NYT Portfolio
Leominster Flash Flooding
September 11, 2023
After being pummeled by nearly 10 inches of rain, the city of Leominster suffered a severe flash flooding emergency, with much of the city’s infrastructure collapsing as a result. As the lead Assignment Editor that night, I used social media and police scanners to direct my crews to the locations with the worst reported damage. I coordinated crew coverage with the Executive Producers and our satellite department, ensuring a seamless and accurate broadcast. I also organized several phone interviews with Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella and emergency crews to ensure people in the city knew to stay off the roads. By the end of the night, we reported on main road closures, neighborhood evacuations, flood rescues, and even a sinkhole swallowing cars from a dealership. I had never been able to lead breaking news like that before and I am incredibly proud of our broadcast that night.
Plymouth Family Escapes from Gaza
November 13, 2023
Since the October 7th attack, a family of five from Plymouth, MA had been trapped in Gaza, surviving aerial strikes, food scarcity, and severe illnesses. During the nightly editorial meeting, I saw that one of the papers reported that the family had successfully crossed the border and was preparing to fly back to Massachusetts. Their piece was just an update to a larger story, but I knew we had to platform the family and allow them to speak about their harrowing experiences. I reached out to a relative, Hani Shafai, and interviewed him about what the family had lived through, as well as his own experiences crossing from Gaza to Egypt. He told me how challenging it was to cross the border, even during times of peace, and discussed his grief over losing a cousin to an airstrike a few days earlier. It was an incredibly powerful experience speaking with Hani and it is one of the stories I’m most proud of working on.
After Noon (2021)
You know Before Sunrise? It's definitely not that. When a lovestruck couple wanders into a bar, they find that they can suddenly hear an omniscient narrator, who isn't as supportive as they would like.
After Noon is an absurdist comedy film based on Richard Linklater’s beloved romance Before Sunrise (1995). I oversaw all creative aspects of the film, from the idea’s inception to its cinematography to its post-production. My primary role, however, was to serve as the Director of Photography. I was responsible for creating the shot list, preparing locations, and operating the Arriflex 16SR3 16mm camera on which the film was shot. After Noon was filmed on location in Prague, CZ, with support from the Film and Television Academy (FAMU) on 16mm film.
MARI - MASSACHUSETTS ADOPTION RESOURCE EXCHANGE
This is an example of one of the foster care video profiles I made as an intern at the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange. My goal was to create a profile that truly captured the personality of the child it featured and allow them an opportunity to advocate for themselves, in any way they could. I was responsible for the entire video development process. I coordinated with social workers, organized the shoot, conducted interviews, and edited the piece. While it could be challenging to see the situations of many of these children, I feel proud of the work I did, and the potential each video had to place the child in a loving home.