and executed LLC events, including securing food and supply orders and handling student registration.
Ran new student orientation and coordinated activities for 200+ residents.
Skalawag Productions | Production Assistant | Chicago, Illinois | May – August 2019
Supported a team of four filmmakers on three commercial sets.
Managed equipment and setup, behind-the-scenes photography, and catering.
GoGo Squeez Purpose Film | Camera Operator | Chicago, Illinois | July 2018
One of two camera operators on “Be-Time” created by Edelman Public Relations, featured in AdWeek Magazine.
Memberships
American Advertising Federation at UIUC | Chief Digital Officer | Champaign, Illinois | October 2019 – Present
Curate all digital content and manage visual aesthetic for student organization with 300+ members.
Build and manage aafillinois.com, which received 11,000 page views and 2,900 unique visitors in 2020.
Hyperlink | Founder & President | Champaign, Illinois | September 2021 - May 2022
Formed a new student advertising agency and recruited graphic designers, videographers, and copywriters to create internal branding content for the AAF Illinois student chapter.
Launched “Word of Mouth,” a student advertising blog, and recruited blog writers and an editor-in chief. Word of Mouth reached 100 monthly viewers within three months.
Midnight Oil Full-Service Advertising Agency | Art Director | Champaign, Illinois | September 2019 – May 2020
Concepted and executed creative strategy and advertising designs for two local businesses, Cracked Restaurant and Custom Ink Printing, with a team of six.
CTRL+V Video Agency | Line Producer | Champaign, Illinois | September 2019 – January 2020
Oversaw a team of ten to conceptualize, write, and shoot a video advertisement for Spalding.
National Student Advertising Competition | Creative Team | Champaign, Illinois | October 2018 – October 2019
Art director and Production Specialist on the Illinois NSAC creative team developing a full advertising campaign for Wienerschnitzel.
Responsibilities include logo design, filming of commercials, and general creative concepting and execution.
Designed logo to be used on a national campaign.
Creative Projects
Best Man | Producer & Director of Photography | June 2023 - Present
Organizing logistics on a short film with a budget of $10k.
Managing crew hiring, production insurance, equipment and space rental.
Developing a visual style to be referenced on set through camera testing & color grading.
On set, undertaking lighting design and leading a camera team of four crew.
ALJON | Director, Editor, Director of Photography | March 2023
Directed and produced a 2-minute microfilm.
Used various AI technology to generate visuals and story elements, in a commentary on the growth of artificial intelligence.
ALJON was a finalist for Best Microfilm in LA International Film Festival’s Indie Short Fest.
The Goji Project | Writer/Director | Urbana, Illinois | November 2020 - May 2021
Wrote a 16-page screenplay and worked with an executive producer to secure funding.
Directed a crew of 14 students and 8 actors to produce a 23-minute short film.
Organized a local premiere event, which had 100+ attendees.
Phillies | Assistant Director, Writer | Champaign, Illinois | November 2020
Directed a team of 12 students to produce a short film.
Wrote a 3-page script and handled pre-production, including shot lists, call sheets, and schedules.
Tiny Bit of Giant’s Blood’s “Girl Over Here” Music Video | Director of Photography | Chicago, Illinois | June 2020
During quarantine, created music video using dolls as subjects, filming actors remotely.
Video was selected by the Midwest Film Festival, screened to an audience of 200+, and generated 1K views online.
Whitewater | Writer, Director, Editor | Chicago, Illinois | January 2018 – Present
Oversee a team of five filmmakers to self-produce a short film with 600+ views.
Expand the project into a 60-minute short feature film in 2019, which is currently in post-production.
Tiny Bit of Giant’s Blood “Five Foot Heels” Music Video | Director, Camera Operator | Chicago, Illinois | February 2020
Directed four band members, fifteen dancers, and a lighting technician.
Video generated 600+ views online.
Tiny Bit of Giant’s Blood “If You Want Blood” Music Video | Director, Camera Operator | Chicago, Illinois | January 2020
Coordinated four band members and four actors on an 8-hour shoot.
Video generated 1.2K views online.
Kevin Pollack’s “Man About Town” Music Video | Director of Photography | Chicago, Illinois | July 2019
Managed two assistant camera operators and oversaw camera setup.
Won awards from the Monkey Bread Tree Film Awards, First-Time Filmmaker Sessions, Los Angeles CineFest, and Crown Wood International Film Festival.
Central Student Government | Director of Photography | Champaign, Illinois | December 2018
Oversaw three camera operators during the production of the pilot episode of the upcoming web series “Central Student Government”.
Tiny Bit of Giant’s Blood “Number One Man” Studio Recording Video | Director of Photography | Chicago, Illinois | March 2019
Recorded multiple live studio session playthroughs and edited them into a cohesive music video, generating 200+ views online.
The Drive | Camera Positioning | Champaign, Illinois | January 2019 – May 2019
Camera positioning and tech operator for the virtual reality production “The Drive,” produced by You Matter Studios for national distribution and use in diversity workshops.
Won awards in the Desertscape International Film Festival, deadCenter Film Festival, 360º Film Festival, Honor Film Festival, Short. Sweet. Film Fest., and Indie Film Night.
Power Play | Writer, Director of Photography | Chicago, Illinois | September 2017 – December 2017
Writer and director of photography for the eleven-minute short film “Power Play,” involving a team of five filmmakers.
Generated 350+ views online.
Creative Awards
ALJON
Finalist | Best Microfilm | Indie Short Fest | Los Angeles International Film Festival
The Goji Project
Finalist | Best Sci-Fi Short | Indie Short Fest | Los Angeles International Film Festival
Official Selection | Zero Degree Film Contest
Official Selection | Crown Point International Film Festival
Official Selection | UIUC Film Festival
Honorable Mention | Art Film Awards
Tiny Bit of Giant’s Blood’s “Girl Over Here” Music Video
Official Selection | Midwest Film Festival
“The Drive” VR Film
Best AR/VR | Indie Film Night
Official Selection | Desertscape International Film Festival | deadCenter Film Festival | 360º Film Festival | Honor Film Festival | Short. Sweet. Film Fest. | Indie Film Night
Kevin Pollack’s “Man About Town” Music Video
Semi-Finalist | Los Angeles CineFest
Best Music Video | Crown Wood International Film Festival
Special Mention | Monkey Bread Tree Film Awards
Official Selection | First-Time Filmmaker Sessions | Monkey Bread Tree Film Awards
Kevin Pollack’s “Holiday” Music Video
Official Selection | Monkey Bread Tree Film Awards | International Cultural Artifact Film Festival | Port Blair International Film Festival
Education
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Bachelor of Science in Advertising with Highest Honors | College of Media | GPA 3.98/4.0 | May 2022
Art and Design Minor | College of Fine and Applied Arts
Study Abroad | Amsterdam, Netherlands | Munich, Germany | Fussen, Germany | Salzburg, Austria
Academic Awards
Stamps Charitable Foundation Scholar | Full-cost scholarship awarded to top 0.025% of in-state students
University Chancellor’s Scholar | Top 1.5% of University of Illinois students
College of Media James Scholar | Top 20% of College of Media students
Bronze Tablet Scholar | Top 3% of graduating class