Client: Mission St. Louis

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Production Company: The Journey | CC

Director: Brett Arndt

Director of Photography: Stephen Greathouse

Anthony spent the majority of his youth in and out of the justice system. After losing his brother to gun violence and turning to drugs for relief from life's greatest struggles. Anthony turned his life around after a recommendation to Mission St. Louis, a local nonprofit that specializes in job and leadership training. I enjoyed the opportunity to follow Anthony for over a year documenting his progress in the program and personal life.

Melissa has been battling breast cancer for the past few years. She is confident in her skin, her faith, her family and she chooses to celebrate all the little life moments amongst her struggles and her pain. I had the honor to film her story as she battles the ups and the downs of breast cancer.

Becky uses her skills as a nurse in some of the most dangerous cities in the world. She travels to Tegucigalpa, Honduras nearly twice a year with a team of surgeons to perform surgeries for patients who attend a hospital that serves underprivileged and at-risk patients in the heart of the city. I had the amazing opportunity to shadow her with a camera and document her story and relationship she has built with the locals of the hospital in Tegucigalpa.

Mike grew up without his father in a single family household with his mother. His mother was his best friend and his neighborhood a close second. In search for affirmation from father figures in the neighborhood, Mike found himself caught up in the drug and party scene fighting his way to recognition. After over 20 years of being separated from his father, Mike reunited for the first time with his father on camera right here in St. Louis.

Leonardo, aka Leo, grew up in Sao Paulo, Brazil next to the second largest Catholic Church outside the Vatican. It wasn't until he moved to the heat of United States to study Film Production at Lindenwood did he learn about Jesus's saving grace for all who believe in him. Leo interned under my supervision as I was employed by The Journey, a multi-site church in the greater St. Louis area. This story was filmed and edited by Leo with the help and supervision from myself.

A video of Job & Leadership Training grad and now @SlalomSTL Analyst, Darrell Standard, will leave you speechless. http://www.missionstl.org/