Curren Sheldon

About Curren Sheldon

As a documentary filmmaker, my goal is always to capture true life in all of its contradictions, beauty, and pain. As a West Virginian, I use my camera to showcase Appalachia in ways that outsiders can’t, or won’t. I am motivated by an urge to create images, to capture moments never before captured, and help others tell their stories in emotionally impactful ways.

Biography

I am an ASC Award-winning cinematographer and Academy Award nominated and two-time Emmy winning filmmaker. As a cinematographer, I have shot films that were acquired by Netflix, HBO, PBS, and NY Times, among others. My latest feature as Director of Photography (DP), “King Coal,” screened at over 40 film festivals and resulted in best cinematography nominations at the Cinema Eye Honors, IDA Awards, Camerimage Film Festival, and a win at the ASC Awards for best documentary feature. I have also acted as DP and Producer for the Netflix Original Documentaries “Heroin(e)” and “Recovery Boys,” as well as DP on HBO’s “Phoenix Rising,” and Freeform’s “Keep This Between Us.” I have also directed two feature films, “Beat Down,” a documentary feature about professional boxers in Appalachia, and “Beat Down,” a fiction feature based in West Virginia.

I also often work with brands to tell impactful stories through commercial content, including Marriott Hotels, Arrowmont Arts and Crafts, Highlander Center, Troublesome Creek Instrument Company, and many more.