Creativity has driven me since I was young.
I spent endless hours drawing wild scenes and creating imagined worlds from LEGOs. Later, I became involved in musical theater and performed for over 10 years. I even won several international group theater competitions.
I discovered my passion for filmmaking in high school when I took video production my freshman year. Mr. Koehler, my teacher, taught me how to see things hidden within movies. He taught me how to write a script, operate a camera, and edit video. I also learned how to manipulate an audience, leaving them wanting more or feeling stunned by the message. He gave me access to camera equipment for all four years of high school and supported me in creative endeavors like filming our school’s “2023 Lip Dub.”
I never looked at films the same way again.
Reacting to a take on the set of Bleeding (2024)
I followed this newfound passion for film to two separate summer camps. They reinforced the core elements of filmmaking and provided me with resources to make three separate and distinct shorts.
The following summer, I attended a two-week intensive camp focused on screenwriting. Andrew, the instructor, pushed me to write several short scripts in various styles and even did some one-on-one work to help me hone my craft. After the end of the session, he approached me about an opportunity to be a production assistant in a movie he was shooting in upstate New York the following summer.
Without hesitation, I said, “Yes!”
We shot the movie over the last few weeks of my senior year of high school. I garnered the blessings of my teachers and headed up to Woodstock for an unforgettable three weeks.
The production itself was somewhat of a glorious mess. It was Andrew's first feature-length film (on a shoestring budget), so the process was somewhat disorganized. This incredible learning opportunity was excellent because I saw the obstacles we hit along the way and could better understand how we could have avoided them.
Polaroid of the camera dept. of Bleeding (2024)
Being on the set made me realize that constant practice is the only way to become a master of the craft. Self-expansion also goes hand-in-hand with that idea. I feel that having practical knowledge of the world and various aspects of life is just as (if not more) important to creatives as technical knowledge.
Similarly, you could have all the pigments and skills in the world, but you aren't a good painter if you have nothing to paint.
The end goal of this effort is to create Homeric art with incredible impact. I want to push the possibilities of what humans can make and further our understanding of creativity. I'm confident that it's possible as I surround myself with intelligent and creative people with whom I can exchange knowledge and ideas.