My name is Jeffrey Shirts. I enjoy playing games and thinking about the way the world works as well as reading interesting books. One of my life goals is to better understand how other people view the world. I think stories (especially movies) are a good way to do this. I find relationships difficult due to being neurodivergent and not having a good grasp of how reationships work. I currently attend Utah Valley University studying Digital Cinema production and hope to get into the upper division of the program.
Ever since I decided to make Cinematography and photography my career, I have worked to improve my skills. During my time at Utah Valley University, I have gained the skills required to operate on a film set at a professional level, as well as the skills to tell interesting stories. I have so far made four films I am proud to put my name on. The two that I recommend watching are Jonah's Song and The Rise of an Independent Filmmaker. I have made four photo collections with the highlights being “On The Cutting Room Floor” and “The White Painting Project.” I have worked on a lot of film productions and held several jobs that have helped me develop as a photo editor.
Ever since I decided to pursue filmmaking as a career, my overarching goal is to tell stories that change the world. To do that I need to learn to paint with light so I can create interesting compositions and tell stories with photography. My long-term career goal is to have a career as a professional director of photography. I am currently pursuing a bachelors degree at UVU to hone my skills to the point that other cinematographers trust and respect my skills.