Michigan couple Jayne Rowse and April DeBoer were simply looking to overturn the law that prevented them from adopting their children. But on the recommendation of a federal judge, the Hazel Park couple’s lawyers launched a frontal assault on the legal barrier that prevents them from jointly adopting — Michigan’s constitutional amendment that prohibits same-sex couples from marrying. The case, which Free Press photographer/videographer Mandi Wright has been following from the outset, became the accelerant that would result in the Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage across the country in June 2015.

I was the lead producer, co-writer and assistant editor on this film. I mapped out the overall film structure and assisted in hands-on editing of various scenes — from broad feedback to frame-by-frame tweaking. I also handled all licensing, budgeting and timelines on the production.