1) Can you talk briefly about your background, and how you first got interested in filmmaking?

I grew up in Denver, Colorado and was always interested in movies and how they were made. It wasn't until later, when I was suffering as a business major in college, that I realized the only thing that really excited me was film. So I enrolled in the closest thing to a film program my school offered which was “technical communications”, a program geared towards the ENG field (basically local news video production). From there, I began studying film on the side, watching movies and commentaries, and making short films.  I eventually made the decision to move to California to pursue a career in film. 

2) What was the initial idea and how did it evolve from there?

It all began on January 26th, 2020, when Beyonce’s “Homecoming” took home the Grammy for Best Music Film. I had been fortunate enough to contribute to the film as a documentarian and when word got out that it won, my 32-person group chat showered me with congratulations, thinking that I received the actual trophy and wanted to party with it. Unfortunately, I never got to telling them that I wouldn’t be receiving the trophy; so my pursuit for a real-life replica grammy began…

Most of the interactions in the film were captured through screenshots of instagram DM’s and iMessages over a 3 week period. The story evolved in real time and its direction would be based on the answers I would receive and how I would solve the problems that arose; from my producer friend not letting me borrow her actual Grammy, to my best friend’s wife not letting me throw a party at their house, to the rental house’s prop grammy being out of stock. 

3) What was the biggest challenge in making this film? And generally what part of the creative process do you enjoy the most?

The editing was the most challenging part about making this film since there’s barely any filmed footage and it’s made up of mostly screenshots, stock, and photoshopped images. It can be tricky to make those assets entertaining. 

Collaborating with my friends is the part of the creative process I enjoy most. Hands down. 

4) What’s a film you’ve seen recently, new or old, that you really loved and why?

Bong Joon Ho’s “Barking Dogs Never Bite”.  It’s goofy, shocking, and surreal. A nice mix of everything. 

5) What’s next for you?

Got the Grammy. Go for the Oscar. 

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