The Documentary Team
Meet the skilled professionals that make up the Barbara Van Cleve's American West Documentary team.
Nancy Snyderman
Dennis Aig
Dennis Aig is a producer and director with over thirty years of experience. Unbranded and Charged: The Eduardo Garcia Story, which streamed on Netflix and Hulu, as well as the feature documentary Youth v Gov, which is completing its festival run, are just two examples of his work as a producer/co-producer. His experience extends to his work with the Walt Disney Company, Colombia Pictures, National Geographic, and PBS. Additionally, Dennis has worked with many independent production companies, equity investment funders, sponsors, and several major grant agencies, including the National Endowment for the Arts, NASA, ITVS, the MacArthur Foundation, and the National Science Foundation. A Montana State University Professor of Film and Photography since 1989, Dennis has been the head of the University’s much-praised MFA in Science and Natural History Filmmaking since 2007 and served as Director of the School of Film and Photography from 2013 to 2016.
Cynthia discovered her love for photography at an early age. As her art evolved, she was also drawn to the power of movement in film. She earned both a BA in Film and Photography and an MFA in Science and Natural History of Filmmaking from Montana State University. As part of her graduate degree, she created an award-winning film that focused on the story of an elderly Montana cattle rancher.
That experience opened her vision to the world of ranching. Her goal of capturing this fast-disappearing way of life lead her to Barbara Van Cleve’s personal story and art rooted in the West. In her feature documentary about Barbara, which is currently in post-production, Cynthia presents Barbara’s ranch experiences and the magnificent photographic art created from them as a way of capturing on film the often-overlooked stories of America’s ranchers.
Ariel Savage
George Potter
George Potter is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and the founder of Wild
Vision Films in Bozeman Montana. Specializing in authentic storytelling, whether that’s
shooting visually compelling documentaries, or creating television series that engage on a
deeper level with their audience. Moreover, George worked as cinematographer on the award-winning
documentary feature, Charged: The Eduardo Garcia Story, as well as for the feature
documentary, An American Ascent, chronicling the first African American expedition to
tackle Denali. Throughout his experience, has produced films for YETI, Montana Tourism, National Geographic, Rolls Royce, The BBC and Orvis. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Zoology and a Masters in
Science and Natural History Filmmaking.
Katie Lose Gilbertson
Dr. Andrew Nelson
Andrew Patrick Nelson is a historian of American cinema and culture, museum curator, film programmer, and media commentator. Currently, he serves as Chair of the Department of Film & Media Arts and Associate Professor of Film Studies at the University of Utah. He has been a Visiting Scholar at the Bill Lane Center for the American West at Stanford University and a guest film curator at the Autry Museum of the American West, The CM Russell Museum, and the Briscoe Western Art Museum. Additionally, Nelson is author and editor of numerous books and essays, including Still in the Saddle: The Hollywood Western, 1969-1980 and Contemporary Westerns: Film and Television since 1990. He also edits two book series,
“The Popular West” at the University of Oklahoma Press and “Reel West” at the University of New Mexico Press. Nelson has appeared in television series on History Channel and INSP; cohosts the Western movie podcast “How the West Was ‘Cast”; and regularly lectures about Western film, art, and culture at venues around the world.
Maddie Madsen
Maddie Madsen is a music producer, composer, and music executive who works in the film, serial programming, and commercial media space. She is a graduate of Berklee College of Music. With a career encompassing 30 years, Ms. Madsen has produced and/or composed almost 100 songs for TV and films. Consequently, her company, Current Music, has licensed over 50 thousand songs in film, TV, advertising, and other media, many of which have been placed through her personal creative choices as a Music Director. Additionally, she has produced theme songs for 20 broadcast programs, and five theme songs for the Peacock Olympic Tokyo 2020 channels (2021). Throughout her career, Ms. Madsen has lectured and given workshops at Musician’s Institute, SAE, Sundown Sessions, and LA Women In Music, and has been a panelist for Harvard, SESAC, Film2Future, Los Angeles Songwriter’s Workshop, and The Production Music Conference.
Scott Sterling
Scott Sterling hails from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, where exposure to the outdoors, technology, and culture inspired a passion for visual art and storytelling. He works as a freelance colorist, with recent work airing on The Smithsonian Channel, National Geographic Channel, The History Channel, Independent Lens on PBS, and numerous independent and corporate documentary films. Additionally, Sterling is the director of production for Montana PBS, bringing award-winning films to the people of Montana and beyond. His role as producer and director includes documentary features Mavericks, The Violin Alone, Fort Peck Dam, and Without Words, and the signature music performance series 11th & Grant with Eric Funk, now in its 14th season. Notably, Scott has earned twelve Emmy® Awards from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences – Northwest Chapter and revels in the juxtaposition of art and technology that is contemporary filmmaking.
