MJR Visuals

07/22/2026

What the hardest thing I learned in 20 years about running a production company?

07/21/2026

Talking and building a diary…hope you listen

07/16/2026

So, most of you know I’ve been doing video for about 20 years now..documentaries, commercials, interviews, probably over a thousand projects by now. I’ve messed around with short films, but I’ve never done a feature. So I wrote one.

You might have seen a draft poster for Makai & Nia. Here’s another and it’s a working title, but it’s the feature I want to make.
The story is loosely inspired by some recent things in my own life, but at its heart it’s just an old-school love story. Two people trying to figure out if choosing each other is enough when life keeps getting in the way.
One thing I decided is we’re doing an all-original score. I talked with a producer and after kicking ideas around I know that’s the direction I want to go. I want this thing to have its own identity from beginning to end.

In the next few weeks I’m launching the Seed&Spark campaign. If you want to donate, cool, and I’ll appreciate it more than you know. But that’s honestly not what I’m asking for.
I’m asking you to support the journey. Share it. Like it. Talk about it. Follow along. As this thing comes together, I’ll be posting storyboards, concept art, behind-the-scenes stuff, editing screenshots, all the crazy filmmaking things that go into making a feature……..
I think it’ll be good…
-M Reese

07/02/2026

I’m excited to announce that MJR Visuals has again been selected to work with Lincoln Penny Films on an important historical documentary.

Our latest project is Final Flight: Cher Ami and the Fate of the Lost Battalion, another opportunity to help preserve and share a remarkable story from American history. Production begins in mid-July, and we’re honored to be part of bringing this story to life.

This partnership has already been part of some incredible projects. MJR Visuals previously worked on The Hello Girls and The 6888, documentaries that helped bring long-overdue recognition to overlooked heroes. Those films contributed to the efforts that ultimately resulted in Congressional Gold Medals being awarded to deserving units. The 6888 also inspired the Netflix feature film, with members of our team serving as subject matter experts during its production.

The Hello Girls and The 6888 continue to educate audiences, with both films being used by the U.S. government, around the world.

06/18/2026

Ran into a Carnaval…have to take breaks sometime

05/24/2026

There’s something people notice about me pretty quickly on set: I’m focused. Extremely focused.

I’ve been doing video production for a long time now, and over the years the work grew from filming around Washington, D.C. to traveling across the country and eventually internationally. I’ve been hired to film in Great Britain, across Europe, and on islands I never thought I’d see in my life. That part is exciting. I genuinely love it. But when it comes time to work, I lock in.

I’m not the videographer cracking jokes during setup or trying to become everyone’s best friend while the clock is running. I’m usually quiet, moving from task to task, checking audio, checking lighting, checking timing, thinking three steps ahead. Sometimes I think people assume I’m upset or irritated, but honestly, I’m just focused on making sure nothing goes wrong.

And that mindset came from experience.

Read more here: https://mjrvisuals.com/professionalism-over-performance-lessons-from-years-on-set/

After years filming across the United States and internationally, I learned one major lesson about video production: professionalism, preparation, and focus matter more than trying to entertain clients on set.

05/21/2026

Yesterday, while digging through roughly 54 terabytes of archived footage and backups, I came across a series of photos from an old shoot. It stopped me for a second. The shoot was on a Navy ship, and I remember it clearly because it was probably one of my first real government productions. What stood out wasn’t the client name or even the final video. It was the environment. The client wanted a three-camera interview setup, full lighting, clean audio, and boom mics… inside a space barely bigger than a two-person dining room table. Tight hallways. Metal walls. Limited movement. No room for error. Looking back at those photos reminded me of something I’ve learned after a thousand-plus shoots over the years. Read more here:

Yesterday, while digging through roughly 54 terabytes of archived footage and backups, I came across a series of photos from an old shoot. It stopped me for a second. The shoot was on a Navy ship, and I remember it clearly because it was probably one of my first real government productions. What sto...

05/19/2026

https://mjrvisuals.com/live-stream-in-new-york-city/

Every project teaches you something. Sometimes it’s about production. Sometimes it’s about people. Sometimes it’s about pressure, leadership, communication, or just how fast things can go wrong. This is another story from the field. One thing this industry teaches you really fast is that no ma...

05/01/2026

This week I was hired to cover a conference, specifically for a highlight reel and interviews. The client already had an in-house AV team handling audio, livestream, and production.

For context, MJRVisuals handles full conference production, multi-room audio, livestreaming, cameras, lighting, the whole setup. But in this case, I was brought in for a focused role. The event started at 10:00 AM. I arrived at 8:30. Not because I had to, but because I don’t do stress.

When I got on-site, we did the usual walkthrough. The internal AV team showed up and started running basic checks. I began asking what I consider standard questions, how do we access clean audio, is there a central feed, is there a mult box?

At one point I was asked, “What’s a molt box?” That told me everything I needed to know. From there, it became clear there was no real system in place for external capture, no understanding of clean audio distribution, and no structured workflow between teams. And sure enough, once the event started, things started falling apart.
Audio dropped.
Livestream failed.
Lighting issues came up.
Multiple times.
Throughout the event, I was pulled in to troubleshoot and help fix issues on the fly, not because it was my role, but because I understood what was going wrong.

Now here’s the point.

When you hire a company to run production, they should know how to run production. Not just pieces of it, but the full system. Because when one part fails, everything feels it. This isn’t about undercutting anyone. It’s about understanding the responsibility that comes with the job. If I can’t do something, I’ll tell you upfront. But if I take it on, I’m not guessing, I’m building it out structurally. I know where the risks are, where things can break, and how to prevent it before it ever becomes a problem. And if something does go wrong, there’s already a solution in place.

That’s experience. That’s preparation. That’s accountability.

MJRVisuals isn’t a massive production house. It’s not a billion-dollar brand.

It’s me.

And because of that, when I’m hired, I’m on-site. Always. Be it a 20 room event or one on one interview. Because when things go sideways and they will at some point, I don’t want a client wondering who’s responsible or if it can be fixed.

You already know. And that matters more than anything.

After the event, the client reached back out. They had already booked that same AV company for another conference in New York. They changed course.

That decision had nothing to do with pricing. It had everything to do with trust. At the end of the day, production isn’t just about gear or setup, it’s about ex*****on, consistency, and knowing that no matter what happens, someone has it under control. That’s the difference.

04/30/2026

It’s funny how you don’t really set out to “get into” government training work.

You earn your way into it.

Fifteen years in, and this is probably my hundredth training solution, not a single video, but full training modules. Systems built to teach, guide, and actually be used in the real world.
This kind of work isn’t one shoot and done. It’s layered. Planning, filming, structure, revisions, everything has to connect. Because at the end of the day, it’s not about creating something that looks good… it has to work.

There’s no room for guesswork here. You’re trusted to deliver something clear, consistent, and reliable every time. Nothing flashy in moments like this. Just people doing the work, making sure every piece fits into the bigger system.

That’s the part most people don’t see.