Discover the power of creativity in filmmaking. This category explores the nature of cinematic storytelling, the development of original ideas, and the factors that influence creative expression in film. We also examine different creative methodologies and provide practical tips for cultivating creativity in your filmmaking practice.
Introduction: From Hotel Doorman to Open-Mic Survivor Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you enroll in MasterClass via my link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions are my own, based on multiple completions of the course and 50+ open mics since 2021. I spent three years opening … Read more
The Hook: The 3 AM Call Time That Made Me Care About Camera Angles February 2021. Maid, Episode 7. I’m set dressing a domestic violence shelter scene at 3:17 AM in New Westminster, and the 1st AD is losing his mind because we can’t get the sight lines right for a dolly move through a … Read more
Disclosure: Some links below are affiliate links. I only recommend tools I’ve personally used on set or in pre-production. If I think something’s overpriced or wrong for your situation, I’ll say so. The Hook The morning we shot Going Home in 2024, it was 41°F and the location — a small residential street in Victoria … Read more
When Script Analysis Saves Your Ass Three weeks before we shot Blood Buddies, our lead actor showed up to rehearsal and said something that stopped me cold: “I don’t get why my character does this.” We were halfway through prep. Costumes were being fitted. Locations were locked. And here’s the thing—he was right. The motivation … Read more
When Good Actors Sound Like Robots I was on set for Blood Buddies when I watched a talented actor completely butcher a pivotal scene. Not because she didn’t know her lines. She knew them cold. The problem? She sounded like Siri reading a grocery list. Take after take, the director kept saying “more emotion,” and … Read more
The Hook I was sitting in a parking lot at 2 AM during the shoot for “Blood Buddies” when I realized something: the script I’d written three weeks earlier was garbage. Not the concept. The concept was fine—two estranged brothers forced to confront their past during a tense dinner. The problem was I’d written it … Read more
The Hook I was twenty-three, working a night shift at a video rental place in Vancouver, when a customer asked me to recommend “something that doesn’t play by the rules.” I handed him Pulp Fiction. He came back two days later. “That watch scene,” he said. “I had to rewind three times to figure out … Read more
The Day I Finally Got It Take 28. My DP hadn’t spoken to me in an hour. The actress was visibly exhausted, her eye makeup smudged from actual frustration tears. We’d been on this single dolly shot for “Going Home” for three hours. Just a woman walking through a doorway. Simple. Except it wasn’t. Take … Read more
Introduction After graduating from Vancouver Film School and USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, and spending 15 years directing and producing independent films, I’ve worked with dozens of actors at every level. One thing has become clear: great acting isn’t just natural talent—it’s built through training, consistency, and the right guidance. I’ve stood on both sides … Read more