Artist Biography
My passion for photography has been a defining self-characteristic for years. Starting in the early days of high school I’d spend my afternoons photographing local sports, or anything else that moved. I always had a camera by my side. As my love for photography grew I decided to dedicate four years of school to the medium. Thus began my headfirst dive into the photographic world. After starting a BFA program at Endicott College I found myself in a place where I could thrive, but I always felt as if I should be pushed more. Enter the world of Documentary Film. Before college, I had no desire to work in the moving picture industry, as I took pride in the still image. Yet, as my freshmen year progressed I found myself working more and more with the Multimedia professor Steve Liss. I had found something in the new medium that allowed me to push myself more than I ever had with photography. As my love for film began, my passion for photography still held strong. I continued to educate myself on the masters of photography and the technical skills of the medium, but in my free time, I assisted on many shoots and productions in the film world. As my time comes to an end at Endicott college my accomplishments represent my passions throughout the years, taking seven photography awards, working on two network productions, and releasing three short films, all in four years.
Thesis Abstract
For my thesis project, I wanted to create a piece that would address a major issue and possibly create a change. I found my issue in homelessness. Larry, a local New Englander, dedicates his life to helping those in need. Using the skills he acquired as a contractor he creates low-cost, sustainable housing for the homeless. The 8-minute doc follows Larry retrofitting an RV to be off-grid livable for his client Tom, a homeless veteran. I ran into a plethora of issues over the course of its creation, most notably having my production cut short due to the novel coronavirus. This left major holes in the ending of the story and prohibited me from having a long-form interview with Larry or Tom. In addition, due to the lack of budget, I was unable to hire a sound recordist or editor for the film, leading to many challenges that I had to tackle head-on. Thankfully, I was able to address most of these problems in the editing booth and after weeks of cutting and countless variations, I finally crafted a coherent story. Upon reflection of the film, I am pleased with the outcome. Although I believe A Tiny Hope would’ve benefited from having a dedicated sound recordist and an editor, the skills that I learned from doing it myself have helped me to further my education into the Multimedia world in more ways than I could’ve imagined.