I’m Zachariah Budd, a Director of Photography and Creative Director based in Southern California, and I’m the founder of Cultivation Studios. With 8 years of experience crafting captivating visuals and 5 years in film production and cinematography, I focus on creative, visually impactful storytelling—whether it’s social-first content, branded campaigns, or documentary-style work. I also bring a strong business and production foundation to every project, including project management, budgeting, hiring, and clear communication from concept through delivery. I’ve led and shot award-winning series and commercials, worked with talent and major brands, and supported consistent content rollouts across social platforms—always with an eye for compelling results and a great client experience.…

Zachariah Budd

I’m Zachariah Budd, a Director of Photography and Creative Director based in Southern California, and I’m the founder of Cultivation Studios. With 8 years of experience crafting captivating visuals and 5 years in film production and cinematography, I focus on creative, visually impactful storytelling—whether it’s social-first content, branded campaigns, or documentary-style work. I also bring a strong business and production foundation to every project, including project management, budgeting, hiring, and clear communication from concept through delivery. I’ve led and shot award-winning series and commercials, worked with talent and major brands, and supported consistent content rollouts across social platforms—always with an eye for compelling results and a great client experience.…

Available to hire

I’m Zachariah Budd, a Director of Photography and Creative Director based in Southern California, and I’m the founder of Cultivation Studios. With 8 years of experience crafting captivating visuals and 5 years in film production and cinematography, I focus on creative, visually impactful storytelling—whether it’s social-first content, branded campaigns, or documentary-style work.

I also bring a strong business and production foundation to every project, including project management, budgeting, hiring, and clear communication from concept through delivery. I’ve led and shot award-winning series and commercials, worked with talent and major brands, and supported consistent content rollouts across social platforms—always with an eye for compelling results and a great client experience.

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Work Experience

Film Director of Photography at Aww Films
June 1, 2022 - Present
Direct and execute cinematography for creative, visually impactful storytelling. Create and edit engaging short-form content for platforms like TikTok and other social media campaigns, including interviews, music videos, and commercials. Manage social media content creation and rollouts for business pages and client collaborations while maintaining consistent branding and audience engagement. Lead production management responsibilities from concept to delivery, including budgeting, hiring, and coordination of production teams.
Lead Video (Lead Cinematographer) at Two Fourteen Lead Video
March 1, 2021 - Present
Lead cinematographer for a photo + video wedding company, collaborating closely with the Creative Director and overseeing the 2nd video unit during shoot days. Shot 150+ weddings with a focus on delivering compelling visuals that tell each couple’s story. Provide exceptional customer service to enhance the client experience while maintaining strong production quality.
Creative Director & Owner at Cultivation Studios
March 1, 2018 - Present
Full-scale production management from concept to delivery, including budgeting, hiring, and execution to ensure high-quality output. Serve as a director for documentary and branded campaigns, editorial photo campaigns, and on-set creative direction with a focus on technical precision. Oversee a modeling agency with 20+ models, coordinating brand campaigns and agency trips to Hawaii where photo and video content is produced for multiple social platforms. Lead cinematography and editorial photography, and handle editing across social content, interviews, documentary work, commercials, and photo editing.

Education

Business Administration; Management at Mt. San Antonio College
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2021
Film Production – Film Direction – Creative Direction – Cinematography – Post Production – Video Editing – Project Management – Communication – Organization Skills – Business Development – Project Budgeting – Social Media – CRM – Data Analysis – Networkin at Mt. San Antonio College
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2021

Qualifications

Add your qualifications or awards here.

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Professional Services, Non-Profit Organization
    Mcdonalds & Myx Global
    I was the Director of Photography for a TV series where artists showcased original music and took us through the journey of how their songs came to fruition in this intimate open mic setting at the “Golden Arch Cafe” brought to you by McDonald’s. This was the second season of the online series.…