NYWIFT Blog

By Tatiana Trebisacci

Welcome to NYWIFT, Ashley Berkman! Ashley Berkman is a multimedia artist in the truest sense of the word. She is a producer, video editor, videographer, photographer, performer, visual/installation artist, educator, amateur puppeteer, prop maker, and kids’ entertainer – and she is constantly exploring new forms of expression. Working in a wide variety of disciplines, she seeks to make connections between them. As a video professional she strives for precision. As an educator, she loves to help students push their work to the next level. When creating for kids, she loves teaching self-love and self-trust through mindful movement, play, and a whole lot of silliness.

NYWIFT Member Ashley Berkman (image courtesy of Ashley Berkman)

How would you describe yourself in an elevator pitch?

I’m a professional multimedia artist who values equal accessibility to a great product. Whether I’m crafting a customized, wearable breadstick sculpture for a local comedian or providing technical support for the continued education of national mental health professionals, what you can expect is attentiveness and excellence.

Here’s Ashley Berkman wearing that breadstick… (image courtesy of Ashley Berkman)

In your position as a freelance video editor and photographer, what is your philosophy for creating engaging visual media?

Photography and video is about observing and capturing a suspended moment of time. It’s my job as a photographer and videographer to catch this moment and share it in its realest form. Editing is about connecting and refining those moments. When done right, the artist is invisible, and the moment speaks for itself.

Ashley Berkman taking a photo (image courtesy of Ashley Berkman)

As a multimedia artist, you have experience across a number of artistic mediums. What are some of your favorite projects, and how does exploration play a role in your creative process?

Some of my favorite projects involve life sized, wearable sculptures such as a giant box of French fries, a giant breadstick helmet, and an angry Samoa Girl Scout cookie made from a kiddie pool. I explore new ideas through curiosity and play. Humor and fun are a fundamental part of my expression and creative process.

Ashley Berkman and the angry Samoa cookie (image courtesy of Ashley Berkman)

What brought you to NYWIFT?

I am a member of Women in Film & Video Washington D.C., and I am looking forward to expanding my creative community into NYC. I enjoy connecting with other like-minded women in media.

Videographer Ashely Berkman on set (image courtesy of Ashley Berkman)

You also produce work in the realm of children’s media. How do you develop for a younger audience, and what do you hope viewers take away from their experiences?

Developing for a young audience is a lot of fun. Part of it is tapping into the child part of yourself. The other part is testing ideas to see what kids respond to – really listening to them to see what things are the most interesting to them. The stories, props, and costumes are also so much fun to create – I get to explore color, scale, and production in a way that is catered to kids.

I hope to teach a young audience the importance of self-love and self-trust at the beginning of their journey. This is a philosophy we encourage through movement, play, and storytelling.

Ashley Berkman on set (image courtesy of Ashley Berkman)

How does your interest in comedy inform and/or influence your work?

Great comedy is great editing. Like video and photography, it also entails observing and listening to the world around you – and just like video it is all about timing! I love editing and refining things so the story being told is clear and streamlined. Whether it’s a video or a punchline – it’s fun to tweak it and make it the best version of itself.

Ashley Berkman takes a photo (image courtesy of Ashley Berkman)

What is the best industry advice you have ever received?

Good business is good relationships. I pride myself in the respect I bring to my work and to the people I work alongside.

Ashley Berkman with her cameras (image courtesy of Ashley Berkman))

What types of projects do you see yourself working on in the future?

I plan to continue developing my current projects and I’m looking forward to incorporating more animation into my personal ventures. Professionally, I’m always open to connecting with other creatives doing interesting things!

Connect with Ashley Berkman on LinkedIn, on Instagram @yummypony, and on her website www.ashleyberkman.com.