The Government Robot Spy Conspiracy

I wrote and directed The Government Robot Spy Conspiracy during COVID. Due to restraints on cast and crew, I acted as the main character and performed alongside Dusan Brown of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and 42. It was interesting experience acting in my own film and it was incredibly inspiring to work alongside a professional actor like Dusan. We had one day to shoot the film and were working with only limited resources, but the final product turned into one of my favorite films and established my style as a director. Sometimes the best films are shot handheld and without a crew. The Government Robot Spy Conspiracy uses its restrictions as an advantage with a minute-long iPhone clip at the beginning that sets the tone for the rest of the film. The limited production design also adds meaningful character development. The Government Robot Spy Conspiracy

Relevé

Relevé was the first film I ever made. It was shot at the end of a five-week film camp I attended at Sarah Lawrence College. As a junior in high school with no previous experience in film, I needed to establish myself as a filmmaker and create something great to help me get into film school. The film was a success and ended up being accepted to the Oscar-qualifying Cleveland International Film Festival. Later, I used the film for my college applications and was granted admission to Chapman University. This film tells the story of a ballet dancer who grows up and gives up her dreams of dancing. The whole movie is shot from under her childhood bed. We see tiny feet try on a pair of dancing shoes, wear them every day, grow up, and finally lose the ability to move like they used to. The film is bittersweet. We never see the character’s face, but we feel her pain. Relevé

Mr. Scotty’s Time Machine

Mr. Scotty’s Time Machine is the most intricate and difficult film I have made. The main character, Reggie, is a child. The actor portraying her has numerous lines and must show intense emotions. The script was ten pages detailing multiple locations and sets. The production design team had to make a time machine and transport it to L.A. for shooting. Despite these hardships, Liv Schechter gives a powerful performance as Reggie, and the movie looks and feels extremely real. The movie deals with a child’s attempt to deny the loss of a loved one. The rest of the characters have accepted the loss and must wait in order to help Reggie reach acceptance herself. The time machine doesn’t work, and Reggie knows this. Her refusal to accept something she knows is true parallels her refusal to accept death.Mr. Scotty’s Time Machine

The Rapper

The Rapper is a two-minute-long skit that I made during my first year of college. Despite the short run time, it has a great character intro, creative use of diegetic and non-diegetic sound, and a solid setup payoff. It is quick, funny, and effective. The Rapper