Do you feel weird around other people? Are you anxious at social gatherings? Do you often find yourself trying to seem like a normal, happy person, and then coming up short? Look no further, friend. Even though I've never, ever had those problems in my whole life, this distorted Super 8 microshort is here to help! So far, this film has hit the big screen at the Ann Arbor Film Festival, Milwaukee Underground, Kansas City FilmFest International, Atlanta Film Festival, Drunken Film Festival Oakland, and more! Stay tuned to see where it’ll play next so you can watch all this drunken, distorted glory in person!
Most of the footage in this microshort consists of Super 8 film that I distorted and developed myself. The film was exposed, then soaked in a stew of mysterious substances, including household cleaning chemicals, Kool-Aid, and of course, booze. After allowing my film cartridges to soak for several weeks and then dry out in the sunshine for several more weeks, I developed the film in my kitchen sink. What you see now is a combination of analog and digital distortions. It's grainy, it's gorgeous, and I had so much fun making it.
In his sharp and revelatory analysis of the film “Faces” by John Cassavetes, film scholar George Kouvaros writes these words: “Is it playful? Or is it deadly serious? One cannot know for sure.”
Those questions inspired me to write and direct my newest narrative short, called “Duet.” It’s a story about a married couple on the brink of divorce, but it’s tough to tell what either partner actually wants. Whether they’re acting happy or acting mad, there’s really a whole lot of performing in this relationship. As each partner pushes the other to call it quits, this couple puts on a show that’s all their own.
I like films about people who pretend, about characters who perform in daily life as much as any stage actor does on opening night. I’m also interested in films that pick apart the slippery relationship between expression and meaning. At what point do words cease to be reliable? And, how conscious are we of our true motives? Finally, I’m curious about characters who make noise when they cannot find the words to describe how they feel, or when the emotions are just too strong to understand. These inquiries are at the heart of “Duet.” I hope to share it with you soon.
Break-ups are the worst, especially the ones that happen on your birthday. Luckily, you’ve got options. You can either get sad and stay sad, or you can try not to be so pathetic. Sometimes, just doing anything is the best you can do, and it also might be the very best gift you can give yourself.
“Falling Down in Public” is a narrative short that my friends and I made on my 30th birthday. It made its world premiere at the 2020 Kansas City FilmFest International. It has also screened at the 2020 Twin Cities Film Festival, Flickfair 2020, and the 2021 Atlanta Underground Film Festival. If this film doesn’t make you want to buy a broken skateboard and get crazy in a parking lot, I don’t know what will. Check out the trailer below and see if you can resist.
Let’s say you’re a guy who likes women, but also likes guys. Maybe you’ve never really acknowledged that particular part of yourself… until a certain man begins to catch your attention. How do you make sense of what you feel? Or summon the courage to claim who you are? And, above all else, how do you scrape together enough money to go out on a damn date? These dilemmas, and so much more, are in “Bright Orange,” which made its world premiere at the 2020 Milwaukee Underground Film Festival. Scroll down and watch the trailer if you wanna see what all the hype is about.
I prefer to take photographs with small and medium format film cameras, although I’ve been known to use a digital Sony as well, especially if there’s a vintage lens attached. I also love multiple exposures, cheap toy cameras, and soaking my exposed film in everything from soap to beer. Start with portraits, then keep scrolling for intentional distortion, street photography, and more.
Sometimes, you’re looking at the divine, and other times, you’re just looking at yourself. Or, maybe those two options are actually one and the same. At least, that’s what this experimental short would like you to think. The reign of God is with (wo)men, am I right?!
“The Annunciation” was made for the 100 Feet of Film Challenge, presented by Kodak and the Atlanta Film Society. It’s the juicy morsel of heretical cinema that you’ve always wanted to see. Check out the trailer below if you want a little taste!