Films
Filming the proof-of-concept film for Art+History
Making documentary films is incredibly fulfilling: it is all about collaborating in the hunt to find and tell a story. Whether in front of the camera or behind it, I cherish the opportunity to work with insightful, creative, and trusted partners.
One of my stills from Barnstorming—the money shot I’d been dreaming about!
I began making documentaries in 2006, with a film called Barnstorming. Documentaries pull so many strands of my work together: visual storytelling, writing, research, production—even my love of music.
Documentaries Streaming Free on PBS.org
Co-director, writer, and producer.
Filmed in the skies above France and the United States, The Lafayette Escadrille tells the story of the American volunteers who flew and fought for France in World War One, becoming the founding squadron of American combat aviation. The film premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
Through archival footage and stunning photography of the places where the pilots trained, flew, fought and died, the documentary gives the viewer a thrilling and visceral experience of the early days of combat aviation.
We discovered troves of unpublished materials in our research, and interviewed several family members of the Escadrille pilots.
Co-writer, co-producer.
Anacostia Delta sheds light on a lesser known music scene borne along the Anacostia river and the celebrated guitarists who emerged at a time when D.C. and Southern Maryland were rich in honky-tonks, jazz, blues, country and cocktail bars.
The DC area was home to two of the most original guitarists of their time, both playing the Fender Telecaster—Roy Buchanan and Danny Gatton. Both left us far too early, but both left a legacy and legions of fans worldwide.
The film features a concert with thirty extraordinary DC musicians who keep that musical tradition alive and pay homage to their guitar heroes.
Co-writer, co-producer.
Barnstorming is the true story of unexpected friendship that developed between a farm family and two antique airplane pilots, who literally dropped out of the sky. This impulsive meeting of strangers blossomed into an annual tradition: every year, the pilots and their friends return to the farm. They put on an airshow for the community, and all sit down to a meal. After trading stories late into the night, they wake the next day to hop rides for the children.
Shot in real time Barnstorming is a loving ode to two endangered cultures from the American heartland: general aviation and the family farm. Barnstorming is a testament to our ability to connect as human beings, no matter where we come from, or how we get there.
Watch the trailer!
Watch the trailer!
Watch the trailer!
Work in Progress
Watch the trailer!
Art+History is a documentary series based on my popular online lecture series explore the actual stories of iconic artworks based on true historical stories. The series will be presented for national distribution by Maryland Public Television, and will be produced by Newsgroup Communications, Inc. and Art+History Productions, LLC.
The first season will feature four works—two American, two French.
Episode One: The Shaw/54th Memorial by Augustus Saint-Gaudens
Episode Two: Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emmanuel Leutze
Episode Three: The Death of Marat by Jacques-Louis David
Episode Four: The Railway by Édouard Manet
Proof-of-Concept
This proof-of-concept piece demonstrates all the elements of the Art+History series as a travel/art history docuseries:
Going on location where the history happened and the artwork is displayed
Interweaving the historical story with backstory of the work of art andf how the artist came to make the piece
Insights I’ve learned by drawing each piece