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Get to Know Me
I’m a filmmaker based in Santa Cruz, creating cinematic work rooted in real people and real stories.
I work with brands, artists, and organizations to craft films that feel human, intentional, and built to last.
My Mission
At the core of my work is a belief in the power of storytelling to shape how people connect, understand, and take action. I’m drawn to working with forward-thinking brands, artists, and organizations, helping translate their ideas and values into films that feel intentional and true to who they are.
I care deeply about supporting artists and change-makers, using filmmaking as a way to elevate creative voices and highlight work that has a positive impact.
My Filmmaking Journey
My path into filmmaking started early. I got my first camera for my 12th birthday and immediately began making homemade films and skate videos with friends.
Although I studied marketing at San José State University, it wasn’t until after graduating in 2010 that I committed to filmmaking full time. In 2011, I founded Ocean House Wedding Films, where I spent several years immersed in real, unscripted storytelling. Filming weddings sharpened my sense of pacing, emotion, and anticipation, while also teaching me how to plan efficiently, communicate clearly, and adapt in fast-moving environments.
Alongside that work, I began documenting music festivals and creating social content for events, expanding my experience into larger productions and audience-focused storytelling.
Documentary Filmmaking
In 2017, I partnered with my good friend Joel Hersch to form Swan Dive Media, combining my visual approach with his strength in narrative development. Together, we worked across documentaries, branded content, commercials, and communications, focusing on stories that felt honest and resonant. One of our branded content pieces for Thor Industries, Why We RV With Kids, reached over 4 million views and reinforced the impact thoughtful storytelling can have at scale. In 2022, Swan Dive Media was named Best Media Company in Santa Cruz by the Santa Cruz Wave Swellies.
Around this time, I began leaning more deeply into documentary filmmaking. I focused on refining my cinematography and editing in tandem, treating them as inseparable parts of my filmmaking journey.
Beyond The Lens
Other than nerding out over cameras, lenses, and editing software, I live a pretty full life. I’m drawn to travel, long road trips, and time spent outdoors. Camping and being immersed in nature is one of my favorite ways to reset and reconnect.
I love music, going to concerts and music festivals, dancing and having fun with friends. I'm pretty big into electronic and reggae music.
Over the years, I’ve also fallen in love with the culinary arts. On a warm summer day, you might find me parked along the coast making tacos on a camp stove or shucking oysters on the cliffs while the sun sets over the ocean.
Traveling and meeting people from different cultures and walks of life is something I deeply value. Hearing other perspectives, learning how others live, and sharing stories across backgrounds continues to expand how I see the world.
Snowboarding is my favorite adrenaline rush — carving through tree runs and bombing down wide faces reminds me how alive I am in controlled chaos. And as I get older, I’ve found myself equally drawn to stillness: mindfulness, spiritual curiosity, and the bigger questions about life, death, and what comes next. That balance between movement and reflection shapes not just how I live — but how I want to tell stories.
