SHIVER
NOVEMBER, 2024
Director
Writer
Lighting Director
Producer
Editor
Casting Director
Location Scout
After gaining more experience with filmmaking, I was eager to work on another short film while Ghost Problems was being edited. When I saw the IFPPHOENIX 240 To Glory film challenge, which required teams to make a short film in just ten days, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to practice my filmmaking skills. I signed up and was accepted into the competition, so I then enlisted my close friend and cinematographer, Evan Gallett, to start filming as soon as the challenge began. The competition provided a prop (a trashcan) and a line of dialogue (“I have a bad feeling about this”) that had to be included in the film. I sat down and wrote two versions of a short film called SHIVER, which served as a proof of concept for a longer version I hoped to make into a full film one day.
With the tight timeline, pre-production was challenging, but I focused on creating the film’s key element—the monster. I worked with Justina Wilkins to perfect the creature's look and feel. I also reached out to friends to serve as background actors for a fake party scene. For other roles, I called on Emma Crothers from Fading Colors, Griffin Mietzner from Ghost Problems, and two talented actresses I was excited to cast: Kaitlyn Annab, a freshman at GCU, and Maddie Scott, a friend of Brittany Kirsten, who was eager to be part of the project.
With an amazing team in place, we shot SHIVER over three days, followed by immediate editing. For sound design, I contacted Mitch Freeman, a fellow GCU student who had impressed me with his work on other student films. Mitch agreed to help with the sound design, adding another layer of professionalism to the project. Tory Barden created the poster material and other graphics for the film, while Evan and I took the photos for the posters. Once the film was completed, we submitted it for the competition. SHIVER had its premiere in Harkins theatres and won two awards, and was nominated for another four.
GHOST
PROBLEMS
SEPTEMBER, 2024
Director
Writer
Lighting Director
Editor
Casting Director
Location Scout
Producer
With three films under my belt—The Rim, Fading Colors, and BEAT-UP—I felt ready to take on my next big project: Ghost Problems. I started writing the script as soon as The Rim finished filming, knowing I wanted to focus on long-term character development. I saw Ghost Problems as the perfect opportunity to explore this deeper storytelling. The characters Jacob and Lucas were inspired by the friendship I had experienced in my own life. Jacob's character, in particular, was shaped by a personal loss I had gone through and the grief I had witnessed in close relatives who had lost a father. I wanted the story to reflect the complex process of loss, acceptance, and moving on while keeping the memory of the person alive in your heart. I wrote about five drafts before landing on the sixth, which included everything I wanted to convey.
Finding the right location for the film was a challenge until I connected with Phoenix Christian Preparatory Academy. They were generous enough to allow me to use their school after hours for filming. My friend and cinematographer, Evan Gallett, who had worked with me on all my previous films, joined me for location scouting and planning. With each project, both of us had gained more experience, and we were eager to improve on our previous work. When it came time to cast the film, I knew exactly who I wanted for the main roles.
For Jacob, I casted Ty Holzwarth, a GCU student I had been wanting to work with for a while. I sent him version three of the script, and he was excited to join the project. As for Lucas, I casted Griffin Mietzner, who had already worked with me on two films. Our close friendship made it easy for us to collaborate and adjust performances as needed. The last major role was Queen Valencia, the villain. This was a demanding part, requiring an actress who could embody the power and presence of an underworld goddess. Luckily, I knew Brittany Kirsten from previous projects, and she was thrilled to take on the role.
Evan and I worked together on costume design and prop building, and once everything was ready, we began filming. A key element of the film was the ghosts, so I reached out to my friend Justina Wilkins, who had expressed interest in doing makeup design. She worked hard to create concept art for the ghosts, and after a few revisions, we found a design that worked perfectly. Justina then helped transform Brittany into Queen Valencia before each shoot and painted over twenty extras to play the ghost army.
We assembled the largest crew I’d ever worked with—around seventeen people—to help bring the film to life. This included action scenes, chase sequences, and moments of character development. We shot over three weekends in September: the 6th-10th, 13th-16th, and 20th-23rd. Filming typically began around 6 p.m. and wrapped up around 3 a.m. It was a long, grueling process, but it went smoothly thanks to the hard work of everyone on set.
After filming, Evan and I reviewed the footage and realized there were a few shots we needed to reshoot. We scheduled a weekend for reshoots from October 18th-20th. The film is now in the editing stage, and we’re excited to see it come together!
Beat-UP
JULY, 2024
Director
Writer
Editor
Producer
Lighting Director
Casting Director
Location Scout
During the summer between my sophomore and junior year, I knew I needed to practice my filmmaking skills one more time before tackling Ghost Problems, my next big project to rival The Rim. I wanted to focus on quick camera movements and fight scenes, so I wrote BEAT-UP, a sci-fi action film on a very tight budget. After three drafts, I finalized the script, emphasizing the fight sequences and VFX.
