To be a great videographer or filmmaker requires a cohesive vision, posessing technical skills that allows for adventure, and the ability to unify a film crew towards a common goal. The nominees for best videographers of Denton are the best in making films, music videos, and commercial productions. 

Wesley Kirk

If you've checked out the nominees for the best Denton-made short films, then you may have seen Wesley Kirk's experimental short film/music video Still Forms. In this profile on photographer Temi Coker, Kirk proves that documentaries can have a visual elegance as much as narratives can. He now runs his production company, The Vision Beautiful, alongside his fiancé Erin Summerlin. Other 2016 projects Kirk completed include a short doc about Summerlin's tradition of sweater bombing a UNT statue, and an insight into what brought Wesley Jenson to Denton, TX.

Daniel Routh

Daniel Routh and fellow nominee Ryan Polly are partners in their production company, Maker Table. In our opinion, both deserve to be recognized as great filmmakers in their own right. When one is directing a project, the other is likely filling a critical role such as director of photography or producer. In the music video for "By Now" performed by Grady Spencer and the Work, Daniel Routh deftly puts together a familiar narrative of a lonely drinker missing his past love with the band performing live at Magnolia's in Fort Worth. Admire his cinematography skills in the horror-comedy sketch Ham & Pineapple.

Jon Collins

If you've liked the ad campaigns for Little Guy's Movers and 35 Denton last year then you're already a fan of Jon Collins. His video for Jonas Martin's "Let Them Drown" includes the familiar artwork around the beloved Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios and well, a lot of oddness. He also directed a satisfyingly weird video for Sudie's "The Vicious Kind." It also can't hurt to have another look at the "Venues of Denton" promotion created in collaboration with Artlab 3000. Collins works as a freelancer, but he's also the commercial director for Swash Labs.

German Torres

German Torres' first videos were skateboarding sessions with friends. Torres hit the ground running after recently graduating from UNT with a degree in Radio, TV, Film and launched his company, Orange Film and Photo. He's also the DP for the best short film nominee, Quince. He seems to be the go-to videographer for Fort Worth rapper, Lou Charle$ with "Hall of Fame" being their second collaboration. Don't sleep on his music video for the Boombachs or his recap of the Dub Show Tour in Dallas.

Ryan Polly

Polly's video for "We Were Strong" by Nite is stylish and full of recognizable Denton sites. Just because they're places Dentonites have seen repeatedly, doesn't mean they can't look sharp in a video. Check out his supercut of his favorite films of 2016 in case you need to know what movies you need to catch up on immediately.

Header image design by Brittany Keeton