About:
I'm Makena Duffy, a Hawai‘i based filmmaker with experience in independent documentary, fundraising, nonprofit, social media, and narrative shorts.
I studied at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, where I studied Digital Cinema through the Academy for Creative Media (now the School for Cinematic Arts) and Communicology. I also successfully completed the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, a semester-long grant program, through which I produced my ACM capstone film.
I have experience in producing, directing, writing, and videography. Sometimes I dabble in story boarding, animatics, and experimental animation. But, I'm most at home in the documentary space, seeking out true stories that are worth telling because they bring forth something edifying.
I've worked on projects for the Better Tomorrow Speaker Series, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu, and the Epilepsy Foundation of Hawai‘i, as well as on private client projects. I recently completed my feature documentary directorial debut, The Finger of God: The Life & Times of Bill Carrigan (releasing late 2024) and am currently an associate producer for Talcual Films.
I'm usually available for hire for production, editing, pitch deck design, or consulting work. My primary interest is exploring topics related to family and community legacy, understanding art and technology from a sacramental worldview, the science of human communication, or Catholicism.
Technical Proficiencies: Adobe Creative Suite (Premiere, After Effects, Photoshop, Lightroom, & Express), Topaz Labs AI Suite, Procreate, Storyboard Pro, Capcut, Microsoft Office, Google Suites, Canva & Procreate.