On April 1, 2023, the National Endowment for the Arts honored the 2023 NEA Jazz Masters—Regina Carter, Kenny Garrett, Louis Hayes, and Sue Mingus—at a concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. This collection of talented artists allowed us into their homes to celebrate their achievements and hear their unique philosophies on music. Archival producer, 2023 produced for Keisis Films.
It is nearly impossible to navigate everyday life in America without being able to speak English, especially when it comes to crucial matters like healthcare and finances, and daily tasks like grocery shopping or reading mail. Many first-generation Latinos are dependent on the youngest members of their family to communicate in English. Of adult first-generation Latinos, 23% say they can carry on a conversation in English very well. That number increases with each following generation, leaving the crucial task of translating in the hands of the youngest members of families. 1
“Translators,” will screen during the Tribeca Festival on June 13, after the film made its worldwide debut at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival. The documentary short film delivers an emotional, first-person look at the lives of three of these immigrant families and the important role that young translators play in everyday lives of older generations.
Directed by Emmy-award winning filmmaker Rudy Valdez, the documentary short film follows the stories of three immigrant children (Densel – 11, Harye - 13 and Virginia - 16) who are responsible for handling complex adult conversations and helping to make decisions beyond their years. The impactful film highlights the need to provide resources to Hispanic and Latino communities to eliminate barriers for non-English speaking adults and provide support in closing language and opportunity gaps. I was very lucky to produce this film along with our team.
On January 15th, 1989 a New York Telephone operator receives a call from a woman screaming that someone is trying to kill her. When the call is suddenly disconnected, the operator alerts police. They soon discover that Betty Jeanne Solomon, a 40 year old mother, has been shot nine times at close range in her apartment. Deemed the “Fatal Attraction Murder” by the tabloids, police unravel a complex tale of adultery, lies, and obsession. After two trials, school teacher Carolyn Warmus is convicted in 1992 of murdersing her lover’s wife in a fit of jealous rage. But after twenty seven years in prison, she still maintains her innocence. Produced for Oxygen. Credit: archival producer.
Three people are struck by subway trains each week in New York City.
‘Spiritual First Aid’ is a meditation on the psychological toll this statistic takes on employees of the Metropolitan Transit Authority. A group of interfaith spiritual leaders volunteer as first responders to traumatic accidents, consoling train operators whose jobs entail the possibility of encountering a suicide around every corner. This hybrid documentary imagines the emotional process of a transit employee in distress, as guided by the MTA’s official chaplains.
Officially selected to premiere at the 2021 Rooftop Film Festival. Credits director and cinematographer.
The Murdaugh family saga demonstrates just how complex the labyrinth of corruption is among the South Carolina good ol’ boys. A Saturday night boat ride in 2019 turns deadly for three young couples in Beaufort. What follows is a shocking series of events that threaten the all-powerful Murdaugh dynasty’s heir. A year later, the double-murder of the wife and son of powerful attorney Alex Murdaugh stuns the community his family has presided over for almost a century. Soon secret evidence, cold-cases and suspicions of cover-up add to attention and pressure on the legal dynasty. As lawyers and journalists dig into the financials of the Murdaugh family, they expose a web of lies as criminal charges accumulate against Alex Murdaugh in the aftermath. Allegations of conspiracy, fraud, and murder upend life in his South Carolina community amidst ongoing investigations.
"Activate: The Global Citizen Movement" is a six-part multi-platform documentary series for the National Geographic Channel. Each episode delves into a different issue connected to the root causes of extreme poverty, following a specific Global Citizen campaign and the organizers, amplifiers, grassroots activists, action takers and people whose lives are being changed. Episode topics include eradicating extreme poverty, ending cash bail, breaking down barriers to girls' education, funding education for displaced children, ending plastic pollution and helping solve the water crisis. The series features Hugh Jackman, Common, Usher, Rachel Brosnahan, Gayle King, Bonang Matheba, Darren Criss, Pharrell Williams, Uzo Aduba, Becky G, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas.
In this scene from the pilot episode in Mexico, Aurora shares how joining the women's' weaving collective "Vida Nueva" changed her life. Produced by Radical Media.
