It started in my sophomore year of high school with a two hundred dollar Canon camcorder, and I have been building on that foundation from the ground up ever since. I studied film writing and directing at Yale, where I had the chance to sit with filmmakers like Lee Isaac Chung, who directed Minari and Twisters, and Gareth Edwards, who directed The Creator and Rogue One, and ask them the questions I actually wanted answered. Those conversations, along with my own experience as a filmmaker, sharpened my perspective and helped me solidify my voice.
During my time at Yale I also studied abroad at FAMU, the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, one of the most prestigious film schools in Europe. The program was intensive and hands-on: producing short films, managing production budgets, editing, and color grading under the pressure of a real creative environment. That training, combined with years of hands-on production experience, is what informs every frame I shoot.
Over the course of my career I have led crews and casts of every size, from a two-person shoot to a feature-length film where I directed more than fifty cast and crew from pre-production through delivery. My work spans a wide range of clients and contexts. From Olympic gold medalist Nathan Chen to universities, non-profits, businesses, and personal brands of all sizes, the common thread has always been telling stories with intention and clarity. Productions almost never go the way they are drawn up, and the part of this work I am proudest of is that I have never walked away from one.
I also give glory to God that some of this work has been recognized along the way. Snooze earned the Achievement Award at the 11th Chin TV Awards, which carried a particular weight because it came from my own community. My shorter films have been honored separately, with Best Overall Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Documentary Short Film.
I am still making films, and the next one is always the one I am most excited about. What I am chasing is work that will impact others and outlast me, stories that point to a bigger picture than my own.
