Discover Top Documentary DPs in San Francisco, California, USA

Howdy! I'm an award winning director, cinematographer and editor based in California. I work with brands, agencies, NGOs and production companies. As a director: I have an extensive background in developing and pitching ambitious projects to executive leadership. My films have a unique look and feel characterized by truth and authenticity in the storytelling and dynamic and creative camera work. As a cinematographer: I always try to work in service of the story. I'm capable of giving it a unique identity in the visual approach or can find beauty in simplicity. I'm highly collaborative and am capable of taking direction or leading the way creatively. As an editor: I pride myself on crafting compelling stories. I try to uncover poignancy and vulnerability in the characters. All my edits have a creative edge and careful attention to detail, taking the effectiveness of every shot into consideration. Freelancer and co-founder & director at The Elevens.

• Video Editor - Commercial
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Creative Director
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Senior Editor
• Landscape Photographer
• Portrait Photographer
• Commercial DP
• Corporate Videographer
• Documentary DP
• Field Producer
• Colorist

Zachary Stauffer is a director, multi-platform producer, and director of photography. He has reported and produced podcasts, including "Twin Flames" which reached #1 on Apple, and directed and shot the award-winning feature documentary “Who Killed Lt. Van Dorn?" From 2009-2020, he was a staff producer and the primary DP at the UC Berkeley Investigative Reporting program. There, he worked on all of the IRP’s projects for PBS Frontline, films that explored organized crime, death investigation, college sports, and sexual assault, including the DuPont award-winning “Rape In The Fields.” He has also served as a DP on numerous independent documentaries and projects distributed in the U.S. and internationally. His short documentary, “A Day Late In Oakland” (2008), about the murder of Oakland journalist Chauncey Bailey, was nominated for two IDA Awards. He is a graduate of Boston College and the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.

• Documentary DP
• Series Producer / Show Runner
• Non-Fiction Film Director

Manuel Ortiz is a social documentary photographer and journalist based in San Francisco, California. He was born in Mexico City where he had formal education in sociology, and visual arts, specializing in documentary film. He has traveled in over 20 countries for his photographic, and multimedia projects, most of them about immigration, and environment. He had taught Sociology, Multimedia, and Communication at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), where he was the director and founder of the Multimedia Laboratory for Social Research. He has also taught documentary multimedia workshops and talks at Santa Clara State University; Loyola University, News Orleans; Stanford University. He was also the Co-founder at Red Mexicana de Antropología Audiovisual, Mexico. Ortiz has a BA in Sociology and MD in Documentary Film making, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Camera 2 Nikon z7II - Lenses: 50mm f1.2 ; 80mm f1.8 ; 35mm f1.8 ; 28mm f1.8 / 70-20 f4; 24-70 f2.8 Leica Q2 GoPro 9 iPhone 13 Pro

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Documentary DP

Selected as one of Variety Magazine's 'Top 10 Directors to Watch', Emily Abt has directed six feature films - four documentaries and two narratives. Her social issue, character driven films have premiered at Sundance and aired on networks such as Showtime, Starz and PBS. Known for taking on delicate subject matter with skill and diplomacy, Emily is equally passionate about narrative and documentary filmmaking with extensive experience in both as a writer, director and producer. Emily is also a seasoned documentary cinematographer and branded content director who has created films for clients such as 23andMe, Microsoft, Janssen, Pfizer and Oracle. Abt was a Brooklyn based filmmaker for 20 years who moved to the Bay Area in 2016 with her family when her husband became a professor at UC Berkeley. She is a member of New Day Films, Free the Bid, Film Fatales and the Collective of Documentary Women Cinematographers. Emily believes film is the most powerful communication tool of our time and loves to collaborate with fellow storytellers.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Corporate Videographer
• Production Company
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Field Producer
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Commercial DP

I'm a freelance photographer and filmmaker based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I've worked for editorial publications such as National Geographic, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, The Guardian, Le Monde, Pop Up Magazine, and commercial clients such as Airbnb, Starbucks, Twilio and Microsoft. My background in journalism has made me a versatile shooter, and after 10 years at it, I've realized my strength is in finding compelling, honest and moving stories and illustrating them through robust cinematography. I was formerly a staff photographer/filmmaker at the San Francisco Chronicle, where I produced a weekly video column called The Regulars, and co-directed the Chronicle's first feature-length documentary film, Last Men Standing, about long-term HIV/AIDS survivors. I've won two Emmys and numerous awards in the POYi and BOP contests. I love to meet new clients and collaborators. So feel free to reach out.

• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Production Company
• Video Editor - Commercial

My name is Michael, and I am a mid 30s photographer and World Wanderer. My photography journey started as a hobby, primarily learning my way around a DSLR by shooting landscapes around my home in San Francisco, California. Soon, I started accepting paid assignments, from commercial ad campaigns to weddings, but my passion for traveling with camera in hand was too great to ignore. I started visiting locations all over the globe, documenting not only the beautiful landscapes of the countries I visited, but also the lives of the local communities. I quickly fell in love with the travel and photojournalism genres of photography and was desperate to recreate that incredible rush. I have been lucky to lead workshops and document the lives of the people in Nicaragua, Peru, Jordan, Cambodia and India. I have also documented the work of elephant sanctuaries in Thailand, who aim to end the ugly and cruel business of elephant tourism.

• Documentary DP
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Reporter / Journalist

David Martinez is a writer, filmmaker, teacher and political activist based in San Francisco. He recently completed "Autumn Sun" (2013), a documentary about Occupy Oakland, where he was filming from its inception. He has worked as a videographer in Indonesia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Darfur, and Iraq, where he filmed inside besieged Fallujah in 2004. His movies have screened everywhere from small community centers in the Midwest to film festivals in Europe. His writing has been published in The San Francisco Bay Guardian, Filmmaker Magazine, CounterPunch, CorpWatch, and Islam Online. He has worked in documentary production with Hector Galan and Billy Nessen, feature film production with directors Richard Linklater, John Sayles, and Jimmy Mendiola, and worked as an actor in the film Waking Life, directed by Linklater. Martinez holds an M.F.A. in Film and Video Production from the University of Texas at Austin. He has also worked as a school teacher, social worker & bike messenger.

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

Passionate. In one word, that's how my closest friends would describe me. I have moved from veterinary medicine to pure mathematics to documentary filmmaking. I finished my first short documentary, Atomic Dream, for my thesis at UC Berkeley last year. I am endlessly curious and fascinated by people. And I have an eye for design. For stories, I tend to be attracted to character studies, stories related to science, in some way, and anything that pushes the boundaries of visual storytelling. Good stories move us emotionally and change, if even slightly, the way we perceive the world around us. I will chase down any story that sparks my interest. And once I'm on the scent, I don't give up. I grew up in Denver in a lower-middle class suburbia. One like any other. I moved to Santa Barbara in 1999 where I earned a B.Sc. in Mathematics. I also received a Masters in Mathematics from UW - Madison in 2008 and a Masters in Journalism from UC Berkeley in 2013. So, yeah, I would say I'm curious and passionate.

• Documentary DP

Hi team I'm Ranjini Srinivasan, a digital journalist from Columbia University. I am extremely passionate about doing stories that propel a social change. I've worked as a onemanband reporter for NBC, News 12 and NY1. I've been an associate producer for PBS' Worldfocus, a pilot international newscast. I've developed strong bonds in the community I've reported in and my sources are still in touch. I did exclusives on a domestic violence victim and got her case worker on camera, for the first time. I am passionate about human interest stories. I feel privileged to meet people from diverse backgrounds and earn their trust to share their stories in the community. Stories that would inform, educate and / entertain. I also did a 24-min documentary on Parents of children with autism, from concept to air. I have managed newsroom crises and can think on my feet if something doesn't turn out as planned. I thrive in a like-minded team that is passionate about great visual story-telling and believes in team work. My link: www.beyondheadlines.tv has my news reel and documentary. I am working on other stories. I truly look forward to hearing from you. Best Ranjini.

