Films

features + Shorts

Completed films

The Company Called Glitch

Feature Business Thriller (2024)

Milagro

Short Survival Thriller (2024)

Red Phantom

Superhero Action Short (2023)

Case Studies

This

is

my

process.

Here is how I approached these projects to make the end product and the experience of making it as wonderful as possible.

THe company called glitch (2024)

Filming during Covid-19

For this feature business thriller, every actor was filmed separately (some actors in entirely separate states) for safety. This made the film possible during the early days of the pandemic with SAG-AFTRA regulations.

Even with this restriction, every scene edits together and the actors play off of each other flawlessly.

…consistently well-performed and avoiding most of the potholes of say Margin Call or The Big Short

Film authority
red phantom (2023)

Extreme Storyboarding

For this superhero action short, production was restricted to filming an entire action scene in 8 hours with amateur stunt performers.

As the director, I storyboarded the entire fight, created animatics, and edited a sample scene together that the crew referenced for every single shot.

This allowed the entire film to be edited before it was shot so that the crew only filmed the exact bits and pieces that were needed so that no time was wasted on set.

I appreciate so much how my time never felt like it was being wasted. I appreciate the communication from Graham and the positive feedback that he would give after takes.

Milagro Cast Member

The Company called Glitch (2024)

Innovative Marketing

Marketing starts in pre-production and writing. For this complex business thriller, the entire indie marketing campaign was based off audiences understanding the complexity of it.

The title of the film wasn’t even revealed until two weeks after the films release as audiences took a quiz to see if they were smart enough to watch the film.

Additionally, short-form content, fliers, street interviews, and more were utilized to launch the film into digital release.

Reverse Recording (2022)

30 seconds of darkness

In this experimental student film created at the Zaki Gordon Cinematic Arts Center, the climax takes place in total darkness for 30 straight seconds with only audio to give hints of what’s happening.

Milagro (2024)

SAG-AFTRA Student Film

For my senior thesis film, I figured “Why not make it with SAG actors?” So I worked for three months to get Cullen Moss from Netflix’s Outer Banks attached.

Although it was more of a producing challenge than anything else, I worked for two months with my AD to fit an eight-day shoot into four days. And we still finished an hour early all four days.

This was the most professional set I’ve been on among thesis sets. Everyone knew what they needed to do and were on top of it!

Milagro Crew Member

Thank you for the wonderful experience!

Cullen moss (Outer banks)

Be Wonderful

Every part of a project from pre-production to marketing should be made as wonderful as possible. The process and the end result go hand in hand.

Working with others

If the people working with me don’t get a chance to grow, improve, and be poured into, then they aren’t gaining much out of it.

I work with my DP, cast, audio team, and post team to make sure they’re getting something that they can add to their reel and be proud of.

Pouring into pAs

PAs have one of the toughest, most confusing jobs on set, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

I take time to make sure they’re prepped and know what to expect so they can do their jobs well and be set up for success on whatever projects they tackle in the future.

Leadership was excellent, both knowing what they wanted/needed and delegating it accordingly.

pA on Milagro

Crafty is important

Food has such a big impact on set vibes, so as the director, I make sure the catering and crafty is as wonderful as possible no matter the budget level.

I liked the food.

Crew Member on Red Phantom

Encouragement

Handwritten notes, specific praise, personalized gifts, favorite candy, more handwritten notes… I love encouraging people because it makes set so much better.

I loved how the director wrote TWO notes to the crew, made us feel soooo appreciated. It was so thoughtful and so personal to each of us.

Crew Member on Milagro

This

is

what

wonderful means

Everything I do, I strive to make wonderful which means Efficient, Prepared, Fun, Christ-centered, Relational, and Extra.