Okay, let's talk.

max@maxmortenson.com
LinkedIn  |  Resume

Here's me in 2 mins 24 sec.

2014
I graduated high school. I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do, so I just picked Business Management.
2015
I made a friend in college, and we started a small computer business in his parents’ garage. It turned out to be better money than my day job.

I also picked up my first camera and started exploring the world of photography.
Nikon D3300 Digital Camera
2016
I graduated with my Associate’s in Business Management and kept on slinging computers. Although, I still felt like something was missing...
Me and my parents at my college graduation ceremony
2017
After being completely blown away by Blade Runner: 2049, it struck me that it was someone’s job to create the visual experience I had just witnessed. During the car ride home, I knew that was what I was meant to do.
3 frames from Blade Runner: 2049
2018
With the rise of crypto-mining, computer hardware became increasingly expensive and hard to source. It was time to move on from self-employment.

Rural Wisconsin offers few jobs to pick from, so I landed at the local DMV. I learned a lot about effective communication and it turned out to be a bigger blessing than I could have imagined.
Flash the sloth from Zootopia
2019
I got my first video gig shooting a friend’s wedding – Bride Runner: 2019, if you will.
A frame from the first wedding I shot. the couple smiling at each other on a rope swing
2020
Eventually, I just couldn’t push papers anymore. I still had that burning passion for film, and I had to do something more creative.

I quit my job, and moved to St. Paul, MN. I figured I would have a better chance of gaining film experience in the Twin Cities than the farmlands of Wisconsin.

A week after I moved in, COVID shut the world down…
me and my dad proudly standing next to the shelves we just built in my new apartment
2021
After nearly a year of doing oddball jobs (shoutout DoorDash and my rusty 2006 Mazda3) and waiting for gigs to start reappearing, I finally landed some video production work.

Westwood Community Church hired me as a video production intern, which also included a fantastic leadership development program. Then, as a side hustle, Studio Veil offered freelance wedding videography and editing work.
My handling a camera precariously on top of a ladder to get an overhead shot for my internship. It turned out A okay.
2022
In April, my internship was concluding and I decided to transition into full time freelance videography. I became the lead video editor for Studio Veil, and I began shooting ads for local businesses and nonprofits.
Today
Like many others, I still have that lofty dream of becoming a feature film DP. I’m more passionate and driven to work towards that goal than ever before.

If you're looking for a DP, collaborator, or just an extra hand on set,
please reach out! Let's make something memorable.
(Okay, that was a lot.)
beam me up