Discover Top Non-Fiction Film Directors in Springfield, Illinois, USA

Andrew J. Morgan is a passionate image maker and visual storyteller. A graduate of Columbia College Chicago, he has been working professionally as a cameraman for over 15 years on a wide range of projects ranging in style, budget, and scope. From people and places to products and puppets, Andrew makes sure that the right equipment and crew are in place to capture impactful and professional images. Andrew’s credits don’t just stop at client work. He has found himself as a cinematographer for additional material included in Universal’s reboot of Candyman (2021) as well as the 2023 Showtime series “Goliath”. Away from the camera, Andrew is also an accomplished director and editor. His directing credits include the cult documentary Vannin’ (2013), its follow up Sleeze Lake (2021), as well as a host of short documentary films that have played in festivals across the country. He delights in nerding out over the latest and greatest gear to take projects from concept to creation.

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

Jiayan "Jenny" Shi is an Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker and video journalist who is passionate about stories that find shared humanity and compassion. Her debut documentary "Finding Yingying" (MTV Documentary Films) has won numerous awards including the Special Jury Recognition for Breakthrough Voice at the 2020 SXSW Film Festival and a China Academy Award of Documentary Films, and was nominated for a News & Documentary Emmy award. Jenny's work has appeared on Paramount +, MTV, BBC News, PBS NewsHour, Insider, and Bilibili. She has also contributed to work on Netflix, Discovery Channel, Tencent, and Google, among others. Jenny is a Kartemquin's Diverse Voices In Docs fellow, a Women at Sundance Adobe fellow, a Firelight fellow, a Logan Nonfiction Program fellow, and a DOC NYC "40 Under 40" filmmaker. Jenny is the co-founder and programming director of the Chicago chapter of the Video Consortium where she curates films and organizes community events for non-fiction storytellers.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Production Assistant
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Production Company
• Reporter / Journalist
• Video Editor - News
• Mobile Journalist / Livestreamer
• Creative Director
• Field Producer
• Corporate Videographer
• Non-Fiction Film Director

Thatch Films is a full service boutique production company specializing in documentary, commercial, corporate and film projects. We are a full service company offering pre-production, production, post-production, multimedia and animation services. We work with agencies and direct clients around the world to tell stories that explore our common humanity, our capacity for joy, and our search for meaning. We work with clients from conception to delivery and are dedicated to open communication and a holistic artistic approach. * Hiring During COVID-19: We are skilled in practicing and maintaining safe production practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.*

• Production Company
• Creative Director
• Post-Production Manager
• Documentary DP
• Corporate Videographer
• Senior Producer / Project Manager
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Drone Operator
• Line Producer / On-Location
• Production Assistant
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Fixer
• Field Producer
• Commercial DP
• Reporter / Journalist
• News Shooter / Video Journalist

INTRO Producer / Director, Documentary DP, Production Sound Mixer with 10 years experience. Owner of Select Start Films (selectstart.film), One Film Productions (onefilmproductions.com) and Apollo Sound (apollosound.io). GEAR Canon C500 (4K) (A Cam) and Canon 1D C (4K) (B Cam), set of Canon cinema zooms for documentary / verité coverage and interviews, complete lighting and sound kit, Easyrig, etc. CLIENTS PBS, TLC, Food Network, DIY Network, HGTV, CBS, Fox News, HBO, VICE, NHL, NFL, Adidas, Microsoft, Meta, AT&T, Samsung, IBM, Ford, Nestlé, P&G, Skype, Cardinals, Budweiser, D'Addario Percussion, Head & Shoulders, HLN, Oxygen, Pfizer, Discovery+

• Sound Mixer
• Fixer
• Production Assistant
• Creative Director
• Production Company
• Documentary DP
• Commercial DP
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Senior Producer / Project Manager
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Line Producer / On-Location
• Production Coordinator / Crewing
• Field Producer
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Drone Operator

Stephen L. Garrett is a filmmaker based in Chicago, who collaborates with directors, producers, and production companies to develop, shoot, and edit feature-length documentaries, series, and promotional films for organizations large and small. Stephen has a BA in Conservation Studies from the University of the South.

• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Creative Director
• Field Producer
• Video Editor - Commercial
• On-Air Reporter / Host
• Production Company
• Production Assistant
• Reporter / Journalist
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Fixer
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Sound Mixer
• Event Photographer
• News Shooter / Video Journalist

I am an independent documentary filmmaker, video producer and photographer living in Iowa City, Iowa. I work on a wide variety of projects in the Midwest around the world. I have a B.S. in Environmental Science and a professional background as a photojournalist and documentary photographer. In my work, I try to combine a strong visual sense with intimacy and bit of humor.

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

A Filmmaker turned Humanitarian, I have spent the last 14 years working in all aspects of the film industry. My work has been in the United States and India. Must recently starting a non-profit to teach youth to create their own documentary films. I still take time for my own projects. I'm currently traveling along the United States - Mexico border for a documentary series about Asylum Seekers.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Corporate Videographer
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Creative Director
• Grip
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Commercial DP
• Mobile Journalist / Livestreamer
• Audio Storyteller

Chicago Valley is a dynamic video production company dedicated to understanding and professionally creating videos that exceed our clients goals. Whether it's to sell more products, tell your story, or make an impact on your audience–we strive to deliver measurable results.

• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - Documentary
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Corporate Videographer
• Video Editor - News
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Fixer
• Production Assistant
• Commercial DP
• Colorist
• Creative Director
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Drone Operator
• Gaffer
• Executive Producer
• On-Camera Talent
• Field Producer
• Production Company
• Sound Designer
• Graphic Designer

Hi my name is Jay Encina and I am freelance video editor based in Missouri. I am currently finishing up my Documentary Journalism degree at the University of Missouri School of Journalism.

• Video Editor - News
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Social Media Producer

An Emmy-nominated, Webby-honored video editor and producer and award-winning photographer with passion and expertise in meaningful visual and audio storytelling across digital platforms

• Documentary DP
• Senior Producer / Project Manager
• Series Producer / Show Runner
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Creative Director
• Post-Production Manager
• TV News Producer
• Field Producer
• Video Editor - News
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Landscape Photographer
• Portrait Photographer
• Reporter / Journalist
• Senior Editor
• Executive Producer
• Digital Content Creator
• Podcast Producer
• Social Media Producer
• Audio Storyteller
• Copy Editor
• Copywriter

• Senior Editor
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Senior Producer / Project Manager
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Creative Director
• On-Air Reporter / Host
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Translator
• Motion Graphics Designer
• Video Editor - News

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Commercial DP
• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - News
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Senior Editor
• Field Producer
• Digital Content Creator
• Social Media Producer
• Corporate Videographer

Hunter Johnson is a documentary filmmaker, editor, and photographer based in Chicago. For four years he worked with The Perennial Plate, shooting and editing human-focused short documentaries featured on PBS and The Atlantic. Hunter has created videos for Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, and recently produced a series of films for the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights. In 2020, he directed a viral PSA video featuring four Minnesota Governors, garnering over four million views. In 2021, he completed Until We Find Them, an award-winning short documentary that screened at 11 international festivals. Among other commercial and documentary projects, he currently works as a recurring DP and editor for CBS Reports. He holds a Master's in Human Rights from the University of Minnesota Humphrey School and a bachelor's in Film and Media Arts at Temple University. Hunter is fluent in Spanish.

• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Portrait Photographer
• Landscape Photographer
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Senior Producer / Project Manager
• Commercial DP

I am a Chicago-based producer, DP, and director for TV, commercial, and video production. I've owned and operated an award-winning, full-service production company, Digital Hydra, since 2011, serving clients like Nike, Leo Burnett, Taste Made, Walgreens-Coca-Cola, ComEd, Jaegermeister, and many more. I've also worked as a DP for A-list music artists like Jennifer Hudson, Billie Eilish, Run the Jewels, and the Chance the Rapper. I have extensive experience maintaining client relationships, developing creative for shoots, planning and production management, and execution of all aspects of production and post. I've sold TV series to Warner Bros, produced full-seasons of international television, and won a number of awards at film festivals all over the world. My work in commercial and marketing has won multiple ProMAX and Midwest Emmy awards. I was listed as #7 on NewCity’s Chicago Film 50 in 2021, and named to Austin Film Festival's 25 Screenwriters to Watch in 2020.

• Executive Producer
• Field Producer
• Line Producer / On-Location
• Production Company
• Production Coordinator / Crewing
• Post-Production Manager
• Commercial DP
• Documentary DP
• Corporate Videographer
• Creative Director
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Video Editor - Documentary
• HD Live Operator
• Copywriter
• Senior Producer / Project Manager
• Senior Editor

Founded in 2019 by Rachel Pikelny, Nyla Pictures crafts compelling, nonfiction media in the form of branded content, cause-marketing videos, and original documentaries. An Emmy Award-winning filmmaker recently named to DOC NYC's "40 Under 40" List, Rachel is a sought-after producer whose work has earned accolades and sparked impact, at venues ranging from the Tribeca Film Festival to Capitol Hill. With Kartemquin Films, she produced The Trials of Muhammad Ali (Independent Lens, 2014), which won a national Emmy for Best Historical Long-Form Program, and associate produced A Good Man (American Masters, 2011). With Siskel/Jacobs Productions, she directed and produced the short film GRACE (Condé Nast Entertainment), which was digitally released by SELF in October 2018 and has garnered 150K views, and counting. Her feature documentary No Small Matter, a Gates- and Bezos-supported project about early childhood education, is helping pave new roads in digital distribution. A versatile producer/director, Rachel has created promotional content for Fortune 500 companies such as Pepsi and USAA, as well as branded videos for companies such as Manduka, in partnership with Komen. She remains active in the independent filmmaking community and co-chairs the Documentary Producers Alliance (DPA).

