“I believe documentary storytelling is at it’s best when we define people by their humanity rather than their circumstances. This is where we uncover deeper truths about the world and about ourselves.”
Scott Michael Barker

Scott Michael Barker is a documentary filmmaker with an observant eye and a deep passion for storytelling. For as long as he can remember, he’s been watching, filming, and sharing the stories unfolding around him every day. From street-corner sign spinners to Honduran migrants, Scott believes in standing squarely in the shoes of his subjects.

Immersive travel, insightful interviewing, and honest, artistic editing are the tools he relies on to capture the essence of others. Over the past 15 years, these tools have taken him from the streets of New York to the fishing villages of Ghana, giving him the opportunity to share the stories of rich and diverse communities around the world.

He has received numerous awards for his work, with his films screening at respected festivals including Sundance and the One World Human Rights Film Festival in Prague. His commercial work has also aired internationally to millions of viewers. Scott isn’t afraid to explore the unknown, challenge convention, and dig until he finds something new, engaging, and true.

Vintage photo of a young girl sitting on grass, surrounded by religious-themed books and binders with symbols like fish and crosses. Text reads "Oops! I'm in a Cult" and mentions hosts Scott Barker and Charity Navalesi, former members of the Living Word Cult.

The Living Word Fellowship

What do you do when you realize that the church you grew up in was actually toxic?

Scott and Charity hosting Oops! I'm In a Cult podcast in a cozy home setting, with microphones and a laptop, surrounded by bookshelves and plants.

“It’s an opportunity to research the history that they didn’t want to share, the stuff that they didn’t want exposed, the stories that they were actively trying to hide.”

-Scott Michael Barker, Co-Host, Oops! I’m In a Cult

Scott Michael Barker and Charity Navalesi recording an episode of Oops! I’m In a Cult

The Podcast

I was born and raised in a christian cult called the Living Word Fellowship. For years I worked to investigate the history of the cult and document the stories of members and survivors of the religion that was started by the disgraced charismatic christian pastor John Robert Stevens in the 1950s. For 70 years the Fellowship survived until a single former member posted letters that exposed a ring of sexual abuse and coverup by the organization’s dynasty in 2018.

Today, I actively investigate the organization on my YouTube channel and the podcast that I co-host, Oops! I’m In a Cult. The research and story telling has lead to a greater understanding of the previously unknown cult for members and non-members alike. Additionally, the podcast has been featured in a recurring series by Little Village Magazine.

Underwater view showing the surface of the water with light reflections and small bubbles.

The Sea

Seagull flying over ocean waves with cloudy sky

Ocean wave close-up with curling crest, rough water surface, and distant shoreline under cloudy sky.

Ocean wave with distant coastline and palm trees under cloudy sky

Two birds flying over the ocean with cloudy sky

Ocean wave curling near a beach with a cloudy sky

Ocean wave crashing with a cloudy sky in the background

Person carrying a surfboard walking on a coastal trail along the edge of a cliff, overlooking the ocean waves. Hills and clear blue sky in the background.

Person surfing on ocean wave near a hillside with trees.

Person surfing on a wave with mist and trees in the background.

Blurred image of a person in a wetsuit standing on a surfboard in the water, with green hills in the background.

Person paddleboarding on calm ocean water under a clear sky.

Coastal scene with ocean waves crashing against rocky shore at sunset.

Ocean waves crashing on a rocky shoreline under a blue sky.

Underwater view with sunlight reflecting on water surface

Underwater view with scattered light reflections and bubbles, dark ambiance.

Underwater scene with starfish on rocky surface, surrounded by water bubbles.

Underwater scene featuring a seastar on a rocky surface with algae and seaweed, surrounded by murky water.

Underwater view of a squid paralarva with sunlight filtering through the water.

Transparent marine organism floating in ocean water.

School of small fish swimming underwater with green algae.

Underwater scene with camouflaged horseshoe crab on sandy seafloor

Human Stories. Human Rights.

An elderly man adjusting a black face mask.

The U.S. Capitol building adorned with American flags, viewed through a blurred fence.

Scott Barker holding a video camera with a furry microphone outdoors, sunlight in the background, urban landscape view.

Three military personnel in tactical gear under blue light, wearing helmets and face coverings, standing outdoors at night during Joe Biden's Inauguration in Washington D.C. 2021

Group of people at a protest, one man in black standing on a car, others around him with American flag and masks during the 2020 Black Lives Matter Protests in Seal Beach, CA

Two smiling individuals carrying large plastic bowls with packages on their heads, possibly selling items, against a background of a partially constructed building. Ghana 2016

Scott Barker filming for HotSpots travel show In Lebanon 2019

Happening here.

For 10 years I traveled the world, hungry for stories of people overcoming the most challenging physical and mental odds. The more I learned of the world the more I looked back to my home and recognized many of the same troubles. I am inspired, every day, by the heroes in my home town and home country - how their personal struggles empower them to make their world little better.

Ricardo lost his voice on Skid Row. Listen carefully.

Locked down and locked out. A different type of Inauguration Day in DC.

