When I was a kid, I’d stand barefoot in my room, close my eyes, and wave my hand fluidly through the air, conducting an orchestra for the latest Disney film. I felt like I was part of the music, the animation, and the compelling drama unfolding on screen. What I felt, but couldn’t yet articulate, was the layered and creative nuances of storytelling through film.

Since then, I’ve picked up a camera and spent hours behind the editing screen discovering this medium. It’s taken all my considerations in writing—theme, conflict, energy, cadence, tone—and transformed them into more dynamic, experiential elements. As a writer who is also a self-taught and continuously learning filmmaker, I’ve been able to access a unique medium that combines my love for Story with Art.

I’ve also learned that to be a good filmmaker, you have to be a great writer.

I’m still working on both.