Discover Top Documentary DPs in Paterson, New Jersey, USA

I am a filmmaker and visual journalist with over 10 years of experience writing, directing, producing, and editing impactful documentary films. As en editor, the pacing and structure of my edits are directed by emotion. I have experience in documentary sound design and basic color correction. As a director, I bring a unique creative eye to my projects, incorporating stop motion animation, puppetry, diorama builds and work with actors, into much of my journalism for The Washington Post. Creating a safe and supportive space for those featured in my stories is a top priority. I am passionate about portraying people's many layers with sensitivity and nuance. I earned a Pulitzer prize and the Ben Bradlee Award for Courage in journalism for my contributions to The Washington Post’s coverage of the January 6th insurrection. I am a Digiday winner and two-time Webby Honoree for multiple documentary series.

• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - News
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Field Producer
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Production Coordinator / Crewing
• Art Director
• Documentary DP
• Sound Mixer
• Sound Designer
• Grip

Miasarah Lai is an Emmy-winning documentary cinematographer and producer based out of New York City. She has worked internationally in Honduras, Ghana, Myanmar, China, Nicaragua, Romania, and the United States. She prioritizes equity and social responsibility through the filmmaking process and counters damaging mainstream representations of marginalized communities. Her work has screened at Big Sky Film Festival, American Documentary Film Festival, Athens Ethnofest, Chicago Palestine Film Festival, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, and art museums. Select films she directed are Nobel Nok Dah (2015), and For My Art (2016). She has received grants and fellowships from the Academy of Arts and Sciences, Camden International Film Festival, Double Exposure Film Festival, The Propeller Fund, Kartemquin Films, and other institutions. Outside of her cinematic work, Miasarah demonstrates a deep commitment to challenging the disenfranchising norms of the documentary field through community organizing, writing and work as an educator and facilitator. Miasarah is a producer at Meerkat Media , was the former Community Manager of Brown Girls Doc Mafia, a Co-Founder of Ethnocine Collective, and a member of Asian American Documentary Network. She has facilitated and organized panels & workshops at CPH:DOX, Sundance Film Festival, SSFILM's Doc Stories, the International Documentary Association's Getting Reel, Cannes Docs, Royal Anthropological Institute Film Festival, Haverford College, and other academic institutions.

• Immersive/Spatial Video Capture
• Documentary DP
• Corporate Videographer
• Commercial DP
• Creative Director
• Production Company
• Video Editor - Documentary

Jason Longo is an Emmy winning cinematographer, editor, and director. Jason’s filmmaking career began in 1994 when he documented the resettling of collective farms by Chechen war refugees in the Chernobyl radiation zone. In the years since, he has photographed over 100 documentary films and televisions programs in over 60 countries on six continents. He is a frequent contributor to the PBS series Frontline, NOVA, the American Experience, and American Masters. Editing credits include School Prayer: A Community at War, which aired on the PBS series POV and won a national Emmy Award, and Never Forget to Lie, an intimate portrait about a child survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto. Recent DP work includes “Walter Winchell: The Power of Gossip” and “Rothko: Pictures Must Be Miraculous” for the American Masters series, and “Mr. Tornado” and “The Circus” for American Experience. He also was a Director of Photography for the four hour PBS series Native America. He is a contributing DP for the PBS series Finding Your Roots, now in season eight. From the remote deserts of Namibia to the Himalayan Mountains, Jason has worked in some of the most challenging environments in the world. Recent locations include the deepest inhabitable spot on the planet, 14,000 feet below the Earth’s surface in a South African gold mine.

• Documentary DP

Ashleigh Joplin is an award-winning videographer formerly for The Washington Post. She is currently freelancing in the DMV area. As of October 2021, Ashleigh worked on a team specializing in live political coverage and breaking news events, Joplin has spent years carving out ways to cover style and entertainment. She has been recognized for her visual storytelling by the Society for Features Journalism, the White House News Photographers Association, the Edward R. Murrow Awards and the National Association of Black Journalists. Her feature on model and restaurateur Barbara Smith and how her family coped with her Alzheimer’s disease sparked a national conversation about the role and expectations of caregivers. Joplin joined The Post in 2014 as a general assignment editor and has covered stories as diverse as covered celebrity trials, natural disasters, and Capitol Hill. She holds a B.S. and M.S. in Broadcast Journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

