Discover Top Freelancers in San Francisco, California, USA

Meklit is an Ethio-American vocalist, composer, and cultural instigator based in San Francisco. Her new album - When the People Move, the Music Moves Too - was released in June 2017 on Six Degrees Records, receiving rave reviews and quickly reaching #4 on the iTunes World Music Charts. These 11 songs were deeply inspired by Mulatu Astatke (the Godfather of Ethio-Jazz). Back in 2011, he told Meklit, "find your contribution to Ethio-Jazz and keep on innovating!" Produced by multi-GRAMMY winning artist/songwriter Dan Wilson (Adele, John Legend, Dixie Chicks), the album also features world renowned musicians Preservation Hall Jazz Band and the violinist/whistler Andrew Bird. Meklit is a TED Senior Fellow and her TED Talk, The Unexpected Beauty of Everyday Sounds, has been watched by more than 1.2 million people. She has received musical commissions from Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and the MAP Fund and has toured extensively across the US, UK, and East Africa. Meklit has been an artist-in-residence at NYU, and collaborated with NASA Astrophysicist Jon Jenkins, musical legend Pee Wee Ellis and the BBC Philharmonic. She is a Co-Founder of the Nile Project, served as musical director for the beloved Bay Area powerhouse UnderCover Presents, and sang alongside Angelique Kidjo and Anoushka Shankar as a featured singer in the UN Women Theme Song. Meklit and her projects have been covered by: USA Today, NPR, The New Yorker, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Sun Times, PBS, PRI, the BBC, Seattle Times, Le Presse (Montreal), MTV Iggy, OkayAfrica, The Village Voice, Google Music, Relix Magazine, Pidgeons and Planes, WIRED Magazine UK and many more. Her video for Kemekem was named a top 10 African Track of 2015 by the BBC and Okay Africa. She has played at festivals and venues in the US, the UK and East Africa, including: Bumbershoot Music Festival, SXSW, The Kennedy Center, Southbank Centre (London 2013 and 2015), Moods (Zurich), the Hollywood Bowl, the TED Conferences (Edinburgh, Rio di Janeiro, Long Beach), Monterey Jazz Festival, Baryshnikov Arts Center, Nuits D’Afrique (Montreal), SFJazz Center, the Gondar Castles (World Heritage Site, Ethiopia), Blankets and Wine Music Festival (Nairobi) and many more. Meklit sits on the board of Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and holds a BA from Yale University.

• Creative Director
• On-Air Reporter / Host

Ellie Wen is an award-winning filmmaker from Hong Kong and Los Angeles. She began her career in Los Angeles where she produced independent films and worked at CAA, CBS Films, and Super Deluxe. Ellie is an alumna of Film Independent's Project Involve fellowship program. Her first short documentary "Single Mother Only Daughter" premiered on Short of the Week, is a Vimeo Staff Pick, and was featured by The New York Times. “Doing Good Business,” her short documentary series about social entrepreneurs worldwide, was released on Participant Media's SoulPancake. Ellie recently received her MFA in Documentary Film from Stanford University where she produced four short documentary films. "Share," has screened at DOC NYC, Frameline, Big Sky, DOK Leipzig, and was released on The Guardian. Ellie was awarded the Best Local Filmmaker Award at the UN Women Global Voices Film Festival for "On Mother’s Day," which was recently released by The New Yorker. “25 Hours” was a finalist in the WrapWomen/STARZ film contest and was distributed by STARZ. Her thesis film, "The Missfits," was awarded the UFVA Carole Fielding Student Grant and was released on KQED's Truly CA. She now lives in San Francisco and is developing her next documentary as a resident in the SFFILM FilmHouse Residency Program.

• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Non-Fiction Film Director

J.P. Dobrin is a multiracial Korean American documentary filmmaker based in San Jose, California. He's a two-time Emmy nominated producer/director of photography that frequently works with news outlets, documentary production companies, and corporate clients. J.P.’s projects have revolved around themes of immigration, wealth disparity, and criminal justice, often portrayed through the experiences of ordinary individuals. Notably, he co-directed the Al Jazeera Witness documentary "Irse - Leaving Venezuela" in 2020, delving into the Venezuelan exodus by focusing on the narratives of two expectant women. In 2022, he directed "The Lookout," his latest film presented on World Channel/PBS, offering an Asian American outlook on deportation issues. His directorial work has been supported by SFFILM, the Berkeley Film Foundation, the Center for Asian American Media, the Video Consortium, and the Asian American Journalist Association. He’s been commissioned to make documentaries for Verizon, Capital One, Voice of America, and Vox / Eater. His educational journey led him to study photojournalism at the Academy of Art San Francisco before pursuing documentary filmmaking at U.C. Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism.

