Before arriving here as the cinematography teacher, Eric Neudel spent his days crafting documentaries that bore witness to major historical events and the people who lived through them.

In fact, he still does. His work as a documentary filmmaker has taken him around the world—from the Philippines during the political upheaval of the 1980s to post-genocide Rwanda, and beyond.

Neudel’s primary work is film-making, but he still approaches these trips with the same camera-focused mindset, bringing his cameras along to capture moments that tell stories in their own right. For him, photography is a passion he has developed alongside film-making.

Many of these experiences formed some of his most vivid memories.

During the late 1980s, Neudel created a three-part series documenting the fall of Ferdinand Marcos from power. While in the Philippines, he worked among journalists and political figures and witnessed millions of people take to the streets in protest against the regime.

“I watched the power of people in action, with millions of people out on the street protesting.” Neudel said of his time in the Philippines.

Throughout his career, Neudel documented stories in Africa and Asia, often focusing on communities that were commonly misunderstood or overlooked. In 2008, he created work for the Boston Globe in Rwanda, capturing the country’s slow recovery from its 1994 genocide.

While in Rwanda, he also documented the ongoing conservation efforts against poachers taking place at the nearby Volcanoes National Park. Many of those who were working to protect the endangered mountain gorillas had formerly worked as the poachers who hunted them. During this time, he had the opportunity to take a close-up photo of a gorilla living on the preserve.

“I was maybe six feet away from the silverback who is looking back at me, and I could see the humanity in the gorilla.” Neudel said.

One of Neudel’s most famous films is called Lives Worth Living, which explores the disability rights movement in the United States. Beginning with the history of how people with disabilities have been treated in America, the film is a story told through the eyes of the disability rights movements leaders.

For Neudel, the film was a way to remind people of the importance of treating all people with respect, and abandoning long-held prejudices towards people with disabilities.

“The fundamental thing, for me, is people are people,” Neudel said. “And it’s the hardest thing for people to accept, they’re always struggling to make distinctions about how they’re better, they’re worse. But it’s not true, we’re all just people.”

Neudel’s alma mater, Brandeis University, will open an exhibition of his photographs on Saturday. He titled the collection Only Us. For Neudel, the show offers a way to share images from his many travels while highlighting humanity and connection.

“In my case, the theme of my photos is always the same. It’s human connection.” Neudel said.

As a teacher at this school, Neudel takes pride in passing on all he has learned in his years of experience to his students in his Digital Cinema class.

Ricky Thurmond ’28, a sophomore student in Neudel’s class, enjoys the balance between learning from observations and from practice.

“Mr. Neudel teaches mostly through practice, but he also shows us a lot of movies so we can learn from them,” Thurmond said.

His own career began at WGBH, where he started as a janitor and learned filmmaking and journalism hands on and through mentors. That model impacts his teaching today.

“I’m also really engaged with the students and I love their potential, what they’ll be. I can see myself in them,” Neudel said.

Editors’ note: The Only Us exhibition is open Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through May 2026. Eric Neudel is Upper School Head Joshua Neudel’s cousin.