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

I’m a photographer, cinematographer, filmmaker and visual storyteller with a focus on human rights issues and social justice. I have over 27 years of experience in photography, filmmaking and storytelling with a Master of Arts in Media Studies and a Certificate in Documentary Studies from The New School. I also hold a Certificate in Filmmaking and Directing from NYU, and a BFA in Photography from Rochester Institute of Technology. I have worked extensively in the areas of cinematography, documentary filmmaking, photojournalism and advertising. I have lectured and taught in several universities in New York City and abroad and have won multiple awards in both the United States and internationally for my films and photo exhibitions. My short film “Dance Horse” won the best experimental film at the Americas Film Festival in New York City. I have collaborated as a cinematographer on multiple award-winning projects such as “Cuba in Africa” a short documentary about the untold story of Cuba helping to end colonial rule and apartheid in South Africa, “Pink Boy”, a webby award-winning short documentary film on the life of a gender creative boy, “Nefertiti’s Daughters” which premiered worldwide at the prestigious Aspenshorts Film Festival, and “Miss Tibet: Beauty in Exile”, which made its world premiere at the DOC NYC film festival. I’m currently a Part-Time Associate Professor of Filmmaking at The New School, a Visual Storytelling Instructor for the Oral History MA program at Columbia University and a Part-time adjunct faculty at FIT in the Photography & Film departments. I also work as an independent contractor in filmmaking and photojournalism for clients such as the Associated Press Television Network at the United Nations, Kuwait TV and Elkhbariya TV. Currently, I’m specializing in cinematography and filmmaking with drones.

• Documentary DP
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Commercial DP
• Corporate Videographer
• Drone Operator
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Gaffer
• Grip
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Product Photographer
• TV News Producer
• Production Assistant

Samantha Schutz is a Director of Photography, Producer and Editor working across independent and commercial projects, from feature documentaries to network shows, web series, and children’s television. Recent projects include producing and shooting Ashton Kutcher’s Going From Broke for Flicker Filmworks Productions, shooting a documentary on The Drum Major Coalition for The Martin Luther King Center, shooting a pilot for the docu-reality series All Hands on Deck starring Debrah Messing, and shooting for The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Sam was Senior Producer and DP for the Martha Stewart brand’s Everyday Food YouTube Channel, growing it to well over 1 million subscribers; the channel’s show Kitchen Conundrums with Thomas Joseph that Samantha produced and shot won a James Beard award. Samantha was Co-Executive Producer and Director on the Cooking Channel show Log On and Eat with Eden Grinshpan; and she co-created, produced, and directed the Cooking Channel's Eden Eats. Other projects include: shooting a pilot episode for Discovery Plus and Magnolia Network titled From Grandma with Love, directing for OXO's Chef in Residence campaign hosted by Eden Grinshpan, and producing the livestream At Home for the Holidays with Gordon Ramsay for Stage TEN productions. ​Additional credits include producing and shooting a 360VR viewing room featuring A Guided Tour of the Magnolia Market with Chip and Joanna Gaines, shooting a special for ABC Nightline News titled Death with Dignity, and shooting for Biz Kid$, a public television series about financial education and entrepreneurship for a pre-teen audience. Samantha creates digital media content on a wide range of industry leading formats, her work seamlessly finds a vision for any story whether it’s for television and documentaries, branded and integrated content for the web, or Livestream and 360VR. AWARDS: Kitchen Conundrums James Beard Award Winner; Martha Stewart Facebook Live Webby Award Winner

• Documentary DP
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Drone Operator
• Digital Content Creator
• Commercial DP
• Corporate Videographer
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Series Producer / Show Runner
• Field Producer

Kex is a writer, director, and producer for multiscreen platforms. She attended American University’s film school, earning a B.A. in Film & Media Arts. Notable talents such as Denzel Washington, Mandy Moore, Don Cheadle, Joel Edgerton, Ruth Negga and more have been featured in her work. She has produced with networks such as NBC4, BBC Studios, Comcast, and The CW. In 2019, Rhodes received a Capital Emmy nomination for her "BTheOne" PSA campaign on suicide/substance abuse prevention. Her directorial work features award-winning shorts like the comedy “Donut Give Up!”, dramas “Xosphere” and “Tunnel Vision”, documentary “Station 8” and the anticipated period-piece “Desolate Dreams”. As the Founder of Kex Studios, she focuses on producing impactful narratives. Recognized as DC Filmmaker of the Month in September 2023 and a Cinequest Screenwriting Competition semi-finalist, Rhodes has 2 Tellys and a Davey Award, completed Sundance Collab’s Directing Actors Course and is in Producers Guild.