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

I am Claudia Escobar and I like creating and following stories, making things and trying to find where reality meets magic. I am the director of the documentary Dear Homeland, produced by KQED. Currently I am producing a series with AJ+ Español about decolonization in Latin America together with it’s creator Paula Daibert, and In the past years I had been focused on making short documentary and experimental works about Bay Area artists and culture makers for KQED Arts. With the work I did with the arts team I had been nominated for three local Emmy's and I had won one, I had also won a Webby for the series I co-created together with Kelly Whalen, If Cities Could Dance. Before joining KQED, I directed, produced and edited short fiction films, fashion videos, stop motion animations, as well as non-fiction journalism work for AJ+, Common Sense Media, National Geographic, Mission Local, NBC’s former The Feast, and was the editor for the feature documentary “In The Red." directed bu Mimi Chakarova. Some of the indie films I had been part of, have screened all over the world, with the documentary “La Bicicleta Vieja" premiering at San Francisco International Latino Film Festival; "Antonio's Closet" screening at Miami International Fashion Film Festival, and "Mercado de Lagrimas," at Bokeh South Africa International Fashion Film Festival, and the La Jolla International Fashion Festival.

• Documentary DP
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Video Editor - News
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Creative Director
• Series Producer / Show Runner

Virgie Tovar is an author, activist and one of the nation's leading experts and lecturers on fat discrimination and body image. She is the founder of Babecamp, a 4-week online course designed to help women who are ready to break up with diet culture, and started the hashtag campaign #LoseHateNotWeight. She pens a weekly column called Take the Cake. Tovar edited the ground-breaking anthology Hot & Heavy: Fierce Fat Girls on Life, Love and Fashion (Seal Press, November 2012) and The Feminist Press will be publishing her forthcoming book of non-fiction (Summer 2018). She holds a Master's degree in Sexuality Studies with a focus on the intersections of body size, race and gender. After teaching "Female Sexuality" at the University of California at Berkeley, where she completed a Bachelor's degree in Political Science in 2005, she went onto host "The Virgie Show" (CBS Radio) in San Francisco. She is a former plus size style writer for BuzzFeed. Virgie has been featured by the New York Times, Tech Insider, MTV, Al Jazeera, NPR, Yahoo Health, the San Francisco Chronicle, Huffington Post, Cosmopolitan Magazine Online, Bust Magazine, and French language magazine Madame Figaro. She lives in San Francisco and offers workshops and lectures nationwide. Find her online at www.virgietovar.com.

• Reporter / Journalist
• Audio Storyteller
• On-Air Reporter / Host

To see my work and more about me please visit my website: MatthewCaton.com Matthew sees his craft of filmmaking and cinematography as an adventure. He loves to inhabit new places, explore new cultures, and share unique stories with the world. Matthew’s documentary work has taken him around the globe for acclaimed films including Jose Antonio Vargas’ “White People,” which was recently nominated for an Emmy award, and “Assault in the Ring” which won an Emmy award for Outstanding Sports Documentary. His other documentary work has aired on HBO, ESPN 30 for 30, Sundance, CNN Intl, MTV, and others. Filming everything from native villages in the Amazon, to Neo-Nazis in Germany, to eunuchs in India, Matthew prides himself in blending easily into different cultures and allowing the story to unfold naturally. Matthew’s television work includes “100 Days of Summer,” where he directed two crews with six cameras total, and “Ultimate Road Trips,” where he traveled Route 66, the Mississippi Delta, and the Florida Keys (shooting extensively underwater). His television credits include everything from travel, to fashion, to home building and decorating -- and a bit of drama, too. His work has aired on NBC, Bravo, Travel, A&E, HGTV, and Smithsonian. With past technical experience as a gaffer, Matthew knows how to light any situation or style including commercials and music videos, which he has shot for many years. His national commercial credits include JC Penney, Glade, Pringles, Nokia, to name a few. Matthew’s passion for music has extended into shooting both music videos and live music events including some of his favorite artists: Common, Spoon, Bon Iver, and Sigur Ros, among others. He has also shot at music festivals including Bonnaroo and Outside Lands.

• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Corporate Videographer
• Fixer

I am a DP based in Berkeley with extensive experience in creating compelling visuals for journalism and documentary projects. I shoot on a Sony FX6, supported by three Sony A7S III cameras for multi-angle coverage. I use the full line of Sony G Master prime lenses to ensure sharp, cinematic visuals. For audio, I rely on a Tascam X8 recorder with a Sennheiser MKE400 shotgun mic and G3 wireless lavalier. I’m also an FAA-certified drone pilot with a Mavic Air 2S for aerial footage. My expertise includes using gimbals with Raven Eye technology for seamless multi-camera movement, even in solo setups. Additionally, I have a professional 3-point lighting kit with a beauty dish for high-quality interview and narrative lighting. Storytelling is my passion, and I pride myself on showing up on time and working discreetly, efficiently, and professionally to deliver polished results. You can view my full portfolio at www.ekfproductions.com.

• Documentary DP
• Sound Mixer
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Commercial DP
• Video Editor - News
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Reporter / Journalist
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Drone Operator

Jasmin Corley is a 24 year old beauty/fashion/lifestyle/educational content creator, and influencer. Since 15 she has been creating content on platforms like Instagram, Youtube, and (at the time) Musical.ly (Now Tiktok). She has worked with brands such as Puma, Footlocker, FentyBeauty, Nike, Coca Cola, New Balance, and more on viral short form content that successfully appeals to their audiences. She recently received the Cultural Insider Award sponsored by Youtube and the Culture Creators for her work in her community and on social media. Her biggest achievement is being recognized by international brands such as Nike with the Rec Room Crew, Coca Cola, Instagram’s Creators, and more. She has spoken on panels hosted by brands such a Essence Girls United, and Dote to talk about content creation and building community. She hopes to continue to share her experiences and expertise to help fellow creators and influencers.

• Digital Content Creator
• Influencer

Angela Reginato is an editor and filmmaker based in Oakland, California on unceded Ohlone land. Reginato has edited documentaries for Public Television such as “Pedro E. Guerrero: A Photographer’s Journey,” by Ray Telles (PBS American Masters) and “Beyond La Bamba,” by Marco Villalobos (Latino Public Broadcasting). She edited Dolissa Medina’s “Cartography of Ashes” for the centennial of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, and Anne McGuire’s “Oh Hi Anne” a short film celebrating George Kuchar. Her essay film “Polvo” received a Creative Capital grant, premiering at Rotterdam International Film Festival in 2012, winning first prize at VideoEx International Experimental Film & Video Festival. Zurich and screening at MoMA’s Documentary Fortnight. Reginato is currently editing “A Thousand Pines” directed by Noam Osband and Sebastián Díaz. It is supported by a grant from Latino Public Broadcasting.

• Video Editor - Documentary

I'm a GA reporter/MMJ who reports on state politics and issues from the CA state capital. Before Sacramento I was reporting in Atlanta. I've covered everything from politics to riots, investigative pieces to sports events, and go live and to breaking news three-to-four times a week. Editing and shooting is not a problem. During my time in Atlanta I was part of a team that won a regional Murrow Award & Emmy award for coverage on protests and riots in Atlanta in 2020. Before coming to Atlanta, I reported in Central Texas for KCEN covering a wide swath of stories such as the Austin Bombings, the passing of Barbara Bush, The WWE Tribute to the Troops on Fort Hood, and many feature pieces on the Central Texas community. I was also a freelance reporter in New York City for a number of years working in front of the camera for various digital media start-ups covering, New York's business industry, food, the start-up scene and technology. I also spent time behind the camera as a researcher and booker with Inside Edition. Hailing from sunny Perth Western Australia, I grew up enjoying the coastal life of Australia surfing, fishing, diving and boating. After high school I set my sights on the rest of the world becoming a sailor on the super yachts owned by the wealthiest people in the world. During my time at sea I sailed all over the Mediterranean, the Red Sea in Egypt, the East Coast of the US, and through the Caribbean visiting 15 different islands.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• On-Air Reporter / Host
• Video Editor - News
• Mobile Journalist / Livestreamer
• Reporter / Journalist
• Audio Storyteller

