It's exciting to see our emerging filmmakers hone their craft with meaningful storytelling and cinematic excellence, then receive recognition from industry peers. It's a familiar path for School of Film, Media & Theatre alumnus Timothy Richardson (M.A. '21) for his recent film, "Through Our Lens," a short documentary that centers on the importance of photography for Black liberation and how images have brought truth to power by capturing the Black experience.
Released in 2022 by Untraditional Films, Richardson shared the film credits of co-writing, producing and directing the documentary and served as the film's director of photography. "Through Our Lens" was an Official Selection entry and festival winner at the 2022 NAACP Cinematic Shorts Competition. A screening of the film will also take place at the 2023 NAACP Image Awards weekend in February.
"This documentary is special to me because it's the first national competition I've competed in," said Richardson. "I believe the filmmaking tools I acquired from Georgia State really made the difference for me, and I'm thankful to have such a supportive staff of professors who held my hand and helped me find my voice."
Looking back, when Richardson first stepped foot on Georgia State’s downtown Atlanta campus, he wasn't sure which direction to lean towards except that he was certain he wanted to be a filmmaker. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and like many students, he faced the hardship of switching to virtual classes. Through focus and perseverance, Richardson fulfilled his educational filmmaking goal.
Today, Richardson thrives as a professional director of photography, writer, cinematographer and director. His films have screened at numerous domestic and international film festivals, including wins for Best Drama North America for "First Time" at the Couch Film Festival and the Jury's Choice Award for "Aime Toi Fille Noire" for the Monthly Indie Shorts.