about

i believe that the documentation and sharing of individuals and communities’ lives, practices, beliefs, and experiences is fundamentally important to understanding each other.

i am a filmmaker, cinematographer and editor who believes deeply in the power of stories to create social change, and who aims to always combat the patterns of exploitative practices in the documentary and journalism worlds. i am passionate about healthcare and human rights, particularly within the queer community. through collaboration with participants in my films, I hope to work towards a world where everyone's rights are recognized and healthcare is accessible to all.

my work has been nominated for multiple News and Documentary Emmys, named a Vimeo Staff Pick and has been recognized by the GLAAD Media Awards, the Webby Awards, the Edward R. Murrow Awards, Pictures of the Year International, and NPPA Best of Photojournalism among others. MEANT TO BE MADDIE is in its tenth year of production and is my first feature film as a director.

i received my bachelor of arts in women's studies, spanish, and art from washington university in saint louis and was a roy h. park fellow  in visual journalism at the university of north carolina, chapel hill, where i received my MA in 2017.  you can find my work in The New York Times, Univision Digital News, TIME Magazine, Al Jazeera Fault Lines, Business Insider, Vox, CBS, NBC, Blue Chalk Media, The Jerusalem Report,  the Cambodia Daily, AsiaLIFE Cambodia, and the Southeast Asia Globe, and it has been exhibited at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, FotoIstanbul and the Goethe Institut in Phnom Penh. 

i am fluent in spanish and english, with some knowledge of german and turkish. i am currently available for assignments worldwide. please contact me at acspelman@gmail.com to get in touch!

 

 

awards and recognition

 

2023:

  • News and Documentary Emmy Award Nomination: Spanish-Language Feature, “Rising Up in the Heartland” (Role: Co-Producer, Co-Cinematographer)

  • Webby Award, Documentary: People’s Choice and Judges’ Award, "I Am Vanessa Guillen” (Role: Co-Editor)

  • NPPA Best of Photojournalism, Race and Identity in America, Online Video: 3rd Place, “Latino COVID patients in Iowa faced a double risk. Four doctors came to the rescue” (Role: Co-Producer, Co-Cinematographer)

  • NPPA Best of Photojournalism, Race and Identity in America, Online Visual Presentation: HM, “Rising Up in the Heartland” (Role: Co-Producer, Co-Cinematographer)

  • NPPA Best of Photojournalism, Documentary Editing, 2nd Place: "I Am Vanessa Guillen” (Role: Co-Editor)

2022:

  • GLAAD Media Awards, Spanish Language Online Video, “Expulsados México: Cómo la comunidad transgénero se unió para ayudar a los migrantes” (Role: Co-Producer, Cinematographer, Co-Editor)

2019:

  • Webby Award, News and Politics: People’s Choice and Judges’ Award, "Welcome to America" (Role: Co-Cinematographer, Co-Producer)

  • NPPA Best of Photojournalism, News and Issue, Individual, “After the Fire” (Role: Producer, Cinematographer, Editor)

  • Anderson Ranch Advanced Mentorship Program with Ed Kashi and Jim Estrin: 2017-2020

  • Premio Gabo, First Place, Imágen Category, “America First: Legacy of a Raid”, with Almudena Toral, Andrea Patiño Contreras, Mauricio Rodríguez, Gerardo del Valle, and Nacho Corbella with Univision.

2018:

2017:

  • Emmy Nomination: Outstanding Feature Video, Spanish Language, "Orlando Gets Its Pulse Back" (Role: Co-Cinematographer, Co-Producer, Co-Editor)

  • National Press Photographers Foundation: Kit King Scholarship

  • College Photographer of the Year: Bronze in Documentary Category ("Maddie")

  • North Carolina Press Photographers Association: First Place, Portrait

  • Anderson Ranch Advanced Mentorship Program with Ed Kashi and Jim Estrin: 2017-2020

2016:

  • James Alan Cox Foundation: Graduate Student Scholarship

  • Rich Beckman Award in Documentary Multimedia Storytelling: Recipient ("Zika in Puerto Rico")

  • Photoshelter Northern Short Course Emerging Photographer Grant

  • North Carolina Press Photographers Association: First Place, Sports Feature Story

  • College Photographer of the Year: Bronze in Group Multimedia Storytelling