Fareed Alston
I’m Fareed Alston — a moviemaker, cinematographer, and business entrepreneur based in St. Louis, Missouri. In 2026, after 10 years of subcontract work with video agencies, and developing community programs across St. Louis and Chicago, I founded LocalWeddingVideo.com. Today, I lead wedding productions, organize community programs, and continue building a connected media ecosystem across the Midwest through the production and publishing of movies, photography, and super(artificial) intelligence software. Outside of work, my hobbies include: bicycling, fishing, art, woodworking, and gardening.
Business Start-Ups
Infographic Timeline
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2016
Wedding Storyteller
Led video production with Eivans Inc., a national Chicago-based wedding studio, capturing intimate celebrations across the Midwest.
- Filmed and edited more than 85 weddings in a single season.
- Delivered polished highlight films and long-form keepsakes for private clients.
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2017
Launching CITY™ Productions & Publishing LLC
Established CITY™ Productions & Publishing LLC as a Midwest video production firm under the Alston Fareed Holding Company LLC umbrella.
- Documented protests in Ferguson, including the story of Anthony Lamar Smith.
- Served as production assistant on Denise Ward-Brown's centennial documentary Never Been a Time, capturing B-roll, mastering audio, and supporting its 26th St. Louis International Film Festival screening.
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2018
Educator & Festival Filmmaker
Joined Community Television Network as an instructor, leading after-school media labs while touring independent work.
- Served as production assistant for Doug Clevenger on CNBC's The Deed: Chicago (Season 2, Episodes 5 & 6) throughout the spring and summer shoots.
- Supported the feature documentary Tomorrow's Hope with production logistics and community outreach.
- Partnered with Dog-Star Imaging on television and documentary projects.
- Premiered “Twelve Days in Ferguson” at Doc Your World, a Fulbright Foundation festival at Columbia College Chicago.
- Screened work at IRI Gallery in Pilsen and produced music videos with high school students.
Watch The Deed: Chicago | Tomorrow's Hope
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2019
City Non-Profit & Youth Media
Founded city-non-profit.org to expand media literacy and community storytelling projects in Chicago.
- Guided student crews through product videos and music-driven narratives.
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2020
Community Response & Advocacy
Organized non-profit programming during the COVID-19 pandemic and covered social justice movements across the region while Alston Fareed Holding Company LLC expanded its civic commitments.
- Planned protests advocating for financial literacy and supported regional conventions.
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2020
City-Pictures and Films LLC
Formed City-Pictures and Films LLC to formalize independent film development and event photography under the CITY umbrella.
- Launched event photography with online galleries and print fulfillment.
- Advanced an independent film slate while continuing wedding and documentary work.
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2021
Alston Fareed Holding Company LLC & Biography Pitch
Formally structured Alston Fareed Holding Company LLC and began pitching a feature-length biography film rooted in CITY™ archives.
- Designed greenscreen treatments and sizzle materials to secure collaborators and investors.
- Centralized intellectual property and client services under the new holding company.
- Hosted the first Bike ESTL, Bike State, and Bike E-Ville events spotlighting mobility across metro St. Louis.
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2022–2023
Scaling CITY™ in St. Louis
Operates CITY™ from downtown St. Louis, delivering video journalism and wedding coverage across the Midwest.
- Led video or photo for more than 112 private events and counting.
- Collaborated with national studios such as Silverback Video and captured moments with the Saint Louis Chess Club.
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2024
Studio Manager
Expanded CITY™ clientele with Silverback Video.
- Leads live switching, jib ops, and teleprompting for concerts, sports, and corporate streams across St. Louis.
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2025
Expanded Wedding Partnerships
Added more clients, including Orion Photo, while capturing weddings throughout the Midwest.
- Captured collaborative wedding productions with Orion Photo and regional studios.
- Developed a CITY‑powered personal operating system (CITY AI) to structure goals and long‑term life planning.
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2026
Continuing Wedding Films
In 2026, I founded Localweddingvideo.com after working 10 years in the industry.
- Introduced modular coverage add-ons and automated confirmations for LocalWeddingVideo.com.
- Delivered a sustained slate of Midwest wedding films alongside documentary work.
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2027–2030
Building the Next Chapter
Continuing to grow a connected body of work across video journalism, production, wedding films, publishing, photography, and community-centered media.