Blog

[12 minute read] When alumni of the University of Rochester’s Speech and Debate program planned a surprise 50th anniversary celebration for their legendary coach Samuel Nelson, I was brought on to document the weekend’s festivities through a commemorative documentary. The project involved capturing over four hours of raw footage across a surprise dinner, breakfast gathering, and award ceremony, then editing it down into a polished film that alumni could treasure for years to come. Through this experience—my largest video project to date—I learned invaluable lessons about live event videography, collaborative creative processes, and the delicate balance between capturing intimate moments and respecting people’s comfort with being filmed.