Discover Top Documentary DPs in Berkeley, California, USA

Owner and founder of Active Alliance creative, Jason Charles Smith got into film by sneaking his parents video camera out of the house and filming his friends and him doing stupid stunts on skateboards, bikes and the like. He started his production career in 2004 working for NBC helping with the Olympic profiles of some of America’s top athletes. From there his career took off working with the likes of NFL Films, ESPN, and The Discovery Channel to name just a few. During his years he made it a point to learn every aspect of production and post-production to make sure his talents were well-rounded. Today he loves working on documentaries telling stories of those that the world would otherwise pass by, as well as working with entities that are making the world a better place for all of us.

• Documentary DP
• Drone Operator
• Animator / Visual Effects Artist
• Motion Graphics Designer
• Senior Editor
• Corporate Videographer

For over 10 years I have learned the ins and outs of both large and small scale video production through hard work and hands-on experience. I have built a television studio from scratch, created an entire video department from the ground up, acted as company-wide video quality control, and have seen through the creation of shows from start to finish. I have worked for startups, large corporations and for myself as a freelancer. I know what it takes to get a video production completed with the highest standards while not going overboard with budget and concept. Most importantly, I know how to delegate and use an individual’s strengths to the group’s advantage.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Creative Director
• Video Editor - News
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Motion Graphics Designer
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Commercial DP
• Reporter / Journalist
• Fixer
• Production Assistant
• Animator / Visual Effects Artist
• Documentary DP
• Production Company
• Full-Service Live Production
• Corporate Videographer

Josh Freund is an award-winning documentary, narrative and commercial filmmaker. His diverse clientele range from leading brands like Nike, Mattel, Chevrolet, and Jameson Whiskey to Grammy-winning musicians. Josh's first feature film Do U Want It? won Audience Award at New Orleans Film Festival in 2017 and at SF IndieFest in 2018 and will be streaming in October 2019. He owns and operates ABIS Productions, New Orleans’ premiere video production company dedicated to creating video content for bands and musicians. Josh graduated with a BSJ from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism in 2012.

• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Creative Director
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Fixer
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Field Producer
• Production Coordinator / Crewing
• Senior Editor
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Corporate Videographer

Hello, I am a documentary filmmaker, sound recordist, and video producer based in the Bay Area. In a former life I was a Multimedia Producer with KQED/PBS Digital Studios of the Emmy Award winning series ART SCHOOL. Since then, I have formed my own production company MIND•SPACE•TIME that has created short-form video stories in partnership with NY Times, PBS NewsHour, AJ+, Southern Documentary Fund, to name a few. My own documentary films have won awards and screened at many prestigious film festivals around the world including DocLisboa, BFI London Film Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam, European Media Art Festival, and many more.

• Documentary DP
• Production Company
• Field Producer
• Sound Mixer
• Video Editor - News
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Mobile Journalist / Livestreamer
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Audio Storyteller
• Podcast Producer

Leaf River is a journalist, filmmaker, drone cinematographer, editor, and as of recent, one man production crew. His work has appeared in AJ+, BBC, Reveal (currently Center for Investigative Reporting), Fusion, and Color Magazine. His work tends to focus on the injustices and plight thrust upon the overlooked and left behind members of modern society. He has begun working on his own feature length documentary about an immigrant woman who finds strength and meaning through working with wild horses in New Mexico. He is always ready for the challenge of taking on new work and has the gear and knowledge to handle it.

• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - News
• Drone Operator
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Grip
• Commercial DP
• Reporter / Journalist
• Sound Mixer
• Creative Director

A graduate of the NYU Tisch School of the Arts with a focus in Directing and Producing, Robert Wagner has been making films since the age of eleven. He's had the privilege of working under some of the most successful creators in feature films and commercials on high-profile projects such as Horrible Bosses (New Line Cinema), Tower Heist (NBC Universal) in addition to numerous national commercial campaigns (GEICO, Nike, Quickbooks, Nissan). Obsessed with the truth in narrative, he believes that everyone has a story to tell. At the core of his work is an intense motivation to tell stories that remind us all of the humanity we share.

