Steve Wetzel

Steve Wetzel is the Interim Head of the Peck School of the Arts and an Associate Professor in the Department of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). He holds an MFA in Film/Video from UWM (2000) and an MFA in Painting from the University of Chicago (1998), along with a BFA in Painting from UW-Eau Claire.

His research focuses on the intersection of experimental film/video, observational documentary, and social construction of reality. Notable works include Music Club (2015), Of the Iron Range (2014), Aquarius the Waterman (2018), and My Brother (2023), which received international acclaim at film festivals. He teaches courses on documentary practices, filmic composition, and graduate research, emphasizing transformative pedagogy in the classroom.

• Education:
• MFA, Film, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (2000)
• MFA, Painting, University of Chicago (1998)
• BFA, Painting, UW-Eau Claire

Awards: My Brother (2023) was honored at the Luleå International Film Festival (Sweden), Indian Independent Film Festival (India), and 4th Dimension Independent Film Festival (Indonesia).

Teaching and Research: Wetzel integrates creative research into pedagogy, emphasizing collaborative and experimental approaches. Courses include Experimental Documentary, Observational Documentary, and Non-Fiction Poetics.