04: ELEPHANT HIDE.

Someday, I will have the words to describe just how magical the set of Elephant Hide was.

Someday.

But for now, I’ll settle for this…

Filmmaking is a really tough field. The days are long and the hours are grueling, and there’s a lot of stress: to get everything you need to be able to work footage in the edit, equipment is sometimes tricky or unfamiliar, and it’s easy to get lost in how challenging it is. But, it can be done with persistence, patience, and above all, kindness. And when those things are prioritized, and prep work is exhausted ahead of shoot days, you begin the days with enough positivity and belief that any challenge thrown your way can be overcome. Then, the days become lighter, more enjoyable, full of laughter and breaths of fresh air, and we remember why we all actively chose this profession.

Elephant Hide demonstrated that in bounds. In four days of filming my thesis production at DePaul University, I worked with an entirely student crew, the most wonderful professional actors, and we worked seamlessly and as a cohesive unit. We finished early every day, were able to add coverage for unsuspected moments, and improvised. And it provided us with the wonderful freedom in the edit to play and let this story come to life for all that is is and all that it deserves to be.

Elephant Hide changed my perspective on filmmaking. That doing things “differently” and without convention can be done, and can be successful, and it’s a feeling I’ll strive to create on every project from here on out.

“Be the ashes and not the dust.”

— Jack London's Credo

03: THE GIVER.

There tends to be an immense amount of pressure when it comes to living a 'legacy' and figuring out our place in a world when our loved ones leave us. And we never really know how we'll react: denial or acceptance, periods of lows or a roller coaster of emotions, craving company or rejecting it. THE GIVER is a story about grief, process, and moving forward. It's about art, developing your voice, and re-discovering memories. It's about two people coming together and finding common ground in their sufferings, and those same people finding hope and a little bit of joy. I wanted to explore the meaning of a small interaction, a slice of life sampling of what happens when a young woman grieving the loss of her mother meets an older man with dementia who is seeking to relive the memory of his wife. Bennie meets Arthur, and THE GIVER is born.

The Giver began as a 13 page script that came together in a single 12-hour day of filming. More than 35 setups, multiple takes - all of my nerves crashing down on me when looking at the schedule, but by gosh we pulled it off. It took a tremendous effort - and I wouldn't have been able to make it happen without the help of the team, many of whom are pictured below. Filmmaking truly does take an army, and because of the ethic and focus of my team, were able to capture footage to create a compelling edit. And, with the dedication of my post-production team, we were able to create a film we’re all incredibly proud of. And for that, I’m eternally grateful.

02: FUNERAL THEORY.

We've all been to funerals. Most of the time, they're the same; how great so-and-so was, how much they were loved, how much they'll be missed. They're an emotional event, honoring the memory of someone in all of their good moments. But, what if you didn't know them? What if you were, at that very moment, lost? Life had led you astray, and the moment you walked through those doors and saw loved ones crying, people overwhelmed with emotions, that you fixate on the elephant in the room: what's missing. The imperfections, the flaws, the demons that follow each and every one of us - in life, and after. Enter, FUNERAL THEORY.

This project was my first “crewed” production I ever made. It was a small cast (2), small crew (7), filmed one weekend in October inside my own apartment. And it was such a lovely introduction to the power of preparation, communication, and trust in others to help a vision come to light.

01: PERCEPTION.

P E R C E P T I O N . was created in the midst of the pandemic, an experimental short that was equal parts exploration and therapy, 100% shot and edited by me. I used a lot of in-camera texture techniques and layers: semi-transparent ribbons hanging over the lens, overlay, and incorporating texture transposed onto skin as a way to explore the scars that I have. The vulnerability in this piece makes it so personal and special to me, and I'm honored and thrilled to have it featured in three film festivals, recognized by three separate groups of judges and jurors. So blessed and so grateful.