From ‘Filmmaker’ to ‘Storyteller’: Embracing My