THE PERSON BEHIND THE CAMERA
I'm Forrest McBride.
I'm a Director of Photography, cinematographer, and colorist based in Houston, Texas.
For more than 17 years, I've worked across commercial filmmaking, documentary production, broadcast journalism, corporate storytelling, and film and television.
Different environments.
One commitment to the image.
My career has taken me through very different production environments, from the fast-moving deadlines of a television newsroom to the carefully orchestrated world of major studio productions.
Those experiences shaped how I approach filmmaking today.
Working in broadcast news taught me to recognize a story quickly, adapt to unpredictable situations, and find compelling images under pressure. My time supporting assistant director and camera departments on major film and television sets gave me an appreciation for the coordination and discipline required to bring larger productions together.
I later expanded into agency and in-house creative production, including leading multimedia initiatives for Envoy Mortgage and serving as Director of Photography and Colorist at UNLEADED (now PlatinumBlack), where my work primarily supported Occidental Petroleum and its subsidiaries.
Today, I continue that work independently and as co-founder of Emberhouse Media Group, a Houston-based production company focused on cinematic storytelling for businesses and organizations.
Technology should never be the most interesting part of the story.
I care deeply about cameras, lighting, lenses, color science, and the technical side of filmmaking. But what interests me most is how those tools can influence the way an audience feels.
A subtle movement, a carefully placed source of light, or the decision to hold on someone's expression can completely change a scene.
The strongest cinematography often feels effortless precisely because so much thought went into creating it.
- 17+ years in visual production and storytelling
- Former Director of Photography and Colorist at UNLEADED (now PlatinumBlack), 2023–2026
- Former Multimedia Manager at Envoy Mortgage, 2019–2022
- Senior Agency Producer at AMAGAZI, 2016–2019
- Founder of Forrest Fire Films, 2009–2025
- Production experience on major studio film and television sets
- Bachelor of Arts in Film, Cinema and Video Studies, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
- FAA Part 107 certified remote pilot
Experience beyond the brand.
Earlier in my career, I supported assistant director and camera department teams on major studio film and television sets. Selected productions include:
- Geostorm
- Our Brand Is Crisis
- Fantastic Four
- American Horror Story: Freak Show
- NCIS: New Orleans
- Zoo
- One Mississippi pilot
- Scream
- American Ultra
These credits reflect production support work in assistant director and camera departments, separate from my cinematography and colorist portfolio.
Independent vision. Full production capability.
I co-founded Emberhouse Media Group in 2025 to bring the discipline and visual craft of filmmaking into commercial and corporate storytelling.
Through Emberhouse, I collaborate on projects that require creative development, production crews, cinematography, post-production, and delivery.
EXPLORE EMBERHOUSETHE NEXT STORY
Let’s make something.
Have a story to tell or a production that needs a cinematographer?