A Bittersweet Milestone: Honoring the Legacy of Brent Renaud
Last night marked a profound moment in my career. I am incredibly honored to share that Armed Only With A Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud has been recognized with an Oscar nomination. While the accolade is a career high, the weight of this project goes far beyond the screen
Firstly, I want to extend my deepest congratulations to the entire team—especially Craig Renaud, Juan Arredondo, and Jon Alpert.
I first met Craig and Brent Renaud in late 2016. At the time, I was working at a post-production facility when I was told a pair of documentary filmmakers wanted to meet me. I remember walking out of that color suite hoping I’d get the job; there was an immediate, genuine connection. They chose me to serve as the colorist for their HBO documentary, Meth Storm.
As the colorist, the entire visual look was placed in my hands. It was as intimidating as it was exciting. Before our first session, I immersed myself in the Renaud Brothers' previous work. I was struck by their signature vérité style and the raw humanity that seeped through every frame.
When the sessions began, Brent was the one who joined me in the suite. Any anxiety I felt vanished the moment he walked in. Brent was disarmingly friendly, pleasant, and possessed a wit that made a high-pressure week of grading feel like a shared creative joy.
Our paths crossed a few times over the following years, but everything changed on a morning in March. I remember opening my news app and seeing Brent’s face on the front page of The New York Times with the devastating headline: “Brent Renaud, An American Journalist, Is Killed in Ukraine.”
Years later, Craig reached out with a project that was deeply personal: a documentary chronicling Brent’s life and final days. There was no hesitation; I immediately said yes. Working alongside the talented team at DCTV—including Jon Alpert and Naomi Mizoguchi—we spent five days in the suite in downtown Manhattan bringing this story to life.
It was, without question, the most emotional project I have ever graded. Much of the work was done solo in a dark room, which was a blessing, as the film is as heartbreaking as it is beautiful. One moment in the film captures Brent’s essence perfectly: an injured man on a stretcher looks at him and says, “You shoot from your heart!”
After dozens of passes, that scene still brings me to tears. It encapsulates everything I recognized in Brent: his work always came from a place of profound love for the people he covered.
Rest in peace, Brent Renaud. You touched the lives of everyone you met, and you are dearly missed.
Congratulations to Craig, Juan, Jon, Naomi, and the entire cast and crew. It was a privilege to help tell this story.
Armed Only With A Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud is currently streaming on Max.
