Josh McLawhorn, a frequent collaborator with Sachs Media Group on video and photography work and son of SMG’s chief operating officer Michelle Ubben, this week won first place in Nikon’s nationwide Everyday Cinema Contest for a short film titled, “Almost Ready.”  The contest invited entrants to create a 120 to 180-second movie that “transforms an everyday moment into an extraordinary cinematic story.”

McLawhorn, a photographer and video producer for Impact Visual Media, worked as a professional video producer for just over a year before besting more than 400 entrants to win nearly $18,000 of Nikon’s top photography equipment.

The short film depicts a young man waiting for his girlfriend to get ready for a date.  While the man wonders what is taking her so long, the film reveals the girl’s heroic quest to get ready, including bathing in a crystal clear spring, letting the wind “blow dry” her hair, searching a stream for river rocks to wear as earrings, crushing berries for lipstick and fleeing a menacing animal.

McLawhorn attended the University of Florida Honors Program and served as the photographer for the Student Honors Organization.  He graduated from UF in 2012 with a degree in biochemistry.  A graduate of the Leon High School Class of 2008, McLawhorn was a National Merit Scholar and a member of Youth Leadership Tallahassee, Class III.

McLawhorn’s interest in photography was piqued on two cross-country bicycle trips he completed over the summers of 2009 and 2012 for Bike and Build, an organization that recruits young riders to perform housing builds and give talks about affordable housing as they complete coast-to-coast bike trips.

In addition to his professional video work, McLawhorn teaches a movie making class to home schooled middle and high school students.