• Production Company
• Creative Director
• Line Producer / On-Location
• Field Producer
• Documentary DP
• Graphic Designer

I'm a DP/Cinematographer and Video Editor/ Motion Designer based in Brooklyn, NY, If you've got a minute, check out my reel. You'll find a mix of gigs, from run-and-gun adventure documentaries like The Journey of a Winter 46’er and Gears and Gasoline to my narrative more stylized work like JADE and Endpoint. With a degree in Communication and Media Studies, I've been in the industry for over 8 years. I've worked as a DP, Camera Op, Gaffer, and Video editor, and even done a bit of Animation work as well. So amiable to help out in any areas of production you might need. My Red Epic W is my weapon of choice, and I've worked with most industry cameras, gimbals, and lighting. I pride myself in quick setups and strikes, nailing the focus pull, and bringing some serious resourcefulness to the set. On the Post side, I've had 6 years of experience Editing and Animating Narrative and Social content for Brands and companies across NYC like Morgan Stanley, Slack, Bloomberg, 92y and more. My passion is crafting visuals that not only look beautiful but tell a story that sticks. I thrive on tight schedules, love a challenge, and live for those "aha" moments on set.

• Motion Graphics Designer
• Senior Producer / Project Manager
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Corporate Videographer
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Drone Operator
• Creative Director
• Production Assistant
• Colorist
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Product Photographer
• Landscape Photographer
• Event Photographer
• Music Composer
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Gaffer
• Portrait Photographer
• Social Media Producer
• Content Strategist
• Post-Production Manager
• Animator / Visual Effects Artist
• Line Producer / On-Location
• Video Editor - News

Naima Ramos-Chapman is from Brooklyn, New York. Currently a Writer & Director on the critically-acclaimed HBO series, Random Acts of Flyness, Ramos-Chapman makes movement with body, word, image, silence, sound, and technology, that tell stories of transformation and understated bravery. Her stories stem from true events, incorporate magical realism, and seek to render psycho-spiritual realities we cannot see and juxtaposes them alongside the brutal mundanities of everyday life. Her first short, AND NOTHING HAPPENED, explores the psychological aftermath of sexualized violence and premiered at the 2016 Slamdance Film Festival and screened in both national and international competitions. She was awarded Best Director of a Short Narrative at the Tacoma Film Festival, was a Sundance Institute 2017 Fellow, was an Artist-in-Residence for a Narrative Filmmaking Lab at Reel Works Teen Filmmaking for at-risk youth living in New York City, and co-facilitated a Virtual Reality Intensive for the School of Making Thinking. Her second short film, PIU PIU, is a surrealist thriller making its film festival rounds. It premiered at Blackstar Film Festival in 2018, won its first award—for best cinematography—at Tacoma Film Festival, and screening at Slamdance Film Festival in 2019 so far. Naima trained at the following institutions: The Alvin Ailey School for Dance, The Barrow Group for Acting, Howard University and Brooklyn College (CUNY) where she holds a B.A. in Journalism. Ramos-Chapman’s work has been featured on Roger and Ebert, Nylon, Essence, Fandom, No Film School, Colorlines, Saint Heron, Postbourgie, The Nation, The Center for American Progress, and Huffington Post to name a few.

• Documentary DP

I have eleven years of experience working in video production and eight years of experience in video journalism. I have worked for Dow Jones since 2011 as a freelance producer, videographer, and editor for The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and Barron’s Penta. At WSJ and Penta, I researched on the stories I worked on, wrote scripts and interview questions, and shot and edited videos. The topics I covered ranged from daily, weekly, and breaking news, to financial advising, to lifestyle videos. I constantly worked with reporters and news editors on developing innovative and engaging videos within a strict time frame. More often than not, I worked as a one-man-band, from ideation to personally overseeing it into a finished product. My years at the Wall Street Journal and Barron’s Penta have provided me with invaluable tools in understanding the ever-changing social media and industry trends. Always learning and improving ways to tell a story.

