Lenovo Seize The Night - Bronze

First, I'd like to say thank you to everyone who supports the site and the work I've done as a filmmaker. The amount of people who helped me during the Lenovo contest was absolutely overwhelming. Frankly, I've been in numerous view based competitions and it's hard to sustain your film's presence without annoying your virtual community base. There is only so many times you can tweet, post, or message a person with your film before they just don't respond.

Still, the backing I received from Alabama alumni, friends, acquaintances, and film fanatics was astounding. It's amazing feeling when you know people who've seen your work enthusiastically support simply because they believe in you. That's true gratification.

We ended up receiving some great features on other sites as well!

The F-Stoppers feature was huge! Without their support we wouldn't have even placed.

Filmmaking.net also took out the time to feature us on a more educational note. 

Of course I had to mention the competition as a part of my guest post series on The Nu Black

The biggest push definitely came from twitter though. Well known tech master Thomas Clifford was a huge help along with many current undergraduate University of Alabama students. It was a huge effort and I'm happy people willingly supported. 

Unfortunately, we came in 3rd place at the end of the competition. Third place stills nets us a substantial prize, but nothing compares to the $15,000 the first place winners Critical Mass received. I still count this a blessing nonetheless. I was given the privilege to direct a great commercial/film for a well-known company, and work with some of the best film production students in the South. If you haven't seen the Lenovo video check it out now. 

Being a graduate student at USC's film program has not been easy. At this point I'm positive our schedule is set up chaotically to test our endurance as filmmakers and individuals in general. It hasn't been easy, but I've learned you have to sacrifice (especially sleep) to achieve. This will not change! 

Be on the lookout for more updates on films I've worked on soon. Till then be sure to follow us on twitter @QueTheLights! 

Journey of a Student Filmmaker Part 3: The Wait

For the past few months I've been writing personal essays for the website, The Nu Black. Theses essays have been known as Journey of a Student Filmmaker. Each of these posts display an intimate self-examination of my growth as a filmmaker preparing for the biggest shift in my life.

On August 10th, I'll move to California permanently. I'll have an entire semester before I begin graduate school at USC, so the majority of my free time will be spent finding freelance jobs and hopefully working part-time at Funny or Die. The wait has been excruciating, and this passage of time was my main theme within the essay.

There is nothing worse than the anticipation of good things to come. When your hard work has brought on the summation of your aspirations in a fiery swath of acceptance you begin to wonder, “What’s next?” I believe this is the encompassing problem of individuals who believe in the relentless nature of achievement. Every moment feels wasted if it is not afforded to dream you aspire towards.

I believe this is why I find myself supremely frustrated by the fact I have to wait until the upcoming Spring before I can begin my graduate studies at USC for their cinematic arts program. I’ll be moving to California in August, but I’ll have a few months before I begin. It feels harrowing. I consider the beginning of my graduate studies, rather than the final move to California, as the next progression of my livelihood. I doubt this feeling of ascension to a new culmination with my life will emerge until I leave from my graduate studies three years from now.

Still, the wait produces another feeling within me. A concoction of emptiness that can only be filled with a mission, a goal I must attain. This is the reason I decided to stay in Tuscaloosa and work as Director of Photography on a feature film being produced down here. It is the reason why mid-through that project I took off time to work as Director of Photography for one of my film professors on another project. It is the reason I climbed into my colleagues SUV and spent four days shooting a music video in Atlanta. It’s the reason why I sent my name into a competition that is now allowing me a three thousand dollar budget to shoot a short video for their campaign.

I crave the sustenance of work. I need the dark crevices of fulfillment. If my mind finds itself with idle time, he grows worrisome. It’s a symptom of success and the insecurity of success. You tell yourself you’ve done well, only to realize in the grand scheme, your mediocre ideals of achievement pale in comparison to the real embodiment of fulfillment you seek. No one cares about your journey until it resonates with their own life. When your work becomes the enjoyment of another individual, then it truly begins to matter.

This could be a never-ending hole. Maybe my greatest fear is the inconsolable fact I could work relentlessly towards my goals and never reach them. Others have worked just as hard as me and never achieved. Am I more entitled than the next? Am I willing to admit some avenues of success are dependent upon the luck of the draw?

These are the questions which run through my brain rampantly. Without a goal set to work towards, I am unable to cancel out the whispers of self-doubt. So I find myself creating goals of small stature I can periodically conquer as I wait for the final goal. In the back of my head I realize graduate school is still only a hurdle. It will be a long journey, but a small gesture in the workings of my ultimate destination. I believe I find myself pondering what is the ultimate destination. This is only exacerbated when you work yourself to the point you can reach a plateau you still haven’t truly defined.

Photograph of my family used in the recent More Than XY Exhibition

I am a filmmaker with a plethora of self-doubts. It is not a good combination, but I’ll toil ahead regardless. That is the plight of waiting for your next step in life, you begin to question if it will guide you to the next one.

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You can read the Part 1: An Introduction and Part 2: The Adjustment on The Nu Black as well.