I was the Director of Photography for the three-part documentary film series "Hold Our Ground," which highlights the innovative work of producers across the state of Colorado to promote soil health and create more resilient agricultural systems. The farmer's episode recently won Best of Competition in the 2023 Broadcast Education Awards for the Instructional/Educational Film & Video category.
This video I produced, recorded, and edited was part of a story I did for Rocky Mountain PBS on the rising cost of farm land in Fort Collins and the grassroots community innovation in response to the issue. You can read the accompanying article I wrote here.
I was awarded the 2022 and 2023 Voices With Impact production grant to create a short film about the mental health theme of that year. For 2023, I co-directed the "Clubbing." A comedy about cliques and echo chambers faced at a college club fair.
In 2022, I co-created the poetic documentary "Beyond the Soil" about the climate anxiety faced by farmers and ranchers. I was the Director of Photography and an editor for both films, which are currently in the film festival circuit. "Beyond the Soil" has already been an official selection in eight festivals.
I filmed and edited this video about the Amazing from Afar communication campaign for the Center for Science Communication at Colorado State University (CSU). I was also the research photographer and a data analyst for the research project.
"Whole" is the first short film I directed, and it was created as a part of the 2021 Make More Everything Challenge in Fort Collins. The basis of the challenge was for a newly assembled team to create a short narrative film in one week. Whole went on to win the audience choice award of the challenge and be an official screening at the 2021 Horsetooth International Film Festival (HIFF).
"Focus, Please" was the second short film I directed. It was an official selection at the 2023 Vienna Independent Film Festival, the 2023 Horsetooth Fest, and the 2024 Castle Rock Film Festival.
The music video for Oh, Colorado was created by myself and Chiara Garland. I was the cinematographer and co-editor for the project. Oh, Colorado was an official selection of HIFF 2021.
As part of a series of videos I edited and directed for CSU's Environmental Learning Center (ELC), this video takes a light-hearted and humorous approach to birding at the ELC.
Lasting Embers explores the lasting impacts of wildfire in Colorado after the devastating 2020 fire season. This is the first documentary I have directed and edited, and it sparked the creation of the environmental communication production company WUI Productions. Lasting Embers was also an official selection in the HIFF, 2022 Colorado Short Circuit Film Festival, and 2021 CSU Student Documentary Film Showcase.
I was the Director of Photography, Assistant Director, and Editor for the Crop Diversity Series that was produced with multiple scientists and identities at CSU. This 6-part educational series won numerous international awards and a Best of Show Broadcast Education Association award.
This interview with Russick Smith took place during the 53:14 Music Video Festival. I was a part of the Mattbox 70 team that filmed Smith's music video for "Élan En Miraflores" that was completed in 53 hours and 14 minutes. The video clips that are not interview are from the music video.
Over the last couple of years, I have been experimenting with Super 8 film during my travels, and these short films represent my passion and skill with film.
Despite doing this video during my senior year of college, it has stood the test of time as Tessa Hoenig is affectionately called "Tess the Mess" by her friends for a good reason!