Musa

He was alone. He lost everyone. He risked his life for a new beginning.

I met this remarkable young man on the southern tip of an Italian island. His story is like so many, yet uniquely his.

I walked through the gates of an apartment building that was being used as a facility for young boys who had migrated from all over Africa. Just 3 or 4 blocks from the water in Portoscuso, on the island of Sardinia, the late afternoon sun was reflecting on the water and a light breeze was starting up. It really was a picturesque little Italian town.
On the third floor I could hear the sounds of African voices shouting and laughing with one another. We had come to interview some of the boys about their journeys from West Africa and find out how they ended up in Italy. There were about 10 boys in this particular home, but I was specifically here for Musa.
Musa grew up in the West African country of…(more)

Musa and friend playing soccer on a dirt field in Sardinia, Italy.

Scott Barker and Musa on the football field in Sardinia

Musa celebrating after a scoring a goal during an afternoon game of football.

VR Stories

Skid Row, Los Angeles, CA and the US/Mexico Boarder.

This is a prologue for People of Skid Row VR experience. View a sample 360 VR video on my Youtube Channel

A Prologue to Crossings - US/Mexico Boarder featuring Scott Barker and Zaydee. View the full 360 VR video on my Youtube Channel

Screening of Francis at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival

Person standing in front of an elementary school in a small village in Ghana. Still image from Screening of Francis at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival

Array of GoPro cameras mounted in a circular rig for 360-degree filming.

Young man wearing a cap sitting on a staircase, looking up. Still image from VR project about Mexico/US immigration.

A man exhaling vapor. Still image from VR project about Mexico/US immigration.

Scott Interviews Skid Row resident for the short film entitled Ricardo's Day

Older man yelling obscenities at a young woman during the 2020 Black Lives Matter Protests in Seal Beach, CA

People participating in a protest, with one person holding a sign reading 'No Justice, No Peace,' during the 2020 Black Lives Matter Protests in Seal Beach, CA

Protest with police in riot gear facing demonstrators holding signs and banners. Visible sign says "BLM" and people are raising fists and arms during the 2020 Black Lives Matter Protests in Seal Beach, CA

Child in hoodie looking out of green bus window at dusk

Photographer Zaydee Sanchez and a boy standing near a 360-degree camera on a tripod inat the US/Mexico boarder.

Scott Barker filming in Cairo's Tahrir Square.

Firefighters walking through forest fire for FireStarters TV show.

Skid Row resident sharing his experiences for VR project about Skid Row.

A crowded bus interior with passengers seated and standing. A young woman with a blue jacket is in the foreground, holding a camera or device with an extended arm. The seats are filled with various people and bags, indicating a packed and busy enviro

Person wearing virtual reality headset and headphones in a dark room with colorful lighting.

Close-up of a man's face with an introspective expression, prominent cheekbones, and short hair.

Black and white portrait of a woman with long hair, softly lit, wearing a lace-patterned top, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression.

Man in red shirt spinning an arrow sign on a city street.

Young person holding a large video camera in a garage setting, standing in front of a workbench with tools and a bottle.

Scott Barker and UNICEF representatives in front of the U.S. Capitol building for an advocacy day.

Francis

In 2016 I brought VR technology to Ghana to capture the story of Francis. This man had overcome years of inhumane treatment due to his mental health condition. Now he is using his story to help educate his country and the world of the importance of mental healthcare and resources. The film played at the World Bank Conference in D.C., the One Human Rights Film Festival in Prague, and Sundance VR Theater in Park City.

This is a prologue. To view the full 360 VR Video, check out my YouTube Channel.

FRANCIS is a highly impactful virtual reality film about the effects and breadth of the need for global mental health care. The main story featured in the film is based on the true story and words of Francis Pii Kugbila, a husband, father and teacher in northern Ghana. The viewers are guided through his story by a voice over narration of Francis' first hand account of his own illness narrative who he was prior to his mental illness onset, what happened to him during his illness, and his experience when he recovered. The film shows that Francis, like so many who suffer from mental illness around the world, are valuable members of society who can lead full, productive lives and contribute to their families and communities if they receive science based mental health treatment.
The virtual reality film premiered to five hundred health and finance ministers from around the world and other top international leaders in health, finance and development in conjunction with the Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C. This high level convening "Out of the Shadows", hosted by the World Bank Group and the World Health Organization, is the focus of an effort to make mental health a global development priority. It also played at the Sundance Film Festival as a part of the AMD presented VR Bar showings. 'Francis' was also featured at the One World Human Rights Documentary Film Festival in Prague.

Group of people holding red advertising arrow signs in a public outdoor area with steps and palm trees.

Crowded street scene at Hollywood and Highland, Los Angeles, with a red metro sign and various shops and signs visible.

A sign spinner doing a trick with a sign overhead with the bottom facing up.

Person holding an advertising sign walks near a moving subway train in a station.

Spinners

This rag tag team of street corner sign twirlers band together to create an international sign spinning competition. Through personal challenges and struggles they use this surprising sport to create a global business and brotherhood.

This is just the trailer. View the full film on my YouTube Channel.