"Activate: The Global Citizen Movement" is a six-part multi-platform documentary series for the National Geographic Channel produced by Radical Media. This episode on the impact of plastic pollution in the Philippines won the 2020 Environmental Media Award for best documentary series. Darren Criss travels to the Philippines to see how his mother’s birth country is dealing with plastic pollution, and interacts with coastal communities struggling to make ends meet.
Lianne La Havas defies easy labels in her new album “Blood”. Credits videographer and associate producer
Mariana van Zeller has been investigating the underbelly of crime and human desperation for over 15 years. We can understand her curiosity and her drive, but viewers never get to see what it takes to sit across the table from a drug cartel member and talk about how it feels to kill. In her shows, Mariana makes it all seem so easy, so normal. Yet at times she admits to being scared, nervous, sad. In Mariana van Zeller Investigates we go behind the scenes of some of the most intense moments in her trajectory with National Geographic. She tells us what it takes to get the story.
Scott Schuman, better known as the Sartorialist, captures examples of street style around the world to post on his popular blog. He’s not documenting not fashion trends exactly, but something more individual and personal. We talked to the photographer, author of the upcoming "The Sartorialist: X," during New York Fashion Week. Credits producer and writer
After President Trump was sworn in, one Texas sheriff made a policy change limiting cooperation with agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, fearing that undocumented people won't trust police if they're afraid of being deported. Taking action to make her city a “sanctuary” has drawn criticism and retaliation. William Brangham reports. Credits videographer, associate producer, researcher
“Hot-cha girls.” “Strip tease darlings.” “Exotic dancers.” These are just some of the words producers have used to bill burlesque performers over the years. Decked in sequins, glitter, and six-foot ostrich feathers, the glamorous vixens of the vintage nightclub know how to captivate our attention. Burlesque dates back to the mid 19th century, but it experienced a decline in the 1970s and 80s. In the past 20 years, the so-called “neo-burlesque” movement has seen a resurgence in popularity. Neo burlesque companies are often run by women, for women, and frequently incorporate contemporary attitudes about feminism and sexuality into their acts. The artform has cultivated a devout following in cities across America.
While some have dismissed burlesque as little more than glorified stripping, defenders of neo-burlesque say it is about reclaiming society’s objectification of women. It’s not what you’d see at a stripclub — dancers remove clothes, but never get completely naked. They use costumes, music and parody to tell stories. Some shows are intellectual, some are political, and some are pure comedy.
Recently, neo-burlesque companies have emerged, devoted specifically to showcasing performers of color.
National Geographic has “Photo Camps” all over the world. Through 67 workshops, the organization hopes to forge cross-cultural understanding through photography. The program, celebrating 10 years, works with underserved and refugee youth who are trying to lift themselves and their communities out of difficult and sometimes life-threatening situations. Credits videographer and associate producer.
“No living creature, not even man, has achieved in the center of his sphere, what the bee has achieved” so writes Maurice Maeterlinck in his poetic work The Life of the Bee. Produced for an art installation at PS122 in the East Village, my step mother and I collaborated on this mixed media installation - an ode to bees.
We traveled to the Democratic Primary Debate hosted in Milwaukee Wisconsin to film a behind the scenes video with the PBS NewsHour’s Student Reporting Labs. Credits editor, videographer, field producer
The Student Reporting Labs team covered the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, exploring each host city to find a diverse range of youth perspectives on this year’s presidential race. Many first-time voters expressed frustration with their choices for president this year, admitting they felt little enthusiasm for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. Yet, others said they were excited to take part in this year’s election, particularly young delegates attending the convention to cast their votes. Credits videographer, editor, field producer.
Jordan created and hosted "LEVEL UP," a new video tutorial series for the PBS NewsHour’s Student Reporting Labs, aimed to help student journalists tell better stories. The series won a National Educational Telecommunications Association award in 2018.
In Been there, lit that Jordan examines why good lighting is critical to producing great videos.
In Get that b-roll, Jordan explains why b-roll is key to powerful storytelling.
In Do’s and Don’ts Jordan explains common problems in audio production, how to solve them, and what students can do to capture quality audio.
A colorful collection of some of my best work.
Juliette Binoche Takes the Stage in ‘Antigone’ at the Kennedy Center. Credits videographer, associate producer.
What if you could have a conversation with any historical figure dead or alive?
