Current and Future Projects
- Morning Moon a feature film script about a 22 year-old orphan’s search for her biological father.
- Florence a 30-minute music documentary about the origins of an indie-pop song.
- Shades of War an experimental film, interweaving archival footage, actor voices, and AI-generated stills.
Expertise and Activities
My creative interests and work range broadly from narrative films, to documentaries, to screen dance. In my narrative work I am interested in exploring issues of identify formation, as well as expanded (and expansive) definitions of parenthood, family, and American Blackness, employing Neo-realist production aesthetics and methods. I produced and co-directed the award-winning feature film Service to Man (2017), a coming-of-age story told against the backdrop of the first year white students were admitted to the historically Black Meharry Medical College in 1968. I co-authored the award-winning screenplay Fruit of the Tree, based on the life of Dr. James Cameron, the only known survivor of a lynching. I am currently working on a feature film called Morning Moon, about a recently orphaned college-graduate’s search for her biological father.
In addition to my narrative work, I have produced several documentary films and shorts with a particular interest in the performing arts and investigating the artistic process. Those projects include the documentaries A Night in the Theatre, Yo Soy Actor (I’m an Actor), and Florence, as well as screen-dance films Flying Away and Leverage.
Education
- MFA, Film and Media Arts, Temple University, 2002
- B.A. History, Washington University-St. Louis, 1996
Select Filmography
- Florence (2025), Documentary Short Film, Producer/Director.
- The Coming (2023), Narrative Feature Film, Director.
- Leverage (2021), Screen-Dance short, Co-Producer/Director.
- Big Sandy (2020), Limited-release Narrative Audio Series, Producer-Director.
- Service to Man (2017), Narrative Feature Film, Co-Producer/Director.
- Yo Soy Actor/I’m an Actor (2015), Documentary Film, Producer-Director.
- Ten Tips for Shooting Video (2013), Video Tutorial, Writer-Producer-Director.
- Spare Change (2010), Narrative Short Film, Director.
- This American Life (2008), Royal Vagabonds Music Video, Director.
- A Night in the Theatre (2007), Documentary Video, Producer-Director.
- Fruit of the Tree (2007), Narrative Feature Film Screenplay, Co-writer.
- Flying Away (2006), Documentary Video, Producer-Director.
- Gettin’ Grown (2005), Narrative Feature Film, Writer-Director.
- Not Color Blind (2003), Experimental Video, Writer-Producer-Director.
Articles
- Neither Color Blind, Nor Near Sighted: Representation, Race and the Role of the Academic Filmmaker.” In Bernardi, D. (Ed.) Filming Difference. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2009.
- “Discrimination, Racist Events, and Their Effects on Behavioral and Evaluative Outcomes of Movie Posters with Black and White Protagonists” by Greer, Zhou and Finklea, paper presented at the Broadcast Education Association Conference, 2010.
Awards and Honors
- Broadcast Education Association (BEA) Best of Competition, TV Half Hour Script, Big Sandy, 2018.
- The American Black Film Festival, Grand Jury Prize Best Narrative Feature, Service to Man, 2016.
- The International Black Film Festival, Best of Festival and Best Narrative Feature, Service to Man, 2016.
- Tallgrass Film Festival, Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature, Service to Man, 2016.
- The D.C. Independent Film Festival, Best of Festival, Service to Man, 2017.
- Broadcast Education Association (BEA), Best of Competition, Educational Video, Ten Tips for Shooting Video, 2013.
- Beloit International Film Festival, Best Wisconsin Film Award, Spare Change, 2012.
- Chicago Digital Media Production Grant for the production of GGTV web-series, 2012.
- Broadcast Education Association (BEA), 2nd Place Debut Paper Research Competition, “Discrimination, Racist Events, and Their Effects on Behavioral and Evaluative Outcomes of Movie Posters with Black and White Protagonists” by Greer, Zhou and Finklea, 2010.
- Wisconsin Screenwriters’ Forum, Grand Prize, Fruit of the Tree, 2009.
- Kairos Prize for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays, Finalist, Fruit of the Tree, 2009.
- University Film & Video Association, Best Screenplay, Fruit of the Tree, 2008.
- Alabama State Council on the Arts, Media Fellowship Award, 2005.
- Milwaukee International Festival, Audience Choice Award Winner, Gettin’ Grown, 2004.
- Chicago International Children’s Festival, Rights of the Child Award, Gettin’ Grown, 2004.
- Sidewalk Film Festival, Alabama Citation of Excellence in Directing, Gettin’ Grown, 2004.
- Broadcast Educator’s Association (BEA), Best of Competition, Mixed Media, Not Color Blind, Just Near-Sighted, 2004.
- Wisconsin Film Festival, Best in Show and Best Experimental, Not Color Blind, Just Near-Sighted, 2004.
Courses
- CA355 – Introduction to Media Production
- CA466 – Writing for TV and Film
- CA609 – Fiction Podcast Production
- CA609 – Screen Directing
- CA651 – Documentary Production
- CA659 – Advanced Motion Picture Workshop
Service
- Co-Founder/Director, Wisconsin Screenwriters’ Symposium
- Director, Digital Cinema Production Certificate