A Year of Growth Behind the Lens at UC Berkeley | Pechuqui Laurata

My First year at UC Berkeley Journalism is complete, leaving me to reflect on a year that challenged me, humbled me, and ultimately transformed how I think about storytelling. I came here with skills in storytelling, but had limited experience with the technical aspects of Doc.

One of the highlights of the year was reporting on whether BART's new fare gates were actually reducing fare evasion. What started as a simple question became Oakland North's breakout story of the semester, generating more than 7,000+ reads and reminding me that some of the most impactful stories begin by questioning widely accepted claims and following the evidence wherever it leads.

My final documentary project of the semester explored a question that stayed with me long after production ended: What happens to truth and the historical record when AI can recreate the past? Through conversations with archivists, historians, and audiences, I learned that nonfiction storytelling is not only about what we show people, but also about how we help them understand and evaluate what is real.

Beyond the class Productions, I had the opportunity to serve on production crews for several projects, including filming a series of videos for the MasterCard Foundation and the Center for African Studies, UC Berkeley. I was also fortunate to be part of Victor Ochieng's doc thesis film as a member of the camera crew. The experience strengthened my filmmaking skills and provided valuable lessons that will continue to inform my own documentary work. Thankful!

This year also taught me that powerful stories are rarely found; they are developed. Through my documentary, News reporting, documentary photography, research methods, Media Law courses, which involved reporting, photographing, filming, editing, or contributing to a fellow filmmaker's thesis project, I saw firsthand how research, collaboration, verification, and persistence shape the stories that ultimately reach audiences.

As I look ahead to the summer, I am excited to join Jigsaw Productions as a Development Intern. Known for its investigative storytelling and acclaimed documentaries such as Going Clear, The Inventor, and Octopus! Jigsaw has built a reputation for producing ambitious nonfiction stories that challenge, inform, and spark important conversations. After spending a year learning that story development is often the foundation of how a nonfiction story ultimately takes shape, I am excited for the opportunity to learn how stories are identified, researched, pitched, positioned, and developed for audiences long before a camera starts rolling.

A special thank you to Cassandra Herrman and Amy Ferraris for pushing us to become better filmmakers and storytellers, and to Betsy Rate for her guidance and support throughout the internship process. Thank you as well to my classmates, editors, sources, friends, and fellow Mastercard Foundation Scholars who made this year unforgettable.

Year one at Berkeley is complete. The learning continues.