Me (on the right) with Mike Zahs during the filming of Saving Brinton, a feature-length film in partnership with Northland Films and Barn Owl Pictures
John Richard is an independent documentary filmmaker, video producer, and photographer based in Iowa City, Iowa, creating impactful projects across the Midwest and globally.
With a B.S. in Environmental Science and a background as a photojournalist and documentary photographer, he blends a keen visual sensibility with intimacy and humor in his storytelling.
As an educator and consultant, he brings a dynamic blend of hands-on teaching, professional mentorship, and multimedia production to empower students and organizations in storytelling. At the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication, he mentors students through intensive workshops like the ISLE Multimedia Storytelling Workshop, guiding teams to produce compelling documentaries about Cedar Rapids’ migrant communities.
His approach, rooted in immersive and hands-on learning, teaches students in real-world production—from field shoots to post-production sprints—fostering skills and professional identities.
As an editing coach for two feature films produced by The Daily Iowan; Lost in the In-Between and Chasing Greatness: Wrestling Life (Big Ten Network), he hones students’ narrative craft for film and broadcast.
His work equips students with portfolio-ready skills and amplifies untold stories, showcasing multimedia’s power to connect and inspire.
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Working with students during then ISLE workshop, an intensive 16-day multimedia production experience at the University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication in 2025.
Student filmmakers at The Daily Iowan perform storyboard adjustments during the production of Chasing Greatness; Wrestling Life.
John Richard presents material from his research about the Iowa Mountaineers for the University of Iowa Office of Sustainability in 2024.