An amateur video editor for much of her young life, Taylor ultimately received her B.A. in Film from Lawrence University in 2016. During her time at LU, she was able to expand on her film background in collaboration with her inspiring peers and stellar professors, focusing on gaining hands-on experience in documentary filmmaking and music video production in particular. Her senior experience, Virtual Reality In Film, studied how VR could revolutionize the ways in which we design visual experiences, moving towards more immersive and inclusive standards for education and entertainment.
Brown Water (2015)
In 2015, Taylor worked on a short documentary alongside co-directors Jamie DeMotts and Hugo Espinosa, with the guidance of producer and visiting professor Catherine Tatge and technical director Kevin Summers. The film, titled Brown Water, brought attention to local water pollution and the impact loose (or ignored) local guidelines can have on families as part of the 2015 Civic Life Project.
Jamie, Hugo, and Taylor worked side by side in all aspects of Brown Water’s production, from conceptualization and initial research to interviewing and content-capturing to post-production and presenting. The entire film was completed in just ten weeks.
Shy Faced - Snort (2015)
Later in 2015, Taylor designed her own course for her Film major based on a prospective career that had always fascinated her: Music Video Directing.
She created an experimental music video from scratch for the Chicago-based math-rock band Snort. The video, backed by the song Shy Faced, emphasizes the mundane details, repetitive nature, and occasional chaos of everyday life while crawling towards a hint of triumph. Taylor took advantage of her free rein by playing heavily with color correction while remaining careful to be as rhythmic as possible in her editing.
Going forward...
Taylor would love an opportunity to further expand her visual storytelling skills. Let her know if you’d like to collaborate!