Working alongside a close-knit crew helped Justin Cheney step forward behind the camera and help shape the storytelling.
Early in his career on “What If…Nebraska,” senior videographer/editor Justin Cheney’s role was simple: stay quiet and make sure everything looks good.“I’m a pretty shy person,” he said. “But once I get comfortable, I come out of my shell.”
Before stepping behind the camera, Justin’s background in theater, plus experimenting with improv and stand-up, taught him to read a room, land a joke and put people at ease – skills that define his career.
Working alongside producer/host Mike Tobias and senior audio engineer Emily Kreutz, the tight-knit crew opened the door to something more collaborative. “I love being able to help shape the story,” Justin said.
He began asking questions from behind the camera, easing nervous interviewees with humor and curiosity. The crew was capturing the story while becoming part of the show.
Justin says it wasn’t planned. It evolved. A joke here. A blooper there. A cow licking a camera. A bird with unfortunate timing. Bit by bit, the curtain pulled back, revealing the people behind the storytelling.
Mike trusts Justin to get the shots and speak up when something isn’t working. Justin trusts Mike to give him room to experiment. The team trusts each other enough to be a little vulnerable, working in sync, often without saying a word.
“Everybody brings something to the table,” Justin said.
The trust also creates space. There’s more human connection, time to chase better questions and embrace a funny moment. The result is a show that feels different.
“It humanizes it,” Justin said. “You see that these are people making TV and enjoying it.”