Tell us a bit about your organization and what your specialty is in the film and video space.

As a first-time filmmaker, I’m confident in saying I don’t have a film specialty—yet. I thoroughly enjoyed making this short documentary but want to explore other forms of filmmaking as well.

What is your organization’s ethos and how does it set you apart from industry competitors?

Unlike others, this was not a piece for an organization. This short-film was a personally documentary about me stepping into fatherhood for the first time and the anxiety that came with that. Also the grief that this journey kicked up, having lost my father to cancer and wanting to be the prime example for my son.

How can people join or learn more about what you do?

My website which by the time of this interview will be fully launched!

Tell us about your Telly Award winning piece. What’s the story behind it?

There’s a narrative that surrounds Black fatherhood and as I got closer to the delivery date, I began to have all of these feelings about it but couldn’t find a piece that shared another Black male sharing their anxiety of anticipating their first child. So, as I have throughout my life, said “if it doesn’t exist, do the way to make it so”. And that I did.

What are you most proud of about this piece? What was your biggest challenge during production and how did you solve it?

I’m most proud of the vulnerability displayed in this. As a first-time filmmaker I had anxiety about what was too much and what wasn’t enough and I think sticking true to my range of emotions that came with making this, I was able to put something that was truly felt by those that watched.

Do you have any advice to other filmmakers based on your career or your team’s approach to work?

My advice would be do what you can, where you can, with what you have. I shot this short-film documentary with zero budget on my DJI Osmo Pocket 3 and doubted myself along the way but when you’ve got something strong , you’ve got to have confidence in it. Meet your art where you’re at and as you grow you’ll be able to see the growth of you as a filmmaker but also, the growth in what you produce.

Can you share a behind the scenes story or fun fact about the making of your piece?

A fun fact about the making of this piece is that I never told my family what this was for. I jokingly said I was shooting a documentary but they did not see the short-film until it was completed and submitted.

Tell us about the most memorable response you got from this work.

The most memorable response would be hearing that this short film drew tears from people. I knew it was an impactful story but I wasn’t expecting the number of people to share that they’d cried happy tears, proud tears watching this.

Complete this sentence: ‘Great video storytelling is…’

… something that connects to the soul and draws emotion. Whether it’s happiness, or inspiration, or enlightenment—true storytelling will pull on at least one if not all three.