• Documentary DP

Oakland has become one of the most dangerous cities in the United States and for many of its residents staying safe is a constant preoccupation. Victims of gun violence are overwhelmingly marginalized youth of color and their everyday actions are organized around dealing with real or potential danger. For Dante, one of Oaklands residents, that danger is very real. Flatlands is an intimate and moving story filmed over the course of six months in Dantes life. The film is a transformative documentary demonstrating the possibilities for change and challenges our understanding of violence on the streets. Flatlands highlights the role of racial and socio-economic structures at the center of gun violence in the United States. The documentary creates a dialogue, fostering critical consciousness, challenging the basic structures of our society and revealing the need for effective social action.

• Documentary DP

After graduating from USC with a degree in business and cinema, Chris' film career has taken him from the depths of agency work, to coordinating post-production for awful American movies seen late at night in Belgium. His film directing and producing work has resulted in him criss crossing the country with the aid of caffeinated beverages. He eventually made his way in the Nashville country and Christian music video industries, before finally forsaking his soul to commercial LA rock n' roll. These misadventures eventually culminated in him winning a Billboard Magazine Music Video Award. With the success of his theatrically released feature documentaries, PLAGUES & PLEASURES ON THE SALTON SEA and EVERYDAY SUNSHINE: THE STORY OF FISHBONE , he has gone on to pursue other sub-cultural documentary subjects, including: rogue economists, lucha libre wrestlers, swamp rat hunters, ganjapreneurs, and evangelical Christian surfers.

• Documentary DP
• Sound Mixer

Jessica Schiffman is a multimedia journalist and public relations professional passionate about storytelling and communications via video, writing, photography and collaboration. ? She recently worked for MTV Brasil in São Paulo, Brazil, where she produced, directed and edited off-site shoots and assisted with production and content development for two live daily programs, Acesso MTV and Top10. While there, she established contacts at one of the biggest media holdings in Latin America, Editora Abril, and served as a blogger in the Amazon for one of its organizations committed to spreading social awareness about the environment: Planeta Sustentável. ? ? In June 2012, Jessica graduated from the The Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University. During her time there she filmed and edited video portraits of student artists for massive.tv, a website created to spotlight and foster campus creativity. Jessica also contributed and edited content as Assistant Video Editor for northbynorthwestern.com, a Pacemaker Award-winning campus news site.

• Documentary DP

Polar Productions is a Bay Area based production company that specializes in turnkey style projects. We collaborate with our clients on every aspect of the process, optimizing their ability to give input, while we do all the creative and technical heavy lifting – Pre-production through Post-production. With 12 years of experience in filmmaking, we bring cinematic techniques to every project to create engaging videos at the highest level. In following with our philosophy of creating the best videos possible, Polar Productions uses the highest quality equipment in the cinematic world, including our RED Epic Dragon 6k camera (the same camera The Hobbit films were shot on). We pride ourselves on going the extra mile to fully understand our clients and their business, and in doing so we create strong lasting business relationships that are grounded in trust and success.

• Commercial DP
• Creative Director
• Production Company
• Immersive/Spatial Video Capture
• Drone Operator
• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial

Brent is a seasoned documentary filmmaker currently residing in Central Valley of California. His credits include 2020's #1 theatrical feature documentary, Free Burma Rangers (Fathom), Dear Francis (Showtime television), Lovin’ Lakin (Hulu, starring Kristen Bell, Seth McFarlin, Kristen Chennoweth, and Christine Lakin), and documentary footage featured in the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics. Now, after 25 years in the industry, Brent has a reputation of being a kind-hearted and faithful partner. His style of production is not flashy but rather what he would term “appropriate” to earn authenticity without sacrificing quality. He has also directed and filmed 350+ shortform documentaries for over 100 organizations, including Toyota, LA Clippers Foundation, Union Rescue Mission, Goodwill, Eden Reforestation Projects, and International Justice Mission, among others.

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

I'm an Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker based in San Francisco, California. I have a passion for telling the untold stories, and for telling them in a way that lets the viewer into the lives of others in an intimate and view-altering way. My feature-length documentary "Waking Up to Wildfires" was nominated for an Emmy in 2020, and my short doc, A Brush With the Tenderloin, won an Emmy award in June 2013. I also create videos for editorial, non-profit, and corporate clients, favoring those clients who want 'story' to be the backbone of their video. Before embracing documentary film about seven years ago, I was a print journalist and investigative reporter. I worked on newspaper in my native Iowa and in California, and also worked as a foreign correspondent in Mexico City, Mexico for five years.

• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Field Producer
• TV News Producer
• Production Company
• Mobile Journalist / Livestreamer
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Production Assistant
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Corporate Videographer
• Drone Operator
• Non-Fiction Film Director

I'm Rahman Hayes, a videographer with a passion for capturing captivating stories. My love for travel has taken me to breathtaking locations, allowing me to capture diverse cultures and stunning landscapes through my lens. I pride myself on delivering high-quality visuals and compelling narratives. I thrive on understanding my clients' visions and exceeding their expectations. Collaborating closely with you, I ensure that your story is brought to life in a captivating and professional manner. Whether it's a thought-provoking documentary, a promotional video, or a heartwarming personal story, I'm dedicated to creating engaging videos that leave a lasting impact. With me behind the camera, your story will shine with authenticity and visual excellence. Let's work together to bring your vision to life.

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

Sarah Berkovich is a grad from Stanford’s MFA in Documentary Film and Video program. She has produced and directed several award-winning short documentaries, which have played at film festivals across the United States. Covering topics as eclectic as modern day lighthouse keepers, a Hassidic all-girl rock band, and an elderly man who planted 10,000 trees, she gravitates towards compelling characters and unique perspectives. She has had the opportunity to work at MIT, the International Documentary Association, and for the WGBH production, American Experience. Sarah currently lives in Silicon Valley and has recently become involved with interactive multimedia and virtual reality video production. She seeks to apply her storytelling skills to connect people to new ways of looking at the world.

• Documentary DP
• Sound Mixer
• Video Editor - Documentary

DREAM IT. MAKE IT. AMPLIFY IT. Full Production Studios Built To Engage, Educate, & Entertain. Our business is delivering quality video production, and our heart is compelling and meaningful storytelling. Oliver de Lantsheere makes magic happen. Anywhere, anytime. Oliver has twelve years of experience working as a Director/Producer and Media Strategist. He’s directed video content for major Broadcast Networks, such as MTV, Speed, Stars and Fuse, and Fortune 500 companies like Nielsen, Chanel, and Starwoods. He built multi-screen content networks from the ground up; notably Billboard Video, where he successfully boosted viewership from zero to half a billion views in only two years. He also designed and developed TrickMob, a user generated, curated, video learning tool with the goal of giving content a purpose through community and game.

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

I'm a San Francisco Bay Area based Director, Producer & DP bringing empathy, authenticity and beauty to branded content & documentary films. My background in photojournalism, non-profit and agency work allows me to find the emotional core behind my client’s stories. As a creative director & cinematographer I’ve brought the feel goods to all aspects of production for clients including Uber Freight, Levi's, Intel, Twilio, Dignity Health, TOPIC, CNN, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and Silicon Valley Bank. Before this, I spent a decade as a Director / DP crafting documentary content in the U.S., East Africa and Central America. From concept to execution, I produced projects for clients such as the GE Foundation, Google, Microsoft, The Guardian, Al Jazzera International and The San Francisco Chronicle.

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

Patrick Burns, founder and CEO of Still N Motion, has been creating innovative video and photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and across the globe. Patrick received a degree in Radio Television Broadcasting with an emphasis in Film and a minor in Journalism from San Jose State University. He started Still N Motion in 1982 after extensive experience as a Cinematographer, Aerial Image Special Effects Artist, studio and location Photographer and Producer for 5 years. He has worked with many of the top corporations and technology companies in the Bay Area and beyond. Patrick has extensive experience with green screen compositing in Studio and on Location in single and multi-camera configurations. He has worked as DP/Videographer for ABC, CBS, PBS, BBC, ESPN and many other broadcast agencies.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Commercial DP
• Documentary DP
• Drone Operator
• Fixer
• Video Editor - News
• Sound Mixer
• Reporter / Journalist
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Production Company