About Melissa Swalla
I love the way the world looks through the lens of a camera. Videography is an art and a way to celebrate people; their lives, their stories, and the memories they are creating. I believe television is a powerful medium that captures movement, emotion, and relationships. To me, the world looks different through a lens and I look for beauty in way I don’t otherwise when I have a camera in my hand. I strive every time I shoot, to capture an event fully and to portray it accurately and professionally.
I have been doing videography for 8 years. I graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in Radio and Television Production in 2009. I have videotaped everything from weddings to news stories, and volleyball matches to commercials. I love what I do and love serving people I work with.
Along with videography, I have a passion for college ministry and the work God is doing on college campuses. I will be starting a position as intern campus staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at the University of Montana in the fall of 2009. Click here for more information about the ministry of InterVarsity.
About Out Of The Rain Productions
The name “out of the rain productions” comes from a trip I recently took to Ireland with other students from the University of Montana. On our last day on the island, we were in Dublin and it was raining, as it was the duration of the trip. We decided to brave the rain and have one more Irish experience in the town before we headed home. We found a quaint pub on the corner that we all quickly ducked into and removed our extremely wet outer layers of coats and scarves. We all shared some hot tea and sat and reminisced about our last 2 weeks on the mystical isle. Sitting there, in front of a roaring fireplace, getting warmed up by hot tea, enjoying the Irish hospitality, and laughing with my new friends, is one of the best memories I hold.
This feeling of, “we know it’s pouring rain outside, but for now we are inside and the world is right” is the feeling I want my videos to capture for you, the audience. While we do live in a crazy world that changes daily, there are still reasons to celebrate and memories to create and preserve.
The other reason why this company is called “out of the rain productions” is a portion of my proceeds go to two orphanages in Kenya, Africa called Sanctuary of Hope 1 and 2. I recently visited Sanctuary of Hope 1 and this is my way to stay connected with them and help them in a tangible way while I am all the way 
across the world. I am hoping that my work can help a few precious children get “out of the rain,” and into a loving home in Kenya. Check out the video that was produced at Sanctuary of Hope here.