Through the support of funding partners, Planet Story Lab Fellows receive stipends upon successfully serving in a primary role on a completed project.
This stipend support helps recognize their labor, commitment, and creative contribution to the work.
Planet Story Lab Fellows are film students, climate storytellers and community participants who work collaboratively to create documentary films centered on each cycle’s theme. They take on key creative roles—such as directing, producing, cinematography, sound, and editing—and contribute meaningfully to projects from development through completion.
Planet Story Lab recognizes that those most impacted by climate change often have the fewest resources to pursue creative or advocacy work. Stipend support helps reduce financial barriers and makes sustained creative work more accessible for emerging filmmakers and climate storytellers.
Planet Story Lab Fellows
Jonathan Black joined Planet Story Lab because he wanted to be a part of a group of people telling the stories about global and environmental change related to the fire risk in Los Angeles. Jonathan is an actor/writer and wants to one day lead the writers room of a sitcom.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Kat Garcia’s love for the environment and nature was shaped by the trails of the Angeles Forest and the green spaces of her local Shabarum Park. Growing up surrounded by neighborhood parks and quiet natural havens, she developed a deep appreciation for the layers of life, history, and culture rooted in the very streets and hills of my home stories often unseen in the shadow of Hollywood’s brighter lights.
Evan Moses is a student at Glendale College who has been developing his craft in filmmaking alongside photography in the punk, metal, and hardcore scene for the past 9 years. He has a strong passion for documentary filmmaking, leaning into the power of the fly-on-the-wall style of filming alongside stories happening in real time. His mixture of raw high energy and hardcore punk ethos is what gives him a fiery spark in the creative world.
David Shuck is a filmmaker and documentarian with a passion for stories about fighting for a better world. He first studied filmmaking at the FAMU Academy in Prague and has continued his education at Glendale Community College where he has made films addressing ICE detention, pharmaceutical trials, and the dehumanization of our legal justice system. He is excited to join the Planet Story Lab team to assess the impact of the LA basin fires and the resilience of the local community.
Ben Do is a recognized writer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, California. He’s a recent screenwriting graduate of CSUN and Glendale Community College alum, where he grew an audience primarily through his satirical humor. Over the past five years, he’s crafted scripted, short form content on various social media platforms with his distinct style, viewed by millions. Within his narrative work, Ben aims to share unrepresented, relatable stories through harsh realities.
Joel Ruano is a filmmaker, writer, and student in the Film, Television, and Media program at Glendale Community College. Although this is his first experience working in documentary filmmaking, Joel has long admired the art form for its ability to tell authentic, human-centered stories. His work is driven by a passion and a commitment to capturing real-life experiences with honesty and purpose. When he is not behind the camera, Joel enjoys traveling and photography.
Malena Wilson is one of the Advanced Film Students at Glendale Community College. She has worked on many films throughout her time at the college, such as her role as editor for the short film Human Trial, a comedic thriller which is currently circulating through film festivals. She is also one of the students who participated in the Baja Program, a program that focuses on documentary production while abroad in Mexico. Malena has acted as a Supplemental Instruction Leader for many film classes, and has helped with other student film projects, as she loves helping students bring their ideas to life.