This past weekend, we had a memorial service inside a rented space called Catalyst Ranch. It’s normally a space reserved for ad agency meetings and weddings. And it was my late brother-in-law’s wish that everyone celebrate in a way that was lively. I was struck by just the number of people that were there to […]
Watching the election results pour in that November night, I saw America lay its soul bare. One candidate offered a simple continuation of the status quo, the other a rally cry for white supremacy laid out in Project 2025. By voting or not voting at all, the nation decided that a return to white superiority […]
There’s a moment in my life I’m not proud of. I used to work at a rental facility, and I witnessed directors younger than me frequently checking out equipment. One evening, I stayed late at work to help with a production shooting at our facility. I watched a filmmaker who I felt “wasn’t doing it […]
I will admit something: I never used to think about my audience. I thought about them in a very transactional way. Will they like this idea? Will it be popular? But mostly, I thought of what I would be receiving from them. And it left me feeling unfulfilled. There is a lot of emphasis on the audience […]
It’s confession time. Every filmmaker has gotten jealous of others who have “found success,” especially those who have blown up at a young age. We look at the 20-something genius who is now head of a major studio franchise and wonder: Am I no good? Am I too late? This used to bother me deeply, […]
As the 4th of July fireworks burst in the sky around my neighborhood. All I could stare at was the smoky air that, I’m sure, was filled with different kinds of chemicals. That dichotomy of celebration and personal consternation is how I see the country today. We are told that everything is fine. We should […]
Concrete River is what I’ve witnessed living as a so-called “artist of color” in America. This country chips away at our confidence and self-esteem. Telling us our worth and success needs to follow a pre-determined path. A path where there is only scarcity, and we create out of fear. The film follows the story of […]
CONNECTING TO THE UNKNOWN For the record, I don’t speak any Ukrainian. Before this project, I had only met one other Ukrainian while living in Denmark as a teenager. Who had to explain that: 1 – Ukraine wasn’t Russia 2 – Where it was on a map So there was a challenge ahead in […]