When I was probably 7 or 8 years old, i took one of my family's small digital cameras that could miraculously shoot video, and I made small films that my stuffed animals acted in. Once i hit middle school, my friend Blake and I started a youtube channel where we made a couple "short films." 






 
At the time, I was just a kid having fun making videos.  I had no plans of doing films or making movies or telling stories. Then high school came around and, you have to start looking for colleges. I got a DSLR camera for Christmas my junior year and started taking photos and learning my way around a camera. I started looking for places I could learn video production and editing when i stumbled upon Lee University 40 minutes from my hometown. I looked into their Digital Media major, with a Cinema emphasis. I got accepted and I took off to college to conquer the world.

Going into it, I still wasn't sold on making movies, I just really wanted to get into cameras and video production, but I knew that my major was going to involve filmmaking so I was excited about it. Sophomore year, I took a Cinematography class. This class at first was, boring in some ways. I didn't find appeal in the deeper frame compositions, the lighting set-ups, or the projects we had to do, but I still enjoyed just using the camera. Simultaneosly, I also got the opportunity to be on a Professional Short Film called "Manufactured Luck."  One of my bosses at my campus job had gotten me the gig to be a 2nd AC for his film he was directing. Little did I know, the whole other crew was industry professionals. That set changed my view of filmmaking forever. They all worked so efficiently and they communicated well and the shots were so beautiful and the story was handled well, and the next week I was back at school making bad videos for class.

That's when I started to take the camera seriously for the first time. I was no longer making videos for fun. Filmmakng could be super cool, and I was excited.  I made my final project for Cinematography class, called "Jealousy." It was a challenge to myself to use light in a way I never did, and it really got me thinking about being a Director of Photography. yet, I was still hesitant. The next semester my department began working on an independant feature film that was headed-up by my Professors. I AC'd again for this project and I fell in love with doing AC work.

This is the part that gets exciting. That same semester I was asked to Direct Photography for one of my co-worker's senior thesis. This film was titled "Heartbreak Magic," and can be found on my website here.  I was a sophomore who had barely any knowledge of how to do DP things, and was trusted with someones senior set. That again, changed my whole perspective. The film was wonderful. The whole crew was essentially upperclassmen and then me, and it truly shaped how a film set at this level should be executed. It taught me to be selective with the people I choose work with. 

I then went on to shoot "Edgar Evicted" with direcotr Taylor Oaks, followed by "Nine Months to November" with Hazel Jones. Nine Months to November has become my pride and joy and has opened up my eyes even more to how filmmaking impacts the world. It's latest success was being chosen as a finalist for the Paris Lift-Off Festival, selected out of 250 films to be considered and nominated for awards. 

In February 2023, i shot my Senior Thesis film, "Backboard." This film was the accumulation of everything I learned at college. I Both directed and DP'd this project which was a huge step for me. My school did not offer a cinematography track and I was sort of forced into the Director path. It was an honor to work with a great cast and a great small crew to bring my film to life. 

I'm now looking ahead at future projects!