Teaching Statement

Teaching filmmaking and cinematography is about more than just showing students how to use a camera or light a scene; it’s about helping them find their own creative lens and way of seeing the world. I try to approach each class not just as instruction but as a space for exploration where students can ask questions, take risks, and really think about why certain choices matter when telling a story visually.

I’ve taught a mix of courses from lighting and production to cinematography with both digital and 16mm cameras at Ohio University and Hocking College. My teaching style leans heavily on collaboration and doing. I believe students learn best when they’re actually making things, not just talking about them. So, we dive into hands-on projects, critique each other’s work, and often break down scenes frame by frame to understand how visual language really works. I try to keep focus on processes, not perfection, and I encourage students to embrace mistakes as a natural part of growing as artists.

As someone who immigrated to the U.S., I bring a cross-cultural perspective that shapes how I approach filmmaking and teaching. I encourage students to draw from their own backgrounds and identities and use film as a way of exploring those experiences. I do my best to make the classroom a space where everyone feels seen and safe enough to be honest in their work and where we can have thoughtful conversations about the things that matter to us.

I don’t pretend to have all the answers. What I hope to do is help students ask better questions, the kind that push them to dig deeper into their ideas, their visuals, and their purpose as filmmakers. At the end of the day, my goal is for students to walk away not just knowing how to make a film but feeling like they have something worth saying and the tools to say it.