At heart, I am an educator. I have a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, as well as three years experience in Chicago Public Schools. Here are some of the digital media learning experiences I’ve developed over the years, including college courses, library workshops, and online workbooks.
DePaul University
Adjunct Faculty, College of Computing and Digital Media
I began teaching in DePaul’s Film and Television Post Production program in 2022, and have gradually been adding new courses as we go. It feels fantastic to return to teaching after 15 years away.
Accessible Cinema – This course is an introduction to the accessibility features in digital cinema that extend a film’s reach to a wider audience, including foreign markets and consumers who are deaf, blind, or neurodiverse. Through hands-on exercises and project-based learning, students grapple with how to translate the sensory world of film into rich descriptions for those who can’t fully perceive the screen or hear the soundtrack. Along the way, students engage with critical theory around disability aesthetics and access artistry. The course culminates in the mounting of an accessible film event that is open to the public. Strong writing skills and basic familiarity with film editing techniques are highly recommended.
Editing 1 – Students analyze and assemble dramatic scenes under a variety of conditions and narrative strategies. Editing theories, techniques and procedures, issues of continuity, effects, movement and sound are examined as they relate to the fundamentals of cinematic montage and visual storytelling.
Editing Studio – This course provides practical experience in editing. Participants apply learned editorial techniques into real-world experience, serving as editors for various projects that may include thesis, capstone and other student work. A key element of this course is in-class discussions and critiques of students’ work, to sharpen their editing and storytelling skills.
Editing the Documentary – Editing the Documentary exposes students to the specialized post production workflow of documentary film. Utilizing a workshop atmosphere in combination with lectures and projects, students gain an appreciation of the art and craft of documentary film editing. This course covers an overview of current documentary trends and styles, explores various workflows to find the story in documentary footage, the ethical role of editor in shaping the stories of real people and events, how to apply the visual language of fiction to documentary film, use of archival media in a contemporary way, how to structure the story scene to scene and where to start and end the story.
Arlington Heights Memorial Library
Filmmaker-In-Residence
For three months (March-May 2019), I had the pleasure of serving as Filmmaker-in-Residence at Arlington Heights Memorial Library, where I taught filmmaking workshops to teens and adults, facilitated screenings of three documentaries for the library’s ‘Wider Lens’ program series, and curated a rotating display shelf of documentary classics on DVD.
MasterClass Companion Workbooks
Mira Nair Teaches Independent Filmmaking
I wrote the companion workbook to the Mira Nair MasterClass.
“Oscar-nominated filmmaker Mira Nair approaches directing with the ‘heart of a poet and the skin of an elephant’—spurred on by rejection and fighting to bring uncompromising stories to film. In the Golden Lion-winning director’s MasterClass, learn to make a big impact on a small budget, evoke the best from actors and nonactors, and protect your creative vision so you tell the story that can only come from you.”
Ken Burns Teaches Documentary Filmmaking
I wrote the companion workbook to the Ken Burns MasterClass.
“Since its 2017 debut, Ken Burns’s The Vietnam War has enthralled over 39 million viewers by painting an intimate and revealing portrait of history. Learn how Ken captivates audiences with his ability to distill vast research and complex truths into compelling narratives. From first treatment to final edit, Ken teaches his documentary filmmaking techniques that ‘wake the dead’ to bring their stories to life.”