Fred Greaves is an editorial and commercial photographer based in Sacramento, California. Fred has a well-documented talent for telling his clients' stories with the camera. Put him in the middle of a raging wildfire, an energetic kindergarten classroom, hospital emergency room, or far out at sea on a tuna boat and Fred uses his camera to focus attention on what's important by creating beauty and order out of the chaos of real life. His ability to meet his clients diverse photographic needs has attracted an impressive roster of editorial, advertising and corporate clients. They include Volvo, Macy’s, United Services Organization (USO), Reuters, Sacramento Magazine, Rotary International, San Diego County Fair, California Farm Bureau Federation, Center for Land-Based Learning, Eating Well, Bodega Marine Laboratory, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of Southern California (USC) and UC Davis. While he is based in Northern California, Fred travels regularly for work and is happy to take on projects with a travel component. He is also an FAA Part 107-certified commercial drone pilot (and insured). You can see more of Fred's work at his website, www.fredgreaves.com Fred also gives back to the photographic community. He has guest lectured on photography and photojournalism at schools across the U.S. as well as having taught photography courses at the University of California, San Diego and co-taught a photojournalism course at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. He has also taught photography workshops at the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) in San Diego. Member: NPPA, ASMP, and CNPA.

• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Portrait Photographer
• Product Photographer

Contessa Gayles is an independent documentary filmmaker, an award-winning journalist and an Emmy-nominated producer. She tells stories about identity, movement and social change, with a focus on race, ethnicity and gender. From 2014 - 2018, she was a producer at CNN, where she created, produced, directed, shot and edited award-winning original series and documentaries, including 'The Feminist on Cellblock Y' (2018 Vera Institute Award Winner, 2018 Eppy Award Finalist), 'Women Who March' (2018 Webby Award Honoree, 2017 Eppy Award Finalist), 'Women Who March: The Movement' (2018 Eppy Award Winner), 'This Is Birth with Lisa Ling' & 'This Is Sex with Lisa Ling' (2017 & 2018 Namic Vision Award Nominees), 'Unstereotyped' and the 2016 News & Documentary Emmy-nominated 'Feeding America's Most Vulnerable Children.' She has additionally contributed to VICE, PBS NewsHour, PBS Frontline, AFROPUNK and forthcoming independent documentary features, including 'Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project' (dir. Michèle Stephenson, Joe Brewster), 'Surge' (dir. Hannah Rosenzweig, Wendy Sachs) and 'Black Mothers' (dir. Débora Souza Silva). Contessa holds a B.A. from Columbia University and an M.A. in Journalism from New York University, with a concentration in Documentary Film. Her thesis documentary, 'School of Yoga,' screened at the 2015 DOC NYC film festival.

• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - News
• Fixer
• On-Air Reporter / Host
• Reporter / Journalist
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Field Producer
• Series Producer / Show Runner
• Senior Producer / Project Manager
• TV News Producer
• Non-Fiction Film Director

I’ve been working in the visual arts for more than 20 years constantly learning lighting and composition styles that I love. My work has brought me to nearly every continent and the passion I have for creating beautiful visuals continues to grow. I run a small production company that handles many small projects every year focusing on multi cam, interview-based narratives supported by cinematic b-roll. My small grip truck stores all the lighting, audio equipment and filmmaking gear needed for these small shoots allowing me to easily travel throughout California and beyond to work on projects. I am an FAA licensed and insured drone operator and own a drone shooting high quality 4K content. On a team I usually find myself in the role of principal Director and/or DP, and I’m happy to lend my experience to larger projects.

• Commercial DP
• Drone Operator
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Documentary DP
• Corporate Videographer
• Production Company

I am a filmmaker and documentarian with over fourteen years of experience in production and run my own production company, Darling Street Pictures, with my producing partner. I have worked with many notable clients including Google, YouTube, Bloomberg, and the City of San Francisco as well as pursuing creative work, recently selling out the historic Great Star Theater in San Francisco for the premiere of my dance film "Panels" with an accompanying live dance performance. I attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts for Film & TV production. I have over five years of experience with Adobe Premiere, After Effects, Photoshop, Audition, and DaVinci Resolve and can take a production from start to finish. I'm also a drone pilot with an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate fro commercial drone work.

