Owner of Grayborders LLC
28 Years Old • Fort Collins
Tell us about yourself, your history and how you came to be where you are now.
I grew up on the East Coast and enlisted in the U.S. Army after high school. I am a veteran of the 75th Ranger Regiment, and during my third combat deployment to Afghanistan, I filmed and photographed our missions. After the military, I attended Colorado State University, where I studied journalism and documentary filmmaking. I fell in love with the mountains and the outdoor adventures Colorado has to offer. I now work as a commercial freelance videographer and photographer for local companies and create documentaries about the people of Fort Collins.
Explain your career, achievements and professional highlights.
One documentary I am working on is about a local veteran who lost his leg and now fights competitively in jiu-jitsu tournaments around the world. We traveled to Abu Dhabi in 2024 to film him in an international competition. Another documentary I’m working on is about a Fort Collins resident with Down Syndrome. He has always dreamed of being a filmmaker, and the documentary details his life and the process of making the film. Together, we won best documentary in the 2024 ARC Film Festival.
In what ways do you give back to the community?
Fort Collins is an interesting town with a variety of activities and people who come from all over the country. There are so many interesting stories to tell and people to meet. Many of those people influenced me and helped me get to where I am today. Any chance I get, I am always trying to help other creatives and give them the tools to be successful, whether that be through training videographers, mentoring them or documenting the compelling stories of this vibrant community.
What do you consider the biggest accomplishment or challenge you’ve overcome, either professionally or personally?
Professionally, I think my military service is my best accomplishment. It made me into who I am today, brought me some of my closest friends and taught me how far you can really push yourself. Personally, I love that I can support my fiancé and give us a life that has been a lot of fun. We just bought a house and are getting married in the fall, and I have never been happier.
Tell us something unique about you.
My first jobs were delivering pizzas and selling ice cream on the beach. I loved the people I worked with, and they always made a bad day funny. I used to lie to my parents when I got off of work so I could sit and hang out with them after a long day and laugh through their stories.
Where do you see yourself in five years? In 10 years?
In five years, I want to be part of a large media company where I can work with clients who have interesting stories and create films/commercials to help build their brands. In 10 years, I want to think even bigger and work on projects that take me around the world, highlighting stories that need to be told.
What piece(s) of advice would you give to your younger self?
Trust Mom. She always has a weird way of knowing what’s right and has helped me with big decisions.
How do you pick your film projects?
I chose documentaries based on the stories people have. Everyone has a story or wants to accomplish something, and I love hearing new stories.
Why is documentary filmmaking important to you?
I like documentary filmmaking more than narrative filmmaking because it’s real people with real stories. Narrative films are great, but they are made up and lose the impact of someone’s real triumph, problems or accomplishments. People are so incredible and accomplish so many cool things. When I started out, I thought of being a photojournalist, but I found that the business of journalism limits storytelling, so this is the next best thing. Documentaries give you time to sit and watch people try something. It’s always inspiring.
Local business shoutout:
My favorite local business that helped me get my start is the nonprofit Blast N Scrap. They are the connecting tissue between up-and-comers and the professional establishments and venues across Northern Colorado. I highly recommend them for anyone trying to make anything creative or try something new.
