Craig Kilgore
Documentary filmmaker and Founder of Next Level Visions
Filmmaker and Founder of Next Level Visions
Craig Kilgore is a Maryland-based video production professional and documentary filmmaker with a background that spans military service, network engineering, and over a decade behind the camera.
An Air Force veteran who served during Desert Storm, Craig grew up as an army brat, moving constantly, adapting quickly, and learning early how to read a room. That background shows up in his work. He doesn’t just point a camera at people. He earns their trust first.
He came to filmmaking the way a lot of people do, picking up a camera to document his kids, and never really put it down. What started as a personal obsession with technology evolved into a professional practice built around one idea: creating something original that couldn’t have existed without him in the room.
Craig is the founder of Next Level Visions, a video production company serving businesses and organizations throughout Maryland and the surrounding region. His commercial work spans corporate communication, branded content, and event coverage. His documentary work goes deeper, most recently as cinematographer on I Was the Weirdo, an award-winning documentary about the Washington D.C. hip-hop community that earned the Audience Award at LightReel Film Festival and Best Documentary at the New York Hip Hop Film Festival.
He is drawn to stories that don’t already have a megaphone.
Film & Documentary Work
Craig is a filmmaker whose work spans documentary and narrative-driven projects rooted in community storytelling.
He served as cinematographer on I Was the Weirdo, a documentary exploring the Washington D.C. hip-hop community. The film has screened at six festivals across the United States and internationally, earning the Audience Award at the LightReel Film Festival in Washington D.C. and Best Documentary at the New York Hip Hop Film Festival.
Festival screenings include:
∙ LightReel Film Festival, Washington D.C. (Audience Award)
∙ New York Hip Hop Film Festival (Best Documentary)
Selected Filmography
I Was the Weirdo
Cinematographer
Documentary film exploring the Washington, D.C. hip-hop community. Screened at multiple film festivals.
The Legacy of John Brown’s Farm (In Development)
Collaborating Filmmaker / Cinematography Contributor
Documentary project produced in collaboration with the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts.
Education & Community Involvement
In addition to his commercial work, Craig serves as an adjunct instructor and actively supports regional arts initiatives. He volunteers with the Maryland International Film Festival in Hagerstown and mentors emerging creatives in the local filmmaking community.
His commitment to both professional excellence and community engagement reflects the broader mission behind Next Level Visions.
Connect With Craig
If you have a story worth telling, such as a business you’ve built, a film in development, or a community project that deserves to be seen, I’d like to hear about it. The best work I’ve done has come out of real conversations, not pitches.
Whether you’re a business owner in the DMV looking for video that actually moves the needle, a filmmaker looking for a cinematographer, or a student who wants to talk craft, reach out. I read every message.