Friends
It’s wild that filmmaking exists – it takes so many people, so much time, so many resources for anything to really come together. Filmmaker websites historically do a poor job of recognizing the beauty of how wide and complex the world is behind the projects.
This is an attempt of shining back some gratitude to some of the key people who I’m learning with and learning from. I have been incredibly blessed to work with so many people who have had profound impacts on my personal and creative life so feel free to follow the links to check out their work. This list is a work in progress and there are many more people who impact my work but it’s a start!
Rob is a great friend and has been a core collaborator across most of my projects. He has a unique way of connecting to the important ideas of a film and then searching for a language and way the camera can speak to the film as a whole. He cares for the details and really has an ear and eye for rhythm, which make sense since he has a robust collection of records and music that is underknown but full of hits. When he’s not making his own films, he’s supporting the local experimental film scene, hitting the raves, and riding his bike.
Literally my best friend who makes films filled with humor, care, and a sPeCiFic sense of weird. I have so much love and admiration for this woman, and while we haven’t been intimately involved in eachother’s film projects since college we are very much there for the existential and emotional support that filmmaking needs. She is forever young at heart and her smile is severely contagious, so watch out. She will make you laugh, she will soften your heart with silliness, and she’s making films that are tender, sincere, and fun!
A sweetheart to his core, and a fantastic producer/editor. He has worked on loads of beautiful projects and his interests are wide, his thoughts are clear, and he attracts filmpeople who are incredibly kind and generous. Beyond his involvement with making films I admire, he cultivates a community that celebrates and supports one another. If he invites you to a picnic or a hang out, you have to go because he’s probably cooked or baked something delicious (and somehow also vegan).
Ian Johnson
We met as teens in the suburbs and he’s become like a brother to me over the years. Ian is so personable and down to earth that once you talk to him for 5 minutes it feels like you’ve known him all your life. He’s full of stories, life, and good questions. While he does perform on stage I think he’s a future film star since he’s always giving genuine and nuanced performances on camera. I want to find a role for Ian in everything I make since he’s a great actor and a terrific and loveable energy on set. He’s special and will 100% bring your cast and crew together if you work with him.
Alcy Sivyer (aka Tink)
Another brilliant friend of mine from Wisconsin but now roaming and healing communities with ecstatic dance, dj sets, great food, yoga classes and other hard and soft work. Alcy can probably do anything, but I love it when she’s acting and she’s another collaborator I want to work with as long as I’m making things. She’s incredibly compassionate, honest, and strong in a way that I admire so much.
Another member of the BAM-fam, Kim is a super smart designer who understands how to make a design system full and clear. She can pull deep niche references out of her sleeves and connect it to the work and ideas that are important. She’s so easy to work with, prepared, flexible, good at listening and asking the right questions. I miss seeing her everyday and remember fondly our poké bowl runs.
My big brother teaches at OSU and always is down to work through ideas with me when I need an outside of film POV. In his own work he considers decisions, behavior, incentives and all sorts of other things that go over my head, but he understands that new ideas require us to navigate systems and forms in new ways. He lives in a way I love: tending to his veggie gardens, learning guitar and drums, reading everything (from manga, to fiction, to heavy theory), and dancing with so much joy where ever fun music is played :)
Dorothea is another awesome friend I made through working at BAM. She produces with a sense of calm and care while paying close attention to the details in every environment. She’s organized but in a way that is full of grace and ease that is rare to find (and also balances my moments of frenetic energy.) She found a community to host a bounce house party with maybe less than 48 hours and the day turned out better than I could ever imagine. She loves pasta and popcorn and I love her.
Tebogo cultivates a really personal and collaborative world of care in his life and his films. Directs with a powerful sense of trust in all of his collaborators. I learned a lot from having a small role in one of his films. He’s is curious, gentle, and intuitive, and draws out nuanced stories and details in his film that inspire me consistently. No mater if its a dinner convo or a new project I always appreciate the perspective he has on life around him.
I’ve known Joey since college where we went to the same basement shows and didn’t know each other too well. After graduating he asked me to act in his film Exit 9, and making the little film set my life on a cool trajectory that brought lots of great people into my life. We worked together at BAM for about 3 years, and he brings a great understanding of movement, pacing, and structure to all this work. Inspiring director and also very fun to play pictionary with.
Aron was my first friend in film school, and a huge reason why I made it through film school. He knew everything about cameras, lights, gear, software – a technical wizard who I desperately needed and he would patiently teach me the technical side of everything and in exchange I would tutor him on film theory and semiotics. Today I want him on every film set because he’s an ace AC who is always prepared and focused (pun fully intended). Sarcastic but soft hearted give him a Welches fruit snack and your friendship will be quick to follow
As sweet as he is strong Zane will light up your set, and I am not just talking about his gaffing skills. I’ve worked with Zane on a bunch of sets now and he’s always paying attention to how to best achieve what’s needed and will find a way to get that even when spaces or locations seem challenging. Zane and Rob are also long time buds from their days at Milk Studios so together they are a pair that know how to have good time while doing a great job.
We met in a high school art class and became close friends quickly, but then she moved and we fell out of contact for a while but remained fans of each other from afar. Flash forward 10 years and I’m finishing my first real short film and she’s an established children’s book illustrator and we reconnect over the illustration for the poster for 4622 Stillwater Circle. I love her work so much, and still remember painting a seascape in my basement when we were 16, so it’s cool to grow and reconnect after all these years through art <3
This is a sweet studio that I work for full of talented creators who have a great sense of playfulness across all their work. The designers go hard on the details and the brands we’ve worked with can feel the fun we have. I’ve learned so much from the founders Mark and Dave around the value of staying true to the projects that matter, supporting and growing relationships with friends who are growing with you, and consistently carving away at the big dreams while getting through the day to day. This studio feels like a one of a kind, but the world would be a better place if there were more places like this!