Becoming a
Self-Reliant Leader
Director · Producer · Cinematographer · Editor
The Project
Created alongside the launch of Jan Rutherford's Becoming a Self-Reliant Leader, this documentary series follows a group of leaders through the 2022 Canyon Crucible - a multi-day backcountry expedition designed to put leadership principles into practice.
The films connect Jan's ideas around trust, accountability. resilience, and self-reliance to the real decisions, discomfort, and group dynamics unfolding in the field
CLIENT - Self Reliant-Leadership
ROLE - Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Editor
FORMAT - Documentary short series
PRODUCTION - 2022 Canyon Crucible
LOCATION - Colorado
Episode 1 / Book Trailer
The Approach
The production had to operate inside the expedition rather than around it. I handled the project from pre-production through post. planning the camera and audio package, transportation, power, media, and shooting strategy around the realities of moving through remote canyon terrain. Using the GPX route supplied by the lead guide, I pre-ran sections of the course, identified likely shooting positions and visual opportunities, and planned where I could move ahead of the group without interfering with the experience itself.
Shaping the Story
The challenge was to create a coherent documentary narrative inside an experience that could not be staged or repeated.
I planned around the major beats of the route while staying flexible enough to respond to what developed naturally - moments of uncertainty, fatigue, collaboration, and leadership within the group. The goal was to let the expedition itself demonstrate the ideas in Jan’s book rather than simply illustrating them.