We are not as open about mental illnesses as we are about broken legs. If we were, can you imagine how much more understanding there would be? People often forget that the brain is a part of the physical body; suffering from a mental illness—whether temporary or chronic—should be as normal to the outside observer, or family member, or employer, as the common cold. The severity differs, but the stigma—or lack thereof—should not. In order to empathize with the mentally ill, we need to have a better understanding of what they’re suffering from, and that understanding requires a proactive effort on everyone else’s part.
Mental Illness In Movies: An Exploration into the Dark Side Hollywood Doesn’t Show You
March 21, 2019 by Leave a Comment
“No Alternative” – The Crowdfunding Campaign
March 10, 2016 by Leave a Comment
I launched my first crowdfunding campaign this week. Crowdfunding is its own art form—an art form I’m no expert at, I’m sure—but indie film is at a point where grassroots funding is becoming more and more critical to sustaining its viability. It’s almost impossible to get Hollywood to fund something that’s not a thriller, or a […]
The Beginning of a Movement: THE FIFTH WALL
February 10, 2016 by 2 Comments
“The Fifth Wall” is a response to the modality of contemporary Hollywood. The origins of its manifesto are attributed to my time at the AFI and its message developed along with some of my fellow filmmaking classmates: While we were at the AFI a few of us conceived of a movement we called “The Fifth Wall.” Whether through the use […]
What Does The Sundance Film Festival Mean To Middle Class Filmmakers?
February 1, 2016 by 1 Comment
What does this year’s Sundance Film Festival mean to Middle Class Filmmakers? Let’s first compare last year’s sales with this year’s sales. In 2015, the big Hollywood distributors bought the majority of the films showcased at the festival—Fox Searchlight bought “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”; Open Road bought “Dope”; Sony Pictures Classic bought […]
#MiddleClassFilmmakers
November 2, 2015 by 1 Comment
It seems my Indiewire piece on “The 99 Percent…In Hollywood” struck a nerve [bit.ly/1XtxL9K]. I think that’s a good thing, both positive and negative responses alike. The point was to start a conversation and the conversation has begun. Most of the response out there has been positive and I can’t thank you enough for the support. […]
