Having done theater acting for over a decade as an honors course, means speaking to actors on set is one of my favorite responsibilities. I get the privilege of creating motivations which inform the performances. Which factors into the universe I am building as a director.

I chose the path of film due to its permanence. In theater you can only ever entertain as many people as the theater has seats, no two performances are ever the same and eventually the stage must be cleared for a new production. Film on the other hand allows for multiple takes, meaning the specter of perfection is nearly within reach. And with everyone’s access to screens, a larger target audience is at ones fingertips. Lending itself to greater community satisfaction, since audiences can enjoy the art in their own time before contributing to the conversation.

I don’t have favorite directors that inspire me. Since I have yet to work under the directors of my favorite films. And in this collaborative industry where everyone on board the project must deliver their best, not just the director. It sadly is the case that those who delivered a great aspect to the film are oftentimes overshadowed by the director who signed off on it. And so I find the majority of my inspiration in the life I live and the lives I hear about. Because I notice everything I see and hear, a blessing and a curse. But I have learned to sort these ‘puzzle pieces’ in my subconscious, then when the framework (inspired by my favorite films) of a story is built. I can draw upon my collection of ‘puzzle pieces’ to flesh out the universe I build with my team.

A selection of Favorite films