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I’ve worked on over 50+ creative development projects helping to build documentary and reality tv pitches from the ground up by creating loglines, writing video scripts and pitch decks/treatments, discovering and casting talent, conducting talent interviews, researching, etc. Below are a few examples of recent development projects I helped develop that are now officially airing on TV and/or streaming networks.
Documentary Development & Production
Hulu/A&E Factual Studios - Ted Bundy: Dialogue with the Devil
During the development stage for this docuseries, I completed extensive story research, competitive analysis, talent outreach, pre-interviews with experts, sourced archival footage, and assisted producers with creating the network pitch sizzle video.
History Channel/A&E Factual Studios - Holy Marvels with Dennis Quaid
After a pause in development, I helped to revitalize this project by thoroughly and quickly researching new potential story episode ideas and writing summaries for the pitch deck treatment. Ultimately, the pitch deck and treatment were successful leading to the pick up the series by the History Channel.
Netflix/A&E Factual Studios - The Future Of
Exercising my strong creative writing and research skills, I helped develop this documentary series from the start within a small team of producers. Individually, I wrote over 50+ pages of detailed research filled with story ideas for episodes and co-wrote creative episode treatments. Each piece of research and brainstorming was utilized for the final production currently airing on Netflix.
BET/SO’B Productions - Disrupt and Dismantle
I proudly helped to foster the editorial direction for this six-episode documentary series by participating in development, production, and post-production. I co-wrote initial episode treatments, researched, discovered and booked talent, conducted interviews, etc. One of my noticeable achievements was discovering one of the series’ main episodic story themes. I helped to creatively develop all six episodes, and worked on two full episodes during development, production, and post-production.
Al Roker Productions - Forging the Future
During the development and production stage for this docuseries, I worked as a researcher helping to gather story ideas and research, find talent, and assist with writing treatments. I also assisted during the early stages of production by finding shoot locations, discovering props, and coordinating office and field production communications.
Branded Content & Public Affairs Television
WNET/PBS - SciTech Now: Ep. 401
I helped produce this New York Emmy Award-winning episode of PBS’ SciTech Now. Specifically, I discovered and produced the segment on the groundbreaking CCAT galactic telescope in Chile. I researched the story, pre-interviewed the featured talent, and wrote the script and interview questions for the host. I also participated in production and post-production for this segment. In addition, I worked on development, studio production, and post-production for the entire show.
WLIW21/WNET - The Museum of Modern Art - “Hide and Seek”
For this branded content digital video for The Museum of Modern Art, I helped assisted during field production by helping to coordinate the filming of b-roll and the segment interview.
PBS/WNET - The Great American Read: Author and Their Hometowns
For this 30-minute public affairs documentary, I aided in each stage of production from development to post-production by discovering, researching, booking and interviewing on-camera talent, scriptwriting, etc. The documentary special was nominated for the New York Emmy Awards.
WNET/PBS - Treasures of New York: Green-wood Cemetery
For this digital episode of Treasures of New York (TONY), I assisted with field production at the historic Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. For this short documentary, I assisted with interviewing, filming b-roll, and archival research. For the TONY series, I helped on various episodes during each stage of production.
HULU - Shape the Future: New York City
This empowering digital branded video for Hulu’s series The Handsmaid Tale celebrated Women’s Equality Day in 2019. As a freelance production assistant working in the field during this fun 12-hour shoot, I casted and interviewed random people who visited the artwork installation (majority of these ‘man on street’ interviews made it into the final video), assisted with production coordination by managing crew, and assisted the cameramen with coordinating shots. This marketing video went viral across social media. Ultimately, the success led to other art statuette installations across other major cities such as Washington D.C. and San Francisco.
Videography Filming Projects
News12 - Kings County Brewery
I filmed 50% of this News12 lifestyle segment in Bushwick, Brooklyn, capturing unique b-roll shots inside the Kings County Brewers Collective. I filmed the main interview with the business’ owners, and filmed and directed the reporter’s stand-up.
News12 - TimeOut Market IgLounge
I filmed 50% of the videography for this News 12 lifestyle segment about the Time Out IgLounge in Dumbo, Brooklyn. Bearing the winter cold, I captured b-roll shots of food, patrons eating, Manhattan skyline, and the reporter’s stand-up.
News12 - Little Planet Music
For this News12 arts segment, I assisted with filming b-roll of American Authors’ bassist Dave Rublin at the Little Planet Music studio in Brooklyn.
News12 - National Pizza Day
I filmed 75% of this News12 lifestyle segment, including the reporter’s stand-up, b-roll shots, and interviews with the business owner and customers at the Sauce and Soda pizza shop in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
I started my professional career as a broadcast journalist, specializing as a news producer for local TV news stations in my home state of Iowa. Journalism is my first love. It’s given me incredible valuable transferrable skills to produce content and media of all forms, to share truths to the masses, and a reminder to uphold the values and ethics of storytelling in all formats.
News12 - American Authors
This News12 arts segment highlighted the famous Brooklyn-native band, American Authors. I filmed the opening b-roll for this segment and the reporter’s interview just before the band’s live Manhattan concert.
Broadcast Journalism - News Producing
I attended the University of Iowa and received my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism and Mass Communications. Throughout my college experience, I participated in several student organizations that were specifically focused on journalism, including the NURU Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists and the university’s student-run independent newspaper and broadcast news station Daily Iowan TV (apart of The Daily Iowan). My dedication to participating in these student organizations created a passion within me to pursue a successful career post-grad in news and entertainment.
In a snapshot of my news producing career, the clips above are reels from my my time working at KCRG-TV9 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and KCCI-TV8 in Des Moines, Iowa (Designated Market Area #67, 500K TV Household Viewing Area). For each newscast, I wrote the anchor scripts, discovered the breaking news, built the newscast rundowns by selecting and researching the stories, created graphics, directed anchors and reporters, etc. In plain language, I was responsible for making sure everything in the newscast went down without a hitch!
Collegiate Productions & Awards
As an aspiring broadcast journalist, I worked at the independent student-led news organization called The Daily Iowan. The news organization’s broadcast studio is called Daily Iowan TV. During my senior year I produced newscasts weekly, created news reporting packages, covered breaking news, and served as an anchor. In 2015, I was awarded First Place in General Reporting by the Iowa Broadcast News Association. My news report focused on University of Iowa police efforts to ensure women’s nighttime safety on campus.
During my tenure as president of the U of I chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, I helped continue the legacy of the chapter’s broadcast public affairs program called Perspectives, where we highlighted stories that focused on the daily lived experiences of ethnic minority students and staff who attended the University of Iowa. In 2015, under my NABJ leadership as Executive Producer for our bi-annual television program, the Iowa Broadcast News Association awarded our chapter with First Place in Public Affairs for the 2014 Fall Edition of Perspectives.
During my Senior year, I was highlighted by the University of Iowa for my student experience working at The Daily Iowan and leading the U of I chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists. At the time of my graduation, this profile feature gave aspiring and then-current students a look at what majoring in Journalism and Mass Communications could potentially look like for them at the University of Iowa.