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

I like weird people and weird people like me. I am a multi-platform reporter with a passion for visuals. I came into journalism through photography, where I am well versed in breaking news, long-term features, portraiture and pretty much everything in between. Starting in 2013 I began translating that experience into videos; both documentary style longer pieces and short, punchy, social media-friendly vignettes. Oh, and I write. I cover a little bit of everything and have an affinity for characters who seem a bit too weird to be real. Alternatively and more "seriously," I have a strong interest in global urban development, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. I've worked in cities around the world, as a videographer, photographer and writer (and sometimes all three) for publications ranging from The Guardian to MSNBC to Al Jazeera America. I've shot photographs for AP, AFP and Reuters, and worked independently in Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe and others.

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

Hello! I am Stephen Ko, an award-winning creative director and cinematographer based out the NJ/NYC area. I started my video production company, SKO FILMS, back in 2015, and since then I have been fortunate enough to work with all types of clients, including big-name brands such as HP, Getty Images, Samsung, and Hopper. I also work with a lot of small businesses, influencers, and individuals. Our diverse portfolio includes high-end commercials, viral travel videos, engaging social media posts, explainer videos, product videos, corporate interviews, event highlight videos, and so much more. From pre-production (storyboarding, scripting, casting, location scouting), production (directing, filming, lighting, audio recording), and post-production (video editing, animations, VFX), we can manage your entire video creation from start to finish.

• Documentary DP
• Drone Operator
• Creative Director
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Commercial DP
• Corporate Videographer
• Production Company
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Fixer
• Production Assistant
• Production Coordinator / Crewing

Born and raised in Lima, Rodrigo Valencia is a director of photography dedicated to documenting the universal human experience through the lens of each individual's personal journey. His interest in visual storytelling sparked at a young age thanks to his uncle, a DP who brought him along on shoots and taught him how to use his very first camera. Moving to the United States in search of better opportunities, he graduated from Rutgers University with a major in film production and a minor in art. He got his start as one of the first employees at CNN’s Great Big Story, where he cut his teeth on over 30 documentaries over the course of 3 years. Rodrigo has also had experience working on narrative films, commercials, music videos and fashion films for a variety of clients. His passion, his eye and his passport will send him to great lengths for the sake of the story.

• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Production Assistant
• Event Photographer
• Fixer

I am a documentary filmmaker currently based in Brooklyn, New York. I have been a freelance filmmaker here for the last 9 years, though last year I lived in Uganda and have spent significant amount of time abroad in other places as well. My education and background is primarily in documentary filmmaking, but I worked in all phases of production on content for HBO, PBS, Comedy Central,&Sundance Channel. I direct, shoot, record sound, and edit, and have my own equipment. I love seeing new places, talking to strangers,and finding small stories that represent much bigger ideas. I am exploring the idea of success and what that means to different cultures around the world and how they go about achieving that. Im also interested in creating stories that inspire others to emulate good ideas.

• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - News
• Fixer
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• On-Air Reporter / Host
• Reporter / Journalist
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Sound Mixer
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Creative Director
• Production Company
• Commercial DP

My name is Andrew Abballe and I am a Brooklyn-based Cinematographer, avid photographer, and experienced colorist. I have a wide background in mainly narrative projects, commercials, music videos, and corporate content. I have two feature-length films and several short films under my belt as well. Commercial clients also include Rolex, Roche Bobois, WeWork, Google, Hasbro, LG Electronics, and more. I'm however always looking to expand my repertoire and will gladly work on projects of all shapes and sizes. In 2015, I graduated from the School of Visual Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film/Video and a concentration in Cinematography. Since then, I have been working professionally in the industry for the past nine years. As a naturally quiet person, I use images to express my thoughts, ideas, and emotions. Pictures allow my voice to be heard when words seem to fail me.