Wyatt Brown, a student interested in creating VFX, reached out to me, so I ensured BEAT-UP included elements for him to practice on before we worked on Ghost Problems. I also contacted my friend Griffin Mietzner, who starred in The Rim, to play Micah, the lead character. Griffin and I had grown close during filming, and I knew he’d be perfect for the role. For the villain, Mr. Craft, I casted my high school friend Kael Pannell. I called in every favor I could to involve friends from high school and college as henchmen actors.
I made all the props myself, including the spray-painted custom sci-fi guns, and designed all the costumes for the characters. Filming began on July 16-17, during one of the hottest weekends in the Phoenix summer. We shot the interior shipping container scene between Micah and Mr. Craft on the first day and the fight sequences on the second. Additional shoot days on July 23-24 covered Micah’s conversation with AI Rebecca, played by Brittany Kirsten, and the final fight.
On the last day, Griffin bravely took a real polar plunge to film Micah waking up in an ice bath. Once filming wrapped, I led the editing process. Joshua Utterback and Broque Schmidt composed intense, fast-paced music, tying everything together. Wyatt added VFX like overheating guns, bloodied POV effects, and the sonic boom gun. I handled the sound effects and foley, and Tory Barden created stunning graphics. With everything complete, BEAT-UP was finished, and I felt ready to begin work on Ghost Problems.
Watch on YouTubeFADING
COLORS
MAY, 2024
Director
Writer
Lighting Director
Producer
Editor
Casting Director
Location Scout
After the premiere of The Rim, I wanted to try something shorter and completely different. While Ghost Problems was my next big project, I knew I needed more practice in my lighting skills, so Fading Colors became the short film I needed to hone my craft. The idea for the film came from observing my friends' experiences with breakups. I loved the concept of colors representing a relationship, fading as love is lost. The script was minimal on dialogue, focusing instead on the actors' facial expressions to convey emotion.
Once it was ready, I reached out to Jackson Williams, who had starred in The Rim, for the male lead. For the female lead, I casted Emma Crothers, who had auditioned for The Rim and eagerly accepted the role. Pre-production moved quickly. I found a park location for filming and, with my friend Griffin Mietzner as assistant director, planned the shooting schedule. We ordered the colorful lights needed for the visual effect and began filming.
Everything went smoothly—except when the park’s sprinklers unexpectedly sprayed the cast and crew during a shoot! The short film was completed over two nights, with crew members waving lights to create the film’s signature effect. After filming, Evan Gallett led the editing, with me making minor adjustments. Broque Schmidt, a talented musician and close friend since middle school, composed the song that perfectly captured the film’s vibe and tone, using guitar to highlight the emotional depth of the story. Tory Barden once again created incredible graphics and promotional material to bring the project to life.
Fading Colors is now available on YouTube for everyone to enjoy!
Watch on YouTubeTHE RIM
JANUARY, 2024
Writer
Director
Lighting Director
Producer
Editor
Casting Director
Location Scout
The Rim was my first attempt at filmmaking. The idea for the film started while I was watching student films with my roommates, Joshua Utterback and Tory Barden. As we discussed the films, we ended up deciding that we should make our own. Eventually, we agreed on an idea, and I began writing the script. The process was a creative journey, with multiple iterations of the story. Originally, I had conceived it as a vampire film, but after discussing it with my mom, it transformed into a Bigfoot story. When I shared the new concept with Josh and Tory, Josh mentioned that Payson, AZ, had its own version of Bigfoot, called "The Mogollon Monster." I loved the idea and ran with it, writing six drafts before finalizing the script.
Casting took place on the GCU campus in late November, where over forty people showed up to audition. In the end, I casted eight actors. The next challenge was finding a location to film. Josh and I drove up to Payson, where we checked out several houses and locations before settling on the one we used in the movie. In December, my team and I ordered props and planned costumes for the January shoot. I made the Mogollon Monster costume myself, with a friend of mine, Madison Peters, helping by creating the mask.
I also reached out to my longtime friends Evan Gallett and Michael Orr to help with the project. Evan was excited about the opportunity to work on a film with his camera, while Michael, who hadn’t thought much about filmmaking before, was eager to contribute however he could. After Christmas break, the crew and I carpooled to Payson for the shoot, which spanned two weekends. We stayed in the same house, using every available couch, bed, and beanbag. With a crew of eight, The Rim was officially in full swing.
The 41-minute film was shot over two weekends in a house and the surrounding forest, where the nighttime temperatures averaged 12°F. After filming wrapped, I began editing the footage in Premiere Pro, a program I hadn’t used since high school. Joshua Utterback scored the film, composing every track, while Tory Barden worked on posters and graphics to enhance the production’s overall look. After two and a half months of editing, scoring, and minor reshoots, the film was ready. I printed hundreds of posters and hung them around GCU campus. With support from faculty, I reserved the Ethington Theatre to host the premiere.The night of the premiere in April, I was incredibly nervous, but my anxiety melted away as over three hundred people arrived. The audience laughed, screamed, and gave the film a standing ovation. What started as a simple idea between roommates turned into the first spark of my career in film.
Watch on YouTube
