About RL-Films

Hello, my name is Rich Leader. I’ve always loved audio-video production. I was one of those kids who was always running around with my dad’s camcorder and working the soundboard at church. In college, I had the chance to work as a professional photographer, shooting acts as big as the Stone Temple Pilots and the Wu Tang Clan. And I participated in the making of a feature-length movie, both as an actor and as part of the production crew. But, as an adult, I couldn’t afford to make the transition from film to digital as a mere hobbyist.

COVID-19 changed that for me: after my town’s nursing home became one of the early hot-spots in New York, I saw that one of the news channels that had flocked to our community had a tiny GoPro camera mounted on a giant tripod. Our town – our lives and our stories – wasn’t worth the bother of bringing a real camera. It was at that moment that I realized that it was up to us to tell our own stories.

Since then, I’ve had the contract for the 2022 Kensington Lion’s All-Star Football Classic — covering everything from scoreboard head-shots, team photos, and super slow-motion recaps of the games themselves! I’ve become the District Photographer for Newfane Central School and have been the official photographer and video producer for the 2023 Section VI Swimming and Track All-League meets, two of my favorite yearly events. I’ve also worked as the leader of the video team for the Niagara Celtic Festival.

After delivering pro-level work for several years, almost always for free, I realized that if something unfortunate were to happen to my camera, I wouldn’t be able to afford to replace it; I’d be sitting on a pile of lenses and lighting equipment that would go unused. Going forward, I’m going to continue to volunteer my time, skill, and gear to help our community as much as I can. But I’m also going to ask that you consider hiring me for your private events, family sessions, and other work that you need done so I can better protect (and improve!) my ability to keep volunteering! Let me work for you!