- Was there a particular event or time that you recognized that filmmaking is your way of telling Stories?
When I made promo videos for my middle school that got my friends hyped.
- Do you think it is essential to go to a film institute in order to become a successful filmmaker?
No it is far from essential.
- Is it harder to get started or to keep going? What was the particular thing that you had to conquer to do either?
It’s harder to get started when you don’t know anybody but I like meeting people so it wasn’t too bad.
- What was the most important lesson you had to learn that has had a positive effect on your film? How did that lesson happen?
The malleability of story. I rewrote and recut a lot. On set and in post.
- What were the production realities from casting through editing that you had to accommodate? How did you navigate those compromises or surprises and still end up with a cohesive film?
I cast six year old twins for the role of Miles but that wasn’t actually too hard to manage, especially not in the edit. They were great but working with kids is tough. Days are shortened, lines are butchered. I had to make them forget they were on set and ended up restructuring scenes based on their performances.
- What was the hardest artistic choice you made in the making of a film, at any stage in production?
Cutting about 40% of our scenes in the edit.
- You are a collaborator. How have you discovered members of your team and how do you keep the relationship with them strong?
I met almost all my collaborators at school, most of them I’m close friends with. The more you work with the same people the more you’ll anticipate what they’re thinking.
- What do audiences want? And is it the filmmaker’s role to worry about that?
The filmmaker shouldn’t worry about pleasing audiences because people want different things out of movies.
- What role have film festivals played in your life so far? Why are they necessary? How do you get the most out of them?
My first in-person festival experience was at CamerImage a couple months ago which was a dream. The energy there is crazy cool. Festivals are necessary to sell yourself to producers, agents and other filmmakers. You get the most out of them by being social and partying late.
- Do you believe that a filmmaker should be original and fresh or he/she should stick to classic but safe cinema style?
I believe filmmakers should be able to do whatever they wanna do. The filmmaking style must follow the story. Safe cinema can be amazing if the story’s great.