• Commercial DP
• Production Company
• Documentary DP
• Field Producer
• Sound Mixer
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Music Composer
• Sound Designer
• Fixer
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Creative Director
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Corporate Videographer
• Colorist
• Drone Operator

Jesse Rosenberg has been working as a freelance director and cinematographer since graduating from New York University Tisch School of the Arts in 2014. He is currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since January 2016 he has been working as a camera operator on a trekking series for television, with shoots completed in 16 countries over six continents. He is producing and directing a series of short documentaries titled 1 Minute 1 Life, showcasing the stories inspiring people, each in one minute. Two episodes have been completed: Susan Helmrich, featuring a three-time cancer survivor who found healing and solace through swimming; and Elizabeth Jameson featuring a lawyer who became an artist after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, transforming her brain scans into pieces of art that challenge how the viewer perceives the brain, disability, and illness.

• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Production Company
• Creative Director
• Fixer
• Production Assistant
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Drone Operator

I'm a content strategist, writer, editor and project manager with experience across numerous industries and brands—everything from Pokémon to how to use military veteran benefits (no small task) to how to write the right resume. I pride myself on mastering complicated subjects, making them easy to digest, and finding fresh ways to entertain and educate audiences, with the emphasis on quality content above all else. I believe in both the science and art of creating and optimizing compelling content, taking advantage of SEO research as well as scaling content alongside cross-disciplinary teams. I'm experienced in content management systems and project management tools as well as producing briefs, handling audits and creating multimedia. I bring a “roll up the sleeves” mentality and approach to content strategy, management and creation.

• Copywriter
• Content Strategist
• Senior Producer / Project Manager
• Corporate Videographer
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - News

Ted Chin is a digital surrealist and photographer originally from Taiwan, now based in San Francisco, USA. He is widely recognized for his exquisite Photoshop composite art, which exudes a dreamy and surreal quality, occasionally touched with ethereal nature spirits. With over eight years of expertise in digital production, Ted has catered to a wide array of international clients, including Grammy, Apple, Warner Bros, HBO, Meta, and Adobe, navigating the realms of fine art and the commercial industry. His exceptional talents were recently acknowledged when he was selected as the cover artist for the Adobe Photoshop 2021 splash screen. Ted's boundless creativity is driven by a desire to capture and communicate the captivating wonder and beauty of the world, inspiring viewers with his imaginative artwork.

• Art Director
• Digital Content Creator

I'm a journalist based in the San Francisco Bay Area who's recognized for connecting to people and relaying information that's vital. A 2022 Kiplinger Fellow at the Scripps School of Journalism at University of Ohio, I'm skilled at localizing climate stories and promoting solutions. My most recent nonfiction book, "GIRL WARRIORS: How 25 Young Activists Are Saving the Earth" (April 2021, Chicago Review Press), earned a Kirkus starred review ("Engaging, brilliant, and intersectional: a must for shelves everywhere."). My next book, Climate Champions: 15 Women Fighting for Your Future, is due out in 2023 (Chicago Review Press). I'm currently interviewing "Gen Z climate-change activists discuss some of the most pressing issues facing our planet," for "Unearthed" at YAHOO. I've also planned and executed live stream interviews at outlets such as The Lonely Whale.

• Mobile Journalist / Livestreamer
• Copywriter
• Digital Content Creator
• Content Strategist
• Reporter / Journalist
• On-Air Reporter / Host
• Senior Editor

I’m a visual journalist in San Francisco. Before moving to news and documentary I worked for a decade as a commercial producer creating content for agencies like Leo Burnett, design studios like IDEO, and big brands like Google and Apple. I’ve also produced for CNN, The Washington Post, and Público, Portugal’s largest newspaper, as well. In 2022, I completed my master’s at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism after working for a decade as a commercial producer. My thesis documentary Hasta la última gota, following the fight for water and a new constitution in Chile, was published in The Intercept. The film also screened at the Mill Valley and Banff Mountain Film Festivals. I work in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

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

Kat O’Toole is a documentary cinematographer based in Oakland, California. She delights in falling into the rhythm of another person’s life while filming handheld. She loves collaborating with directors so that the images they make together can best support the story. She creates beautiful, comfortable and intimate interview setups that allow her collaborators to sink in and open up. Most of all, Kat takes pride in pre-production planning because having all the tools you need frees you up to follow an unexpected thread to someplace even better than you planned to go. Kat studied at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke. Her work has been shown on PBS, the BBC and at Sundance Satellite Programming.

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