RIYEN
PATEL
FILMMAKER · WINDYCITYFILMS
EST. 2026
FROM THE CHANNEL
LATEST VIDEOS
The Life of Tarzan. Real footage, real projects.
The Showcase Reel
8 Weeks. 1 Camera. One Summer.
First Session. First Cut.
On The Job.
WINDYCITYFILMS EST. 2026
CAPTURING STORIES, CHASING LIGHT, BUILDING WORLDS ONE FRAME AT A TIME. DEFINING A CRAFT IN FILM ON SET AND IN THE EDIT.
"A good shot is luck. A good story, told frame after frame, is the work."
R. Patel
"Since I picked up my first camera, I've worked tirelessly to turn every idea into a story worth watching."
INSIDE THE SHOWCASE
What actually happens inside a monthly session.
Monthly live showcases and project breakdowns
Access to the filmmaker community and Q&A sessions
Behind-the-scenes insight from an active production set
Resources and tips shared throughout the month
Networking with aspiring and experienced filmmakers
WHO'S RUNNING THIS
I'm Riyen Patel. I graduated from DePaul's film program with a concentration in cinematography, and I freelance full time now, shooting commercial work, documentary, and DP gigs around Chicago. I'm FAA Part 107 certified, and I've been running Prestige Aerial Media, my own aerial production company, since I was seventeen.
I'm not teaching theory. Every breakdown in the showcase is a real project, with a real client, real constraints, and real mistakes I made along the way.
Bring your work. Get real feedback. Talk shop with other filmmakers.
JOIN THE SHOWCASEWINDYCITYFILMS
FILMMAKER MONTHLY SHOWCASE
Learn filmmaking techniques through real project breakdowns.
WHERE TO FIND RIYEN
Windycityfilms, on and off the timeline.