Two weeks out from our November trailer shoot, and something’s shifted in how I’m thinking about this entire production. What felt like a setback has become our secret weapon. Kevin (our DP) and I sat down this week to dive deep into the creative look and feel of Concrete River. But the real revelation […]
We’re deep into the creative heart of pre-production now. Week 7 has been defined by one of the most crucial creative and logistical documents of any film: The shot list. It’s the bridge between vision and reality, between the film I see in my mind and the one we’ll actually be able to create with […]
We are currently filling out our crew positions and making progress on casting. We’ve been working with a list of actors we want to pursue and our casting directors are checking availability and interest. We took some big swings like going after Yara Shahidi and Nico Parker. They are all (obviously) booked so we are […]
This week brought one of those unexpected moments that reminds you why independent filmmaking is equal parts art and alchemy. Chris, Anna and I sat down with JQ and his childhood friend/music producer (Tubbyoung) at Sweetsalt in Toluca Lake to discuss the sonic landscape of Concrete River. Because it’s a film that will be experienced both visually […]
We are building what I like to describe as a creative organism. We are in the process of adding people to the team for this film who will all support each other and provide creative energy. Depending on how you form it, it can either be invigorating or destructive. We’re officially in the thick of it […]
After the shock of the 2024 election results came my moment of clarity: We could now stop pretending. We could stop pretending that this country’s current infrastructure wants to support the stories from the people that it marginalizes. So we could dispense with the idea that we needed to impress or cater to them. I […]
We’re at the threshold of pre-production for Concrete River, and this week marked a pivotal decision that will shape everything about how we make this film. But the truth is, sometimes the most important creative breakthroughs come from constraints, not freedom. With our core team in place: JQ Cole attached as our lead Kevin Perry as DP and […]
Six months into editing our Ukrainian resistance documentary, I hopped on my weekly Zoom with the director Alex LeMay. He’d just screened our rough cut at Notre Dame for a small audience, and the feedback wasn’t what we’d hoped for. “They loved it overall” he told me. “But our Hero’s Journey structure isn’t working.” Creative Force is […]