• Senior Producer / Project Manager
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Fixer
• Production Company
• Line Producer / On-Location
• Series Producer / Show Runner
• Production Coordinator / Crewing

Anh Vo is a vibrant Vietnamese cinematographer and creative director, fueling his passion for visual storytelling across diverse projects. Since earning his master's degree in Film & TV from DePaul University, he has made his mark as the cinematographer for national TV shows, commercials, and independent films showcased at international film festivals. Additionally, he has spearheaded original projects and social campaigns as a creative director for Fortune 500 global brands, with partner agencies, and athletes. With a remarkable ability to seamlessly transition between different worlds, Anh customizes his film language to perfectly suit each unique story and thrives on challenging artistic boundaries, he aims to tell stories that resonate deeply with audiences. Through his lens, Anh strives to capture the essence of emotions and create a lasting impact, leaving viewers inspired and moved.​​​​​​​

• Commercial DP
• Documentary DP
• Colorist

As a director, producer, cinematographer and editor, Kevin Shaw has created award-winning films for prestige platforms. Shaw’s latest film, Let the Little Light Shine, was nominated for an Emmy Award and a Peabody Award, debuted on PBS’ award-winning series POV, and played at several film festivals and theaters around the country to stellar reception, where the Chicago Tribune lauded the film for carrying “the visceral impact of all six Rocky films and a few Creed films put together.” The film is available to stream on Apple/iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play and VUDU. Shaw’s debut documentary about Basketball Hall of Fame coach Bob Hurley, The Street Stops Here, aired nationally on PBS and ESPN in 2010 to rave reviews. The following year, Shaw’s Big Ten Network short documentary on a quadriplegic trying to regain the ability to walk won the Edward R. Murrow Award for Sports Reporting Excellence. His cinematography talents were recognized in 2015 with a National Sports Emmy for ESPN’s FIFA World Cup Show Opens and Teases. Later that year, Shaw produced a documentary about the relationship between megastar Shaquille O’Neal and his collegiate coach, Dale Brown. Shaq and Dale premiered on ESPN.  Shaw was a segment director and cinematographer on America to Me, and additional cinematographer on City So Real, from Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Steve James, where they both debuted at the Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim and aired on Starz and Hulu respectively. Shaw also contributed as a cinematographer on James’ latest docuseries for ESPN, The Luckiest Guy in the World.

• Documentary DP
• Creative Director
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Executive Producer
• Field Producer

I’m a Chicago-based filmmaker with decades of experience in directing, animation, and post-production. My work spans projects big and small, from short films to long-form documentaries, mom-and-pop businesses to worldwide brands, for local artists and talented peers, winning awards along the way. My biggest passion is the age-old medium of stop-motion animation, an attention-grabbing technique that’s quirky, nostalgic, and approachable. I’m also a highly experienced video editor, and I’ve used that skill to tell stories of all kinds. I also dabble in directing, photography, sound editing, & sound mixing, a little bit of everything! Stories are at the heart of everything I do. Whether it’s slapping two shots together to communicate a message, giving an actor a note to bring out a specific emotion, or moving tiny objects one frame at a time, I use whatever skills at my disposal to stoke the imagination of whoever’s watching.

• Video Editor - Documentary
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Senior Editor
• Animator / Visual Effects Artist
• Creative Director
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Storyboard Artist
• Production Company
• Art Director

I've worked in video production since 1983. The KSDK Newsroom since 1993. After early retirement in 2014 I produced and directed several documentaries. Four in India - One here in the states. I currently wrapped up a run with "J For Jender", an online talk show on transgender issues. I now operate my own small video production company "Janey Lynn Studio". We are offering video production for weddings, commercials, special events. etc. Using professional editing software, I can often have your video ready the same day. We are also still doing Legal Deposition recordings. Immediate delivery with no editing to maintain recording integrity. Open for business. Call to set an appointment. I am mobile and will come to your location to record. Delivery immediately on SD card or Flash drive. Check my FaceBook or Linked In pages to see video examples. https://www.facebook.com/JaneyLynnStudio/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeylynnstudio/

• Documentary DP
• Video Editor - Documentary
• Reporter / Journalist
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Copywriter
• Production Company
• Corporate Videographer
• Video Editor - News
• News Shooter / Video Journalist
• Fixer

With over 12 years of experience in the entertainment industry, I am a versatile & creative entrepreneur who specializes in fashion, film, and sports. I am passionate about capturing & sharing compelling stories that showcase the beauty, diversity, & emotion of life. I value collaboration, innovation & quality in my work as I strive to deliver exceptional results with every project I become involved with. I grew myself in the fashion industry as a respected set hairstylist, being represented nationally by Wilhelmina Talent after being in the industry for only 2 years. As a photographer I have done behind the scenes shooting for films, portrait shoots for actors/models/DJs & proudly as a ringside combat sport photographer. As a freelance filmmaker, I have produced and directed short films, commercials & social media content. I look forward to continuing to grow my breadth of work as my journeys continue. Travel is my next love after all things creative.

• Creative Director
• Non-Fiction Film Director
• Full-Service Live Production
• Editorial Photographer / Photojournalist
• Event Photographer
• Fashion Photographer
• Portrait Photographer
• Post-Production Manager
• Video Editor - Commercial
• Video Editor - Documentary