DONIJAH COLLIER IS FROM NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT. AFTER MOVING TO CHICAGO, ILLINOIS TO STUDY AT COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO, HE THEN GRADUATED WITH A BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE IN CINEMA AND TELEVISION ARTS WITH A CONCENTRATION IN CINEMATOGRAPHY. HE IS CURRENTLY STUDYING AT AFI (AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE) CONSERVATORY AS A CINEMATOGRAPHY FELLOW. FINDING INSPIRATION THROUGHOUT THE COLORS AND COMPOSITIONS OF THE WORLD, HE HAS USED THIS AS A GUIDE TO EXPRESS HIMSELF AS A CREATIVE PROFESSIONAL. COLLIER HAS REALIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF REINVENTING THE TYPES OF STORIES THAT ARE BEING TOLD TODAY. HE ASPIRES TO TELL DIVERSE NEW NARRATIVES THAT WILL INFLUENCE, AND IMPACT OUR SOCIETY EMOTIONALLY, CULTURALLY, POLITICALLY AS WELL AS SOCIALLY, THROUGH HIS UNIQUE VISUAL STORYTELLING.

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COLLIER WAS AWARDED THE PANAVISION NEW FILMMAKER GRANT FOR THE SHORT FILM SIX PACK, WHICH WON AT THE 2020 INTERNATIONAL BLACK FILM FESTIVAL. THE SAME YEAR, COLLIER’S SHORT FILM, PEGASUS, PREMIERED AT THE 2020 CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. COLLIER IS STUDYING CINEMATOGRAPHY AT AFI CONSERVATORY, WHERE HE JUST COMPLETED HIS AFI THESIS INSTINCT, AND FLOW A 2ND YEAR AFI VISUAL ESSAY.

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