• Commercial DP
• Documentary DP
• Corporate Videographer
• Gaffer
• Grip
• Colorist
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Event Photographer
• Landscape Photographer
• Portrait Photographer
• Product Photographer
• Fashion Photographer
• Fixer
• Production Assistant
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Drone Operator

I have a professional background in commercial, corporate production, video journalism and demonstrated exceptional story editing skills. In addition, I have personally acquired all of the necessary equipment of the highest caliber to produce quality video and photography projects. Furthermore, I am adept at collaborating with others on projects. I have held leadership roles in a multitude of tasks, and have ensured that others adhere to deadlines and work in the most efficient manner. I bring my positive attitude to every assignment, and project, since I strongly believe that positivity heightens one's levels of inspiration, creativity, and dedication to the craft. I am unafraid to step out of my comfort zone, and am excited to open my eyes to new cultural and social experiences through my work.

• Documentary DP
• Drone Operator
• Commercial DP
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Production Company
• Video Editor - News
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Fixer
• Production Assistant
• Creative Director
• Senior Editor
• Full-Service Live Production
• Field Producer
• Fashion Photographer
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist

I am a filmmaker and photographer with ten years of experience in short film production, promotional video work, documentary production, event photography, interviewing, and script writing. I am the founder and President of EHFAR Films, which I established in March of 2013. My experience as a videographer and photographer has granted me the opportunity to travel and film internationally, specifically across Italy, Turkey, England, and Rwanda. My team (ft. Award-winning DP Marina King and Director Laura Martinelli) has partnered with The Hewlett Foundation, Big Picture Learning, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), Southern New Hampshire University, The Met, The Adventures of Mr. Clown, Paul Mitchell of N. New England, YMCA, MassChallenge, WEI and has shot a combined 40 short films.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Creative Director
• Production Assistant
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Reporter / Journalist
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist

I work primarily as a Documentary Storyteller. I am committed to social equality and fair representation of marginalized populations. I believe a documentary project directly reflects the relationship between the filmmaker and those being filmed, thus, my work explicitly represents the trust, commitment and reverence I have established with those who share their story with me. I make my films with the intention of connecting people, alleviating ethnocentrism, and providing visual and narrative evidence to help people learn about the world in which we live, consequently sparking a reaction, probing questions and exploring the idea of social change. By harnessing the power of narrative visuals and technology, I am able to contribute to an art that provides an accessible and entertaining avenue for people to learn, grow, connect, and act.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - News
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Creative Director
• Production Company
• Field Producer

ERIC JANKSTROM IS A NEW YORK CITY-BASED CINEMATOGRAPHER, EDITOR AND PRODUCER. SINCE 2001, HE HAS TRAVELED THE WORLD ON HIS QUEST TO TELL COMPELLING VISUAL STORIES. THROUGH A RANGE OF PLATFORMS THAT INCLUDE NETWORK SERIES, DOCUMENTARY FILM, AND INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM, ERIC HAS COVERED MAJOR EVENTS BOTH LOCAL AND GLOBAL WHILE WORKING FOR BOTH NBC AND EFRAN FILMS. HIGHLIGHTS OF HIS WORK INCLUDE THE FUNERAL OF POPE JOHN PAUL II, THE HISTORIC 2008 ELECTION OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, THE 2010 VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS, AND THE DEVASTATING AFTERMATH OF TYPHOON HAIYAN IN THE PHILIPPINES. ERIC IS DRIVEN BY A PASSION FOR CREATING VISUAL NARRATIVES THAT HONESTLY DEPICT OUR HUMAN STORIES IN A BROADER SOCIAL CONTEXT. ERIC IS A RECOVERING COLLEGE DROPOUT, A 2001 GRADUATE OF THE CONNECTICUT SCHOOL OF BROADCASTING AND AN ADVOCATE FOR UNCONVENTIONAL EDUCATION.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Corporate Videographer
• Drone Operator
• Production Company
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Event Photographer

Digital Media and Production Specialist l.Key skills include videography, video editing and production with a vision, strategy and execution for TV, digital & social media. Experience of working with production teams to identify the appropriate social media content for broadcast, following the latest trends to engage the audiences on various platforms of social networks in both English and Urdu languages. As a multimedia producer, I have researched, wrote and edited documentaries and scripts. Worked with and along with daily assignment team members on reporting projects. Experience of working with various production teams to identify the appropriate broadcast martial while following the latest trends and social media. Experience in using social media content for the TV shows & engaging the audiences using various social media platforms.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Line Producer / On-Location
• Creative Director
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Field Producer
• Production Assistant