nathaniel torok

I have over ten years experience working as a camera operator, editor, and video producer developing documentary style content for online platforms and for broadcast. I am also an experienced photographer and have gained experience working in a newsroom environment as a floor manager.

In 2012 I received the Chancellor’s International Scholarship to study a Masters Degree in Journalism and Documentary at The University of Sussex in the United Kingdom. Within this program my 20-minute thesis documentary gained distinction and was selected as the best film for the graduating class of 2013. The documentary went on to play at several film festivals across the United States, and was also nominated for best cinematography at DOCUTAH. Through my Masters program I was awarded the opportunity to gain experience working on the documentary series BBC Scotland Investigates as an intern in Glasgow. I was also hired by a local production company to help edit a feature length documentary, and develop twelve 3-5 minute short documentaries based on the main characters within the film. I then went on to work as a floor manager for ITV News in London - which allowed me to gain experience working in a live newsroom environment.

In 2016 after completing several independently produced short documentaries I was selected as a recipient for the Documentary Channel’s Doc Accelerator Scholarship. This is a fellowship awarded to eight-emerging documentary filmmakers from across Canada and is sponsored by the Documentary Channel and Hot Docs. Over the past seven years I have worked as a Camera Operator, Editor, Photographer, and Producer for Metro Vancouver’s Multimedia Division. This role consists of filming, editing, and producing 3-5 minute documentary style news stories for online platforms. I do everything from researching, script writing, operating camera, conducting interviews, sound-recording, drone operation, and offline editing the story to completion. I have also gained experience producing and filming short documentary web content for BBC World Service’s CrowdScience program.

I have also worked as a camera operator, producer, and director on documentaries in Malawi and throughout Kenya. I spent the last three months filming a short documentary in Kenya and am now taking Swahili and Somali language lessons. I have a desire to return to Nairobi and work full time and continue to learn the local language.

Before transitioning into work as a video producer, editor, and camera operator I worked for over 15 years as a youth worker in Philadelphia and Vancouver. The roles I worked

in included the assistance in running the non-profit organization Intersections Media in Vancouver. This is a program that works with at-risk-youth in Vancouver teaching them video making and life-skills. I also worked as a director of an academic summer program in Philadelphia for nine summers from 2001 - 2010. This role includes managing a staff of over twenty-five employees and the supervision of over two-hundred students per session. I also worked at an international boarding school in North Vancouver, BC for over nine years and taught video-production and film history courses.

I believe my experience working within the media for over ten years combined with my extensive youth work experience would make me well suited for this role. I also have a desire to return to Kenya to work and live.

Diploma - Professional Film Studies

Degree - American History

Masters Degree - Journalism and Documentary Practice