A Director's Thoughts (Episode 3 - Accountability)

Happy July ya"ll. The dog days of summer are here I suppose. Recently wrapped with Macy's / NBC for their annual fireworks spectacular. Shout out Sal Vona. Shout out to anyone in the industry (tv/film/events) that are freelancing, hustling, trying to make rent & searching for consistency.

Consistency, discipline, accountability. These are words that have been resonating with me lately. Ever since I premiered my latest short film (Coffee) to a few festivals, I've been in writing mode, working on the next few projects. Although lately, with the balance of freelancing, it's sometimes hard to get that inspiration. How do we find it? How do we not force it? Writing is such a precious process. The feature I am writing is a story that hits close to home, but I find myself hesitant lately to attack the 2nd draft. What could it be? My mind can be my friend and my enemy. But mostly my friend...I think. I have some solid excuses though, as I've been working on my comic series Onna, as well as another short film that I co-wrote with Queso de Papa (IYKYK), entitled Scoop. Did I mention a K-Pop horror / dark comedy that I'm also developing? All that to say, I've been busy in the writing department, but learning how to balance these projects and the moods that it produces for me is....a process. I have cooled off in recent weeks with the writing. I give much credit to one of my best friends, Sam Ashurov for constantly balancing screenplays. You're a champion.

Accountability, trying to drill that word in my brain. I've been neglecting the cinema lately. I've been averaging one film a week recently, if you know me, you know that's not normal. Am I being dramatic? I don't know. Movies are a big part of my life. I constantly feel inspired when I watch them. The good, the bad & the ugly. They all matter. So maybe I have felt a little off lately because I haven't seen the amount of films I'm used to. Maybe I'm just being too hard on myself. LOOK AT THIS GUY, complaining about not watching enough movies because of work and responsibility. Listen, at the end of the day, I need to remind myself that I walked away from a life in the restaurant world, where I got paid handsomely, to pursue my dreams and goals. The life of a freelancer has its perks. It also has its disadvantages. Maybe the stalling, the procrastinating, the funk, is all part of the process. Dog days of summer? Yeah definitely. I also blame the World Cup for taking over my life. So happy to see so many people enjoy the beautiful game.

I know I'll have more time in July to work on my writing. To hold myself accountable. Also, going to formulate a strategy for Coffee's release to the world. Thank you Liam for the push. I also want to get back to my street photography, which I find very therapeutic. Recently developed some film & it was nice to tap into that wonder again. I pray that whatever you are into, whatever you are passionate about, that you continue to push forward. It's ok to be human. I realize as I write this, sometimes we forget how much pressure we put on ourselves.. from the small things to the big things. As long as you know what the important things are, you'll be as right as rain....blessings.

Holga 120 - Kodak T-Max 400 (B&W)