For as long as I can remember movies have been an integral part of my life, we didn't have a dinner table to gather around so films became the hearth around which we gathered to connect and refresh. Coming from a single-parent household meant my mother spent the vast majority of the day at work, so left to our own devices, my siblings and I quickly came to find solace and encouragement in films. They somehow managed to express emotions I couldn't and made me feel seen and heard during a time when I felt anything but. It didn't matter whether I had friends or not or whether we were being kicked out of another apartment because I had films and the stories within them to turn to. I especially came to greatly admire and look up to the work of Christopher Nolan and Paul Thomas Anderson and the passion, craft, and humanity their work expressed. I remember watching Her by Spike Jonze and being moved by what the film communicated about love, depression, loneliness, and frankly what it means to be human. I took notice of how the camera movement or lack thereof aided the performances and music in expressing the theme of the film. My resources were limited so I was unable to receive formal training or experience in filmmaking but I read anything I could get my hands on and watched great films and tried to take note of what the director was choosing to do to accentuate the story, I took note of when a film would move me and why and how I can apply that to my own projects. I quickly began to notice all the work that goes into the magic of filmmaking and I get ecstatic at the thought of being able to create my own projects someday with other people who share my passion for film. I love film and want nothing more than to express through my work and hopefully someday offer someone the same encouragement and comfort offered to me by the likes of Nolan, PTA, Scorcese, and countless others. I chose directing as my emphasis because it is the area where I can best express myself and share my ideas. I also enjoy collaborating with people because you get the opportunity to hear other perspectives and ideas while working on the communal experience that filmmaking is. I believe films truly can change and positively impact the world, one shared laugh or tear at a time; I know this because film has been a monumental part of my own life.