A legend

Conrad Hall was a man I deeply admired for his work in film. He was a cinematographer. There were very few people who could light a scene like he could. There was just the pure way about him, using shadows and natural light to portray a feeling or mood. Check out Road to Perdition, American Beauty, Tequila Sunrise, and Cool Hand Luke to get a small idea of what he could do as an artist. I had this crazy idea I was going to work with him at least once but unfortunately he died Jan 2003.

This is something he said that is so very much how I want to approach my filmmaking.

"Filmmaking is about finding things out, it is about examining, it is about discovering. You should approach your work in the same way that a child new aspects of the world. I draw inspiration from absolutely everything around me."

When I was a new christian, I was told people who loved God didn't make movies or work in Hollywood ("the devil's playground"). I think that is a bold faced lie. While I think that LA is a very complex place with unique challenges it is not beyond the grace of God. Hearing it labelled that way makes me ill, frankly. God made beautiful things, creativity, art, theater, and all the stuff in between...I can think of nothing I would rather do than explore art with Him.

That is just one piece of the puzzle that is me.