Recently, I took a stab at directing my first rom-com, Strictly Textual — a contemporary look at relationships in our digitally-driven age. This was a shot at going outside my comfort zone, not just in terms of genre, but also in directing a short film written by someone else. It’s one thing when you direct a story you […]
The Hollywood Masters: Season 2
The Hollywood Masters, moderated by The Hollywood Reporter executive features editor Stephen Galloway, returned to LMU this semester for Season 2. Galloway was recently named LMU School of Film and TV’s Cosgrove Family Distinguished Visiting Artist for 2014. Once again, I was part of the production crew and it was awesome. This season our guests […]
Interviewing MEL GIBSON at Icon Productions for My New Documentary, PRIEST 2.0
Production on my new documentary, Priest 2.0, is in full swing! For reasons that will become clear soon enough, earlier this month, my crew and I went to Icon Productions in Santa Monica to interview its founder and the director/producer of 2004’s powerful The Passion of the Christ — the one and only, Mel Gibson. Behind-the-scenes tales of the making of The […]
PLAY DATE – A Short With a Purpose
I’m grateful and proud to have had the opportunity to work on a wonderful film this summer. Currently in post-production, Play Date, is an important film that is trying to make a difference. 5% of all of the fundraising campaign proceeds for this film went directly to the OPCC (Ocean Park Community Center) in Santa […]
My First DIT Gig on a Feature Film
Film editor Rachel Pearl, one of my past professors from LMU, recommended me to another director this summer. Rachel had gotten me the gig working with her on Courting Chaos last summer, and now this summer we had the chance to work together again. Aminah Bakeer Abdul-Jabbar was directing a feature, Muslimah, and I got […]
Strings and Keys
I’ve been playing guitar since I was 15 and now have a total of three guitars, each special to me in its own way. My oldest is a Peavey Limited Edition EXP HSS, with a dark turquoise-black-burst quilted top, piano black back/neck/headstock, rosewood fingerboard and a Hipshot Ultra Glide tremolo bridge. Along with it, I got it […]
HELL NIGHT (Director’s Cut) Trailer
As soon as my third year at LMU came to an end last month, I got right to work on the “director’s cut” of my 300 film, Hell Night, to submit to film festivals. The version I turned in for my LMU film production class had to be under 10 minutes, forcing a couple of my […]
A Day at The Getty with Jackson Pollock’s MURAL
One of the things I was eager to do as soon as the spring semester ended at LMU was to go see Mural by Jackson Pollock at The Getty. Mural, an early work and his largest painting, is an example of abstract expressionism by Pollock. Pollock is my favorite artist and I’ve had the good […]
The Hell of HELL NIGHT Post-Production
Hell Night, my junior thesis film, is currently in post-production. When I completed the first rough cut of the film — which can’t exceed 10 minutes, including credits — it turned out to be 14 minutes, without credits and the very brief opening scene that I have to re-shoot. I’m very happy and proud of the work, […]
The Hollywood Masters Come to LMU
Being a film student at LMU has afforded me opportunities to experience some truly fascinating film industry events up close. Recently, I’ve had the good fortune not only to attend, but also to be part of the production crew for, The Hollywood Masters — moderated by The Hollywood Reporter executive features editor Stephen Galloway. The Masters consists of 90 […]
HELL NIGHT – That’s a Wrap!
I just finished principal photography on my junior thesis film, Hell Night. Or, at least I hope it’s finished. There’s one important and very difficult shot that might not look the way I was hoping it would, so there’s a chance I might shoot it again. Making this film was quite an experience and there […]
COURTING CHAOS World Premiere
It’s been a busy time, but one of the cool things I was able to do recently was to attend the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival where Courting Chaos had its World Premiere and was named Best Comedy Film of the festival. It was also nominated for the People’s Choice Award and the voting has […]
My Fall Semester SFTV Film Projects
Last semester was a busy time. I worked on several film projects, for both my cinematography and directing courses, as well as those of my fellow film students. Cinematography — Short Film in 16mm Here is my first cinematography project. The initial assignment was to take seven outdoor stills that told a story. Then, we used those […]
LMU Regent Mentor Program
I was nominated to be one of only 22 juniors at LMU selected to participate in the LMU Regent Mentor Program. Each student is paired with a member of the LMU Board of Regents who is a working professional in the industry that coincides with the student’s major. As a film production major/theatre minor, I […]
2014 People’s Choice Awards
Awards Season is upon us and, once again, I attended the People’s Choice Awards, courtesy of Gotham Casting. The 40th Annual People’s Choice Awards were held last night at the Nokia Theatre, hosted by Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs. Plenty of A-listers were there to accept their awards like Sandra Bullock, Adam Sandler, Britney Spears, Robert […]
Footprints of Legends
If you follow the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in front of the Hollywood Highland Center west down Hollywood Boulevard (one of which is for The Doors), you’ll come upon the (formerly Grauman’s) TCL Chinese Theatres. Grauman’s Chinese Theatre held their grand opening in Hollywood on May 18, 1927 and cost a whopping […]
The Holidays at Hollywood Highland Center
The Hollywood Highland Center is right where you’d expect it to be — on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and N. Highland Avenue — and it’s worth a visit if you haven’t already been there. Perhaps the Center’s best-known attraction is the iconic Chinese Theatre, host to countless Hollywood movie premieres and its stars’ handprints, shoe-prints and signatures […]
David O. Russell Talks About AMERICAN HUSTLE and Much More
Last night I attended another screening at LACMA, this time with some fellow LMU film students. Many of these screenings, including the one last night, are presented in partnership with Film Independent. This time, Film Independent uploaded a video of the entire discussion conversation between LACMA’s film curator, Elvis Mitchell and American Hustle director, David […]
Michael Mann Talks THIEF at the Aero Theatre
I love attending the screenings at the Aero Theatre and am constantly amazed that every single one of these film events aren’t SRO. How is it that this theater doesn’t sell out when there’s a chance to participate in a Q&A with a director like Michael Mann? Thief was one of Mann’s films that I […]
LMU Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration
The Tree Lighting Celebration at LMU is always a special evening. There’s hot chocolate, music by LMU’s a cappella group NoteTORIOUS, horse drawn carriage rides, and of course, the tree lighting. While at the tree lighting, I noticed that there is now a cable attaching the baby Jesus to the nativity scene in Alumni Mall. This […]
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