Unlike the vast majority of filmmakers, I grew up in a small, rural town and did my undergraduate in another small, rural town.  There are no major media outlets in small towns, so it was very interesting to be around people whose struggles and outlooks are not widely known outside of their community.  Growing up in this environment made me interested in perspectives that differ from the mainstream.  I’m also lucky to have traveled a lot, both in and outside of the United States.  I have loved meeting individuals from various backgrounds and learning what makes people different from one another and what connects all of us.  In my work, it is important to show that individuals can have different reactions to the same experience.  That’s why I interviewed over 100 different people for my feature documentary about the Appalachian Trail community, Barbarian Utopia.

The films I’ve loved the most, the ones that have influenced my work and continue to inspire me creatively, are those that arouse strong emotions and use those emotions to make me think about what I’ve experienced.  When a film makes the audience laugh or moves us or makes us afraid or disturbed, the experience is worthwhile because we, the audience, have been changed, at least a little bit.  Films like these inspire viewers to reflect on how we are living our own lives and how we can better understand and empathize with others.  Even for audience members who just want to “consume content” to be entertained, the right emotions can inspire valuable reflection.

My taste in movies spans all genres from blockbusters to b-movies to art films, so I am always excited to apply my craft to new types of stories.  For me, the quality of a movie has less to do with what type of film it is and more to do with the about of care and skill put into it, and this is what I aspire to bring to each project I work on.  Creatively, I believe that any genre can express any emotion or idea.  While many of the most impactful films I’ve seen have been dramas, I can evoke the same emotional reactions with documentaries or genre films or anything else.  For me, understanding the specifics of how each genre functions and incorporating that understanding into my work is vital.