Discover Top Documentary DPs in San Mateo, California, USA

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 a filmmaker (Producer/Coordinator) and Corporate Event Photographer. I am experienced with union paperwork and office PA roles, and I work as a local in the San Francisco Bay area and Reno-Tahoe. I regularly work at Intel. I connect quickly and meaningfully with a wide range of people, especially in the tech word. I have interviewed hundreds of subject matter experts from federal judges to porn stars, both on camera and off. I recently directed and produced films for the permanent online exhibit THE GREAT JAZZ REVIVAL for Stanford University Libraries and the San Francisco Traditional Jazz Society, exec. producer Margaret Moos Pick. My documentary film work frequently screens in museums. I produced ZERO POINT, the first live action VR film, featured at Sundance, New Frontier.

• On-Air Reporter / Host
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Production Coordinator / Crewing
• Production Assistant
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Line Producer / On-Location
• Field Producer
• Event Photographer
• VR / AR

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

Brian Storm is founder and executive producer of MediaStorm. MediaStorm publishes diverse narratives, offers advanced storytelling training and collaborates with a diverse group of clients. MediaStorm’s stories and interactive applications have received numerous honors, including 30 Webby nominations (6 time winner), 17 Emmy Award nominations (4 time winner), two duPont Awards and an Edward R. Murrow Award. Prior to launching MediaStorm in 2005, Storm spent two years in New York as vice president of News, Multimedia & Assignment Services for Corbis, a digital media agency founded and owned by Bill Gates. From 1995 to 2002 he was director of multimedia at MSNBC.com. Storm received his master's degree in photojournalism in 1995 from the University of Missouri. He lives in Los Gatos, CA and can be reached via x.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Production Company
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Content Strategist
• Executive Producer
• Animator / Visual Effects Artist
• Podcast Producer

Michael CB Stevens is an award winning filmmaker with work featured by Outside Magazine, UpRoxx, Huntington Post and more. With a focus on documentary and branded content, Michael has made a name for himself in the mountains of Colorado. Specializing in work for outdoor brands, start-ups, and non-profits, Michael has learned to create in some of the most intense environments on the planet, all with skeleton crew and equipment. Recently, Michael has entered the commercial world, helping clients to realize their vision and develop their voice to create ripples within their markets. From Cinema cameras to mirrorless setups, Michael can deliver work on tight deadlines on any budget. You get what you pay for, and with hiring Michael you will not be sorry.

• Documentary DP
• Production Company
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Commercial DP
• Video Editor - Commercial
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Fixer
• Production Assistant
• Post-Production Manager

Emmy Award-winning reporter/anchor with 15 years of on-camera experience, including 4 years at CBS in Los Angeles. I've traveled extensively for work, including 2 seasons with the LA Rams and I've done 1-man band reporting in Australia, Germany, London, and the Philippines. I’m equipped with a full video production setup, including professional video cameras, audio equipment, and a green screen. I also have 5 years of social media work under my belt, building a following of 250K by connecting with people in creative ways. I continue to learn Spanish & pride myself on being a team player. For a reel of my work, please visit this link which includes a story I shot & edited - https://youtu.be/6NEHpw_kCRw

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

Pallavi Somusetty is a documentary filmmaker and video journalist and an alum of UC Berkeley J-School's documentary program. She works as a videographer and editor filming important stories for media outlets and clients. Her recent documentary, Escaping Agra (escapingagra.com), is screening in film festivals across North America. In the last fourteen years Pallavi's career has seen her reporting for a community newspaper in Silicon Valley, videotaping product users at a New York City ad agency, producing short-form educational documentaries, and traveling internationally to film challenging stories, most recently in India and Belize. In her spare time she fills up her phone with photos of her kid.

• Documentary DP
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• TV News Producer
• Production Company
• Creative Director
• Field Producer

We produce digital and emerging media that’s innovative, compelling and resonates with an audience. We specialize in video & animation and can concept, produce and post projects partnering with agencies and clients alike. We’ve been producing video and animated media for over 15 years for world-class clients such as CBS, AT&T, Intel, MTV, Microsoft, NBC, Spike TV, Warner Brothers, and more. We focus on creating digital media: Instagram & Facebook, Online Marketing, Explainer Videos, Education & Training– Testimonials & Interviews, Lifestyle and Brand Essence. We use a broad range of skills: Full Video Production, Scriptwriting, Video Editing, Post Production Effects, Title Graphics, Sound Design, 2D/3D Animation. Audio Production, Title Design. Live Streaming Broadcast.

• Commercial DP
• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - News
• Fixer
• Mobile Journalist / Livestreamer
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial

I am a documentary filmmaker and photojournalist based in Bay Area. Currently I am attending Graduate School of Journalism, University of California at Berkeley. I bring more than ten years of experience in documentary photography, producing, directing and editing documentary films and video productions. My work spans diverse subjects, ranging from human rights and environmental sustainability to community empowerment and cultural preservation. As a versatile filmmaker, I am adept at navigating various production environments and collaborating effectively with diverse teams. Additionally, my professional journey has taken me to fifteen countries, where I've had the opportunity to immerse myself in various cultures and work with diverse teams.

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

I am an Oakland-based shooter/editor. Before moving to video in the mid-00's, I worked as a photo assistant and photographer for advertising and editorial where honed my lighting skills and technical camera knowledge. I have worked on projects ranging from independent feature films to short documentary series to corporate explainers. I was born in Singapore, transported to the Mid-Atlantic and grew up Chinese Minnesotan. Moved to the Bay Area as a lot of folks were heading the other direction. Fast friends, but not really much of a hugger. When not working (but not malfunctioning), you can sometimes find me playing music or riding my bike, but you're just as likely to find me on the couch reading or napping.

• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Field Producer
• Commercial DP
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Animator / Visual Effects Artist
• Colorist

JoeBill Muñoz is a Mexican-American director and producer. He’s currently working on a scripted series with Left/Right Media in collaboration with The New York Times, and directing and producing an independent feature documentary about solitary confinement in California prisons. He's previously worked on a feature documentary with director Gabriela Cowperthwaite in collaboration with Reveal at the Center for Investigative Reporting, and an Emmy-award winning Frontline investigation, KIDS CAUGHT IN THE CRACKDOWN, about the for-profit mass detention of migrant children in the US. His work has been supported by the Sundance Documentary Fund, Firelight Media, ITVS, SFFILM, the Reva and David Logan Foundation, and others.

• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - News
• Reporter / Journalist
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Commercial DP
• Field Producer
• Production Assistant
• Fixer

Kyle Maack is a video producer at Engadget and all-around maker of images. He graduated from Temple University’s Film and Media Arts program in Philadelphia, and co-founded the artist collective Girard Hall in 2011, which continues to thrive as an institution in the local arts and music scene. Upon graduation, he ventured to Los Angeles to work under veteran documentary filmmakers Keith Fulton and Lou Pepe until he was lured away by the rolling rolling hills of San Francisco. Whether Kyle is creating a simple product review or an ambitious documentary, he places truth and authenticity above all else. Through candid moments and the occasional happy accident, he strives to put a little bit of real in everything he does. He intends to continue keeping it real.

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