Tom McPhee

Tom McPhee is an award-winning professional filmmaker, cinematographer, and top 1% global YouTube creator with over 20 years of experience in investigative journalism and documentary production. As the Executive Director of the World Animal Awareness Society (WA2S), he is dedicated to driving systemic change through data-driven storytelling. Under his visionary leadership, the WA2S has consulted with over 2,200 global NGOs internationally.

McPhee uniquely integrates scientific methodologies—such as K9 street surveys and GPS story mapping—with high-level cinematic production to illuminate complex animal welfare issues on a national scale. He is the creative force behind major investigative initiatives, including the 10-year longitudinal documentary project Unleashed: Dogs of San Antonio, the community-focused San Antonio Pet Promise, and the acclaimed feature film An American Opera. His extensive field cinematography expertise encompasses high-stakes, verité-style filming in disaster environments, ranging from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 to the Fukushima Exclusion Zone.

Beyond the camera, McPhee is a dedicated community organizer who has facilitated open forums since 2014 to bridge the gap between residents, community advocates, and municipal leadership to foster actionable grassroots solutions. He is also the founder and Festival Director of the Animalis Fabula Film Festival (“AniFab”), a massive animal story film festival held annually over Thanksgiving weekend. As a forward-thinking media executive, he actively incorporates cutting-edge technology, including AI-driven scriptwriting, visual generation, and automated post-production workflows, into his narrative media and educational platforms.