• Documentary DP
• Drone Operator
• Production Company
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Copywriter
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Fixer
• Commercial DP
• Production Assistant
• News Shooter / Video Journalist

Since 2009, James Hall has shot and edited deeply human short films for clients such as National Geographic, TIME, VICE News, People & Power, Al Jazeera America, AJ+, 60 Second Docs and others. Along with being reliable and skilled with the camera, sound, directing and producing, and editing, his greatest strengths lie in his interpersonal skills, always making real connections with both subjects and crew, and his knack at improvising creative solutions on the fly. He began his career in 2003 as a photojournalist, and is based in the Bay Area, CA and frequently takes on international projects.

• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - Documentary
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Production Company
• Field Producer
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist

Kevin is an award winning director, producer, shooter and editor based in San Francisco. He has created videos for Bloomberg, CNBC, CNET, Reuters and various independent clients. He has experience as a one-man-band videographer as well as a director of full tv production crews. His passion for video storytelling has allowed him to travel across the US and internationally. He has over two decades of professional experience with cameras, lenses, lighting, sound, editing software and music production. He 2009 He has received numerous accolades and awards including two Emmy Awards in Videography and Producer/Editor for his work at Plum TV in Vail, CO.

• Art Director
• Music Composer
• Sound Designer
• Creative Director
• Senior Editor
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Commercial DP
• Documentary DP
• Drone Operator
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Corporate Videographer
• Video Editor - News
• Sound Mixer
• Field Producer
• Gaffer
• Series Producer / Show Runner
• Motion Graphics Designer

I have over 20 years of experience working in production with the last 15 years as a freelancer. My production experience is wide ranging, from documentary and broadcast work for ESPN to corporate commercial work for clients like Microsoft, Adobe, and Intel. I have a full production kit including audio, lighting and camera. The cameras that I have available are a Canon C300 mkII, ARRI Alexa Mini, and Panasonic EVA-1. My business is setup as an LLC and I do carry a full production insurance policy along with workers compensation insurance. For many companies, this makes the payroll component of hiring me less complicated. Sample Work: https://vimeo.com/showcase/7944953

• Commercial DP
• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Motion Graphics Designer

Hello! I'm a producer, reporter, writer, videographer and digital journalist. I worked as a producer on AJ+'s news team for 2.5 years where I produced videos from conception to publication daily. I also reported and shot video in the field, developed new storytelling formats, assisted with in-studio shoots and presented pieces in front of the camera. I earned my Master of Journalism degree with an emphasis in New Media from UC Berkeley in 2016. I've written and reported for The Atlantic.com, Univision, Newsday, The (Minneapolis) Star Tribune, The Bismarck Tribune, The Campbell Reporter and Berkeleyside.

• Reporter / Journalist
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Video Editor - News
• Field Producer
• Documentary DP

My name is Jason Beal, a cinematographer, photojournalist, licensed drone pilot and story teller in the SF Bay Area. I currently work full-time as an enterprise-special projects photographer for ABC7 News in San Francisco. I have over 12 years of professional video production experience, winning 7 regional Emmy awards in that time. I have experience with almost every camera system, from Canon to Sony to BlackMagic and more. I edit using Premiere and Final Cut X, with experience in AVID and After Effects.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Creative Director
• Video Editor - News
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Fixer
• Drone Operator
• Colorist
• Corporate Videographer
• Event Photographer
• Field Producer
• Senior Editor
• TV News Producer

San Jose, California native Mario Glaviano graduated with honors from the Television, Film, and New Media program at San Diego State University in 2010, where he focused on directing and cinematography. He currently lives in Oakland working as a cinematographer, video editor, and sound recordist who specializes in documentary storytelling, brand films, corporate videos, and event videography. He is the founder and lead cinematographer of his video production company The Documentarists. He is a Canon C70 and C200 owner/operator.

