I’m Genevieve Shade. I’m a 20-year-old documentary filmmaker, analog photographer, and nonfiction storyteller. I create short documentaries about people, places, and institutions that are overlooked by conventional media. I made my first documentary at age 11 for an academic competition called National History Day. I went all the way to the national competition with the film and saw Ken Burns speak.
In 2023, I traveled across the United States to film with various people and places that practice alternative, self-directed education for a documentary series. I did this with my partner, Ben. You can find the series, Learning and Liberation, here. Since then, I’ve spent my time editing the 993.17 GB of 1080p footage we captured. When I’m not making films, you can find me hiking deep in the woods, dancing until I collapse, devouring books about history, and rattling out a zine on my Olivetti typewriter.
Some verbs for consideration:
I film, photograph, and document the things happening around me; I direct and interview film participants; I produce documentaries; I write copy for social media and newsletters; I grade raw film footage.
Most of my education has occurred through traditional mentor relationships. I believe that learning happens best through supportive relationships, seeking feedback from mentors, iterating on work, and intentional periods of intense transformation and growth.
These are some of the teachers I’ve worked with who have profoundly impacted my creative and work life:
Want to work together? Or just chat? I’d love to hear from you.
Reach out at shade.genevieve[at]gmail[dot]com