I'm actually making films, no longer day dreaming about it. Watch the ad for Meredith College featuring yours truly right here.

I’m actually making films, no longer day dreaming about it. Watch the ad for Meredith College featuring yours truly right here.

Yesterday I mentioned my childhood dream of becoming an Oscar-winning actor. Hollywood seemed so big and so far away for a kid growing up in rural eastern North Carolina. Acting seemed like the most attainable.

Perhaps I didn’t really know what part of the industry was suitable. I just knew that I wanted in. Desperately. So I kept plugging away, working towards the dream of finding some place to call home in the film industry.

Today I feel at home as a filmmaker.

The term “filmmaker” leaves a lot of room for interpretation, which I appreciate. Some days I am a director, other days I’m a producer. Every day I’m working up the courage to step in front of the camera. I’m always a writer. I wear a lot of hats. So, yeah, the term “filmmaker” leaves room for possibilities and I like that.

Taking stock of where I am today makes me feel like I can legitimately call myself a filmmaker. I have a few finished films: Abandoned Allies, Trophy, and Landfill Dogs: Behind The Scenes. They are my pride and joy. I cherish each one because of the struggles, lessons learned, and the friends I made. They taught me so much! 

I’m also in production on a new documentary titled Brewconomy. Learn more about the project here if you wish. We successfully raised more than $11,000 on Kickstarter to finish it. I’m so proud of what we’ve already accomplished and what we’ll tackle in 2014. I’m feeling so much support from my community. It’s rewarding.

When I stop to appreciate these things, I feel so much joy! It makes me realize how far I’ve come from day dreaming about a life in film. I’m actually making films, y’all. I should stop to appreciate that more often.

Most of the time I keep my blinders on because they help me forge ahead. I don’t like to stop and think about the fact that the road has been long, uphill, and full of challenges. There were too many days when I wanted to quit. But those days build character, strength, and determination. I am stronger and more experienced than I was in 2008 when we started making Abandoned Allies.

So where do I want to go from here? My deepest desire as a filmmaker is to create something beautiful that makes this world a better place for all of us. Simple as that.

I’m focused on exploring that mission through documentaries and comedies at the present time. Every day I’m developing my voice as a filmmaker. Who knows what the future holds. I know this much: my voice as a filmmaker is changing and improving.