Most know me as “Northstar”

 

Hi! My name’s Marshall Pampkin, though most people know me by my pen/stage name, “Northstar.” I’m a cinematographer, spoken word artist, event emcee, and U.S. Army Veteran who thrills at the opportunity to help people realize their creative vision and see their story told. Whether you’re prepared to commission a series of short video clips for a commercial ad campaign or scouting local creative talent to work on your band’s music video, there’s a good chance that what you’re looking for is a storyteller! As a performance poet, I spent decades learning to wrangle thoughts and emotions from within and translate them into a viscerally impactful conversation with my audience. In my earliest days as a filmmaker, I came face-to-face with how difficult & daunting it can be to translate an idea from the page to the screen, and then make it happen. I want to take what I’ve learned over the years about navigating the “disconnect” between what we imagine and what we see and use that experience to tell YOUR story, with cinematic quality! 

 

What can I help you with?:

 

- You need to promote your business/brand or event and are tired of your typical “selfie” videos.

 

- Your creative project is missing that "visual element", but you don’t know where to start.

 

- Maybe you've written the next “American classic” short film script, but you don’t know how to break the script down into working shot lists.

 

- Perhaps you've caught the “Directing Bug” and already filmed your cinematic masterpiece, but you need an editor or post-production supervisor to help you put it all together.

 

- Are you still in that “idea” stage and need a collaborator who can take your concept from “step 1” to “all done”?

 

Would you like to learn more about your new creative collaborator?

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I’m a North Carolina-native currently residing in Colorado. I enlisted in the Army while in high school, and during my 15+ year military career, I truly began diving into my artistic side. Being a Soldier isn’t always “fun & adventure.” However, the travel and meeting new people genuinely helped facilitate my understanding of new perspectives.  In 2012, I purchased a few camcorders and began to teach myself about streaming live performance events. I partnered with a few friends in 2014 to direct my first music video, later volunteering as a camera operator for some concert-style recordings. I continued producing monthly streams for several performance art events, occasionally producing promo videos for local organizations and events, but I still felt I was missing something. Eventually, I enrolled in Full Sail University and graduated from their Digital Cinematography program in 2024. It was during this time that I discovered the missing elements, having honed my skills in each stage of production. These days, if I’m not writing, casting, shooting, or editing, then you can find me running an open mic, hosting a trivia night at Dave & Buster’s, or enjoying quiet time with my wife and our friends.