Creator Stories
What does it mean to bring a creative vision to life – and what fuels the fire along the way? We press film and video professionals to find out.
How Oscar-winner Rayka Zehtabchi found her creative voice
“Everyone has their own journey,” says Rayka Zehtabchi. “Some people's journey starts at the Oscars when they're 25 years old."
How filmmaker and artist Dan Covert built his creative career
“Nothing’s going to make itself,” says Dan Covert. “The quickest way to build your career is just keep making stuff."
This charming short puts the "art" in artificial intelligence
We caught up with Staff Picked filmmaker Chris Carboni to talk about his beguiling AI-powered film, "Hairy Pouter."
This filmmaker is pairing epic adventure stories with effortless marketing tools
"We can certainly value high-end storytelling and Staff Picks, but from my experience, those product videos are just as important for our success," says Verb Cabin founder Mike Rogge.
How this small-but-mighty creative team helped supercharge a non-profit fundraiser
"Our metric for the video was how many people started crying, so we were counting sniffles," says filmmaker CJ Powell.
How this documentary helped raise $170K for America's first Black-owned outdoor shop
At the height of the pandemic, a team of filmmakers set out to tell Slim Pickins Outfitters' story. The result is a powerful doc with real-world impact.
Inside the powerful production for Wyclef Jean and MC Jin's 'Stop The Hatred' video
"I was thinking that our community and the movement right now needs an anthem, and this was the anthem that I wanted," says Bao Nguyen.
How Meryam Joobeur went from Staff Pick alum to Oscar nominee
Meryam Joobeur is making some of the most powerful short films in the industry right now. We caught up with her to hear more about her filmmaking process.
Armita Keyani is embracing filmmaking without fear
VFA-winning filmmaker Armita Keyani shares how she learned to banish creative fear, on and off set.
How Julian Marshall captured a powerful protest on camera
One morning, Julian Marshall woke up and knew he had to do something. So he took to the streets. The result is "WE ARE GEORGE FLOYD.
How Runyararo Mapfumo finds creativity in collaboration
From guerilla filmmaking to major brand collaborations, DessyMak productions founder Runyararo Mapfumo is blazing her own path.
Filmmaker Morgan Cooper is telling stories about the modern Black experience
Three-time Staff Picked director Morgan Cooper has developed a reputation for deeply personal, powerful short films. He shares his advice for finding your filmmaking voice and crushing creative doubt.
How Patagonia is cultivating a digital community of activists and environmentalists
Alex Lowther, Patagonia’s Creative Director, explained that Patagonia’s unique video strategy allows them to make films with no commercial intent. We sat down with Alex to better understand exactly what this means and how it supports their business goals.
The online course getting kids excited about history outside of the classroom
With kids across the country home from school, the producers of Hamilton and the Gilder Lehrman Institute are finding new ways to get kids engaged with American history.