A Blank Shape Team
Regina Nicolardi
Director of Photography
An Oregon-based adventure photographer, whose publication credits include National Geographic Magazine, Outside Magazine, and Adventure Journal. She serves as the creative producer and photo editor for Astral Designs. In 2018, Regina started the photo series, ‘The Women Keeping the Art of Surfboard Making Alive’ which was originally published through Outside. The series’ ongoing relevance online and in print through various publications such as The Inertia, Magic Seaweed, and She Surf: The Rise of Female Surfing, has been an inspiration for the project.
In addition to this film, Nicolardi is currently at work on a photo narrative in Colombia, following FARC soldiers turned whitewater river guides finding new viability through eco-tourism in former war zones under a fragile peace accord.
Anna Kai-Walsh
Creative Director
Anna specializes in fusing authentic art and compelling stories through multidisciplinary visual projects. She believes that art speaks to the core of a viewer, and when used as a driving force throughout story and brand, creates a more genuine and profound message. For over a decade, Anna has led objectives for a variety of renegades in the outdoor industry — she drove the rebrand and positioning for Picky Bars now owned by Larid superfood, currently serves as Creative Director for Astral Designs, and has also driven brand and storytelling projects for Ladies All Ride MTB camps, Rainier Mountaineering Inc., and athletes like pro-runner Lauren Fleshman. She takes on projects that strive for a better future and deliver a deeper understanding of our world. Anna has an academic background in fine art, graphic design, and marketing.
Sonia Szczesna
Producer
Sonia Szczesna is a Jersey-based producer who runs Sourland Studios, a small production company focused on the intersection of commercial and non-fiction storytelling. Sonia produced the award-winning film, Godspeed, Los Polacos!, which tells the story of how a small kayaking expedition in the late 70s risked it all to fight for democracy in the Eastern Bloc after completing the first descent of the world’s deepest canyon. She has worked on projects ranging from commercial content for brands in the outdoor industry to projects with an impact for nonprofits such as the Redford Center. Sonia brings her experience as a community organizer and advocate into her work as a producer. Sonia has previously worked at NASA, Fulbright, and for the National Center for Frontier Communities, researching rural communities and how these communities may be impacted by a changing climate.