Rick McClelland
Emmy Award-Winning
Storyteller | Cinematographer | Editor
Work Samples
The Buried Badge
Dig into the storied past behind a badge buried for over 100 years.
Opioid Recovery Campaign
A series created to tell the many stories of opioid addiction and spotlight innovative treatment methods.
IMPOWER Fundraiser
An impact story to help raise money for a local non-profit.An impact story to help raise money for a local non-profit.
Our Six Heroes
A documentary honoring six deputies who died in the line of duty.
The Buried Badge
The story of a hidden badge buried for over 100 years.When a metal detector came to us with a badge he found buried in the woods labeled #6, it sent us on a journey to find out everything we could about its origins.Working with local historians, we were able to trace it back to the very formation of Seminole County itself and find a living descendent of the badge’s original owner.The Buried Badge went on to win an Emmy Award and it now has a permanent home in the Museum of Seminole County History. I really love history, so it was truly an incredible experience to be part of researching and telling this story.
Opioid Recovery Campaign
A series highlighting innovative efforts to break the cycle of opioid dependenceProduced with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, we put a spotlight on the depth of the opioid crisis locally, going behind the scenes to showcase new rehabilitation programs available inside the county’s jail, and told the stories of survivors of opioid dependence who had broken the cycle of addiction.The films were used to raise awareness on social media and were presented at various local, state, and national conferences in an effort to educate about the effectiveness of ongoing efforts. These continuous outreach efforts were responsible for bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars locally for the expansion of the program’s various components. The program has also received awards and recognition from the state of Florida's Governor and Attorney General for its innovative treatment components.Additional films in the series can be viewed here
IMPOWER Fundraiser
IMPOWER of Central Florida already had a clear vision: helping at-risk youth reach their full potential and achieve individual success by providing transitional housing and other services.Working together, we selected the stories of Natalie and Hakim because they truly exemplified the heart of the organization’s mission as well as the power and impact it was having in the community.The final film debuted at IMPOWER’s annual fundraiser breakfast and helped them shatter their fundraising goal for that year. They were able to raise nearly TRIPLE the amount of money they were expecting before the event.
Our Six Heroes
A 30-minute documentary chronicling the lives of six fallen sheriff’s deputiesProduced over a period of 2 years, Our Six Heroes was created to help memorialize the six deputies and bring their stories to life like never before.This was accomplished by interviewing surviving family members and friends and unearthing previously unseen archival footage and photographs that revealed their personalities both at home and while on duty.The impact of this film is difficult to state, as it was very emotional at times for everyone involved. One family personally thanked us for helping them find closure with their loved one’s death, something they had been unable to truly do in the 40 years since it had happened. It’s an honor to tell stories with such compelling characters and extraordinary heart, qualities I look for in every film I craft.