Six years ago, I was living in a small town in Pennsylvania. At a crossroads in my career, I was working random jobs while trying to fund my new production company. It was a great start, but I knew I was steadily outgrowing my hometown. That’s about the time CreativeMornings came into my life and set me in a promising direction.

The year was 2012. I was asked to develop a video intro for CreativeMornings’ flagship chapter in Brooklyn. It was exciting because I knew I was going to make something great. You know that buzzing feeling you get when a great idea lives inside anxiously waiting to transform into living art in the outside world? I submitted the intro and received the best feedback- Tina dancing around her co-working studio singing, “It’s just what I wanted!” What an amazing feeling to know my work had the ability to move people, literally!

I started filming and editing CreativeMornings NYC talks that March. Since I was living in a different state, I often hit the road no later than 5am in order to arrive on time. I did this for 4 years- roughly 50 events. These Friday gatherings became my sacred ritual. Designers, authors, illustrators, inventors…taking the stage to give US, the creative community, their inside scoop for FREE. Here, behind the camera, I was capturing this generous contribution and allowing it to be shared to thousands more. It’s been an absolute honor to document these individuals that dedicate themselves to art.

Not only was I taking in information from many creatives I looked up to, I learned even more about my own craft. Sometimes, the audio wasn’t working properly, or the lights didn’t turn on. Every venue possessed a unique set of challenges to work around, and I lived for it. I gained more and more confidence with each passing lecture and location.

Smash cut to present day. Much has changed. CreativeMornings has grown from a handful of chapters to nearly 200 chapters world-wide. Incredible! I live in Brooklyn with my soul person and an awesome dog. Amazing! I have a handful of repeat clients I met during lectures and a production company that continues to expand in the types of video projects offered. Exciting! CM helped push me in the right direction, and I’ll always be grateful for that.

I filmed my final CM talk in June. The host was the insanely talented doodle artist, Jon Burgerman. This was the perfect last event to be a part of, and I was given a spectacular reverse wave pointing towards me in the back of the room. Much appreciated, Tina and audience.

I learned so much these past six years. I was inspired, energized, and often, deeply moved. It has made my dream of commercial and documentary filmmaking a tangible thing. I couldn’t resist the idea of surprising CM HQ with a top ten video of my favorite moments in this wonderful community.

Today, I’m keeping busy with freelance video projects. A short film about my dad’s rubber band-powered airplane hobby is launching soon, and I’m in the developing stages of a short documentary series touching on a personal subject. Tina and her team often refer to CreativeMornings as an engine of generosity. Your generosity would be greatly appreciated if you or someone you know is ever in need of a filmmaking team for event, commercial, or documentary work.

Thanks again CreativeMornings! You’ll always be a part of my NYC family.