INTERVIEWED BY TYLER SPINOSA

PHOTOGRAPHED BY ABOUBACAR KANTE

When did you decide to pursue work in film and television?

I was always one to steal my mom’s camera when I was a child and was always fascinated by literally freezing time as well as hearing the cool noise the shutter made. It evolved from taking photos of my family and friends performing any random action to shooting little homemade music videos with my brother.

What is your favorite part of the creative process?

My favorite moment in any given shoot has to be sitting down to color and compile the footage, seeing all of the hard work spent in pre-production and production finally pay off like it should.

What was the most valuable thing you have learned from your time at SCAD?

The most valuable thing I’ve learned here has probably been learning from start to finish how to write, produce, direct, edit, and hold official casting calls for full productions in a timely manner.

Who are your biggest inspirations?

Professor Michael Kinney here at SCAD — he has taught me more in a single quarter, than I thought I would’ve in all four years here. His knowledge of directing and film as a whole has not only amazed me, but has pushed the bar so much higher for me.

What advice could you give to aspiring filmmakers?

My advice to aspiring filmmakers is always the same: start small and start free. You will lose some capital by shooting your first jobs for free, but there is so much benefit to that. Not only will you build a nice portfolio fast, but because they are free, you as the filmmaker will have so much more creative control, allowing you to test the waters, try new lights out, go to different locations and really test the limits with your camera and learn the ins and outs. And it’s really a win-win because you’re doing what you love at the end of the day, and you will be left with a crazy reel that you can add to your website or social media.