Momo | Short Doc

Director | Mike Schwartz

Momo – Docu-Style Short Film

This project was a true minimalist documentary-style shoot, designed to capture the artistry and resilience of world-class acrobat Momo. From the beaches of Africa to the stages of Cirque du Soleil, Momo’s story is one of perseverance and the magic of flight.

Working with director Mike Schwartz and production company Glimpse Films, we set out to create something raw and poetic. Shot on location at the Los Angeles coastline at sunset, the idea was to let Momo’s extraordinary physicality — his flips, jumps, and airborne stunts — feel like slow-motion paintings in the sky.

I convinced the team to use the FreeFly Ember, which allowed us to capture at 800 frames per second. Paired with Zeiss CP2 lenses, the imagery revealed breathtaking detail, turning every leap into a suspended moment of artistry. With only a skeleton crew, I operated handheld, pulled my own focus, and embraced the freedom of a stripped-down setup to keep the style intimate and organic.

The result is a low-budget yet cinematic short that proves creative ambition and technical precision can produce stunning results without a large production footprint.