While I already had extensive experience in photography and videography dating back as far as 2012, I really started focusing more on producing films during the pandemic in 2020. Filming numerous music videos, performance art videos, fashion films, advertisements, event videos and art films. In 2023, I filmed, directed and edited a ~40 minute documentary film titled “Ecotopia”, documenting a series of sustainability workshops, for the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. Additionally in 2023, my short art film “Cirque Chromata” was accepted to the Chroma Arts Film Festival in Miami. This film was an explosion of color, movement and chaos using the beauty of aerial and other circus art performances as a base for creative visual exploration. In 2024, another of my short films, “From A Season Cocooned”, was accepted into the ScreenDance Miami Film Festival in the category “Films You Gotta See BIG!”. This film told a metaphorical story about the adaptation and perseverance of humanity as it emerged from the COVID pandemic, and was screened via the giant cinema projector in SoundScape Park in Miami Beach. In late 2024 I began taking classes in the Film Production Technology program at Miami-Dade College in order to learn more about larger scale productions and the film industry as a whole. Additionally in late 2024 I obtained my Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, licensing me to pilot and film with drones for commercial purposes.

Ryan Swartzlander

While I already had extensive experience in photography and videography dating back as far as 2012, I really started focusing more on producing films during the pandemic in 2020. Filming numerous music videos, performance art videos, fashion films, advertisements, event videos and art films. In 2023, I filmed, directed and edited a ~40 minute documentary film titled “Ecotopia”, documenting a series of sustainability workshops, for the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. Additionally in 2023, my short art film “Cirque Chromata” was accepted to the Chroma Arts Film Festival in Miami. This film was an explosion of color, movement and chaos using the beauty of aerial and other circus art performances as a base for creative visual exploration. In 2024, another of my short films, “From A Season Cocooned”, was accepted into the ScreenDance Miami Film Festival in the category “Films You Gotta See BIG!”. This film told a metaphorical story about the adaptation and perseverance of humanity as it emerged from the COVID pandemic, and was screened via the giant cinema projector in SoundScape Park in Miami Beach. In late 2024 I began taking classes in the Film Production Technology program at Miami-Dade College in order to learn more about larger scale productions and the film industry as a whole. Additionally in late 2024 I obtained my Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, licensing me to pilot and film with drones for commercial purposes.

Available to hire

While I already had extensive experience in photography and videography dating back as far as 2012, I really started focusing more on producing films during the pandemic in 2020. Filming numerous music videos, performance art videos, fashion films, advertisements, event videos and art films.

In 2023, I filmed, directed and edited a ~40 minute documentary film titled “Ecotopia”, documenting a series of sustainability workshops, for the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.

Additionally in 2023, my short art film “Cirque Chromata” was accepted to the Chroma Arts Film Festival in Miami. This film was an explosion of color, movement and chaos using the beauty of aerial and other circus art performances as a base for creative visual exploration.

In 2024, another of my short films, “From A Season Cocooned”, was accepted into the ScreenDance Miami Film Festival in the category “Films You Gotta See BIG!”. This film told a metaphorical story about the adaptation and perseverance of humanity as it emerged from the COVID pandemic, and was screened via the giant cinema projector in SoundScape Park in Miami Beach.

In late 2024 I began taking classes in the Film Production Technology program at Miami-Dade College in order to learn more about larger scale productions and the film industry as a whole.

Additionally in late 2024 I obtained my Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, licensing me to pilot and film with drones for commercial purposes.

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Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Sound Mixer / Sound Designer at Phresh New Day Productions
January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025
Sound mixer and designer for the short film 'Who We Are'; Cannes Global Film Festival entry and 48 Hour Film Project, directed by Jazz Patterson.
Writer / Director / Sound at Tasting (Student Film)
January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025
Writer, director and sound designer for the 2025 student film 'Tasting', voted class best picture; roles included directing and sound.
Writer / Director / Sound at Ecotopia
January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024
Writer, director and sound for 2024 project produced by Pangea Ali Virga.
Writer / Director at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens / Cirque Chromata
January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2023
Documentary commissioned by Vizcaya Museum and Gardens; writer/director for Cirque Chromata.
Writer / Director at Chroma Arts Film Festival
January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022
Writer/director for 'From a Season Cocooned', showcased at Chroma Arts Film Festival; produced by Pangea Ali Virga.
Writer / Director at SCREENDANCE Miami Film Festival
January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025
Writer/director for 'Stalking Elliot', a 2025 student film featured at SCREENDANCE Miami Film Festival.
Writer / Director at Freeze Tag (Student Film)
January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024
Writer/director for 2024 student film 'Freeze Tag'.
Director at Mom Hair (La Maca) — Music Video
January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024
Directed music video for Mom Hair by La Maca; produced by La Maca.
Director / Sound at Children of the Ghetto — Kyla Cherry
January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021
Director and sound for 2021 project 'Children of the Ghetto', produced by Kyla Cherry.
Director / Sound at Kansas City, Baby — Calvin Arsenia
January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016
Director and sound for 2016 project 'Kansas City, Baby', produced by Calvin Arsenia.
Advertisement Director at Yacht Sauce
January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021
Directed advertisement for Yacht Sauce in 2021.
Sound Recordist at 2S Designs – 'Summer in Hindsight'
January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021
Sound recordist for the fashion art film, directed by Khitam Jabr.
Videographer at Kansas City Fashion Week
January 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021
Videographer for Virtual Fashion Show; event coverage 2020-2021.
Director at Cherry Rebranding – Cherry Sports Wear
January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016
Directed rebranding campaign for Cherry Sports Wear in 2016.
Director at Cherry Sports Wear
January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016
Directed campaigns and branding for Cherry Sports Wear.
Finance Instructor at University of Missouri
January 1, 2015 - Present
Finance instructor teaching courses at the University of Missouri.
Freelance Photographer/Videographer
January 1, 2014 - Present
Freelance photographer and videographer; multiple projects 2014-present.
Sr. Manager – Data Analytics | Software Engineer/Architect at Oracle Corporation
January 1, 2004 - December 31, 2024
Senior roles in data analytics engineering and architecture at Oracle; 2004-2024.

Education

A.S. – Film Production Technology at Miami Dade College
January 1, 2026 - December 15, 2025
M.E.R.E. – Entrepreneurial Real Estate at University of Missouri
January 1, 2016 - December 15, 2025
M.S. – Finance at University of Missouri
January 1, 2013 - December 15, 2025
B.S. – Biology (Chemistry Minor) at University of Missouri
January 1, 2004 - December 15, 2025
A.A.S. – Computer Science at Metropolitan Community Colleges
January 1, 2000 - December 15, 2025

Qualifications

Part 107 Certified Commercial Drone Pilot
January 11, 2030 - December 15, 2025

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Education, Real Estate & Construction, Professional Services