• Production Company
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Sound Mixer
• Fixer
• Production Assistant
• Corporate Videographer
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Video Editor - Commercial

Jake Willers is a DP and Producer. He has traveled to 38 countries and filmed in some of the most inhospitable places on earth. Jake has made 30 wildlife shows, which have enjoyed success in 147 countries and been translated into 25 languages, working with channels including National Geographic Channel International, Nat Geo Wild, Animal Planet, and Channel FIVE, UK. In 2007 Jake moved to the US and formed NineCaribou Productions, LLC which caters for a range of clients including BBC, VICE News, Gold Rush, Discovery, Nat Geo, Animal Planet, NBC Sports, A&E, CNN, CBS, ABC and many others.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Drone Operator
• Video Editor - News
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Production Company
• Fixer
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• On-Air Reporter / Host
• Field Producer
• Sound Mixer

Jes Gallegos is a cinematographer, producer, director, editor and documentary filmmaker based in San Francisco, California. They specializes in cinéma vérité with large camera set ups big and small and complex interview lighting. They have collaborated across media platforms for many of the world's leading brands such as Google, Dropbox, Salesforce, Shopify, Airbnb, Dow Jones among many others. In their free time, they organize Rock Paper Film Society, a Bay Area women/non-binary folks in film with over 2,000+ members.

• Corporate Videographer
• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Mobile Journalist / Livestreamer
• Drone Operator
• Creative Director
• Production Company
• Line Producer / On-Location
• Non-Fiction Film Director

full-video services which mean I have all the elements in-house and all the right people on the team to handle the project from start to finish. The Creative: We figure out exactly how to convey the value of your VIDEO so your audience can understand it, a plan for what resources we’ll need to achieve it. Production: crew up with talented and amazing people in our vast network of filmmakers, scout the best places to set your story, and then we shoot, using the professional gear to fit your standards

• Production Company
• Creative Director
• Field Producer
• Documentary DP
• Fixer
• Copywriter

I grew up hunting, fishing, backpacking and hiking between Northern California and Idaho. After high school I served four years in the US Coast Guard, then in 2009 completed a BA in Journalism from San Francisco State University. I'm currently a freelance journalist, photographer and videographer based in Oakland, contributing to Redux Pictures, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle and other local and national publications, as well as producing work for corporate and commercial clients.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Corporate Videographer
• Drone Operator
• Fixer
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Landscape Photographer
• Portrait Photographer
• Product Photographer
• Content Strategist
• Commercial DP
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Post-Production Manager
• Creative Director
• Field Producer
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Video Editor - News
• TV News Producer
• Social Media Producer

Documentary Producer and Video Journalist with extensive experience in film production, strong technical, writing, and creative abilities, as well as a deep connection to story telling. Conceptual thinker and collaborator with an appreciation for how artistic goals and strategic vision intersect. Proactive team member who is able to work independently and partners effectively with all stakeholders. Leverages well-honed production and editing skills to take projects from concept to completion within tight scheduling, deadline and budget constraints.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Commercial DP
• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - News
• Reporter / Journalist
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial

Andy Miller is an award-winning documentary film and video Producer, Director and Cinematographer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has produced, directed and edited over fifty episodes of broadcast cable television as well as countless videos for web, many for the largest international web portals including Yahoo!, HULU, AOL and Comedy Central. Andy’s real passion lies in directing and producing documentary films. Since Co-founding Plus M Productions in 2011, he has helped lead production on countless short and long form documentary films.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Commercial DP
• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - News
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Non-Fiction Film Director

David Zucker is a documentary filmmaker originally from outside Philadelphia, whose work explores growing up, masculinity and rural America. His feature directorial debut, YOUR FRIEND, MEMPHIS, premiered at SXSW 2022. David is Emmy-nominated for his editing on the documentary series CHEER (Netflix), and has edited under acclaimed documentary directors Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss (Boys State) and Greg MacGillivray (Everest). He received his MFA in Documentary Film from Stanford University, and is a member of the Alliance of Documentary Editors.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - News
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial

Luca comes from a small village in Bergamo province, Italy. He is half Italian and half Ecuadorian. After his Master’s degree, he enrolled in the National School of Cinema, where he explored migration stories across European borders. He participated in the Venice Biennale at the Critics' Week in 2018, with one of his shorts made possible by the collaboration with Laura Poitras and Field of Vision. Currently based in Berkeley, CA, he continues to pursue his passion as an independent filmmaker.

• Documentary DP
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Social Media Producer
• Corporate Videographer
• Art Director
• Commercial DP
• Senior Editor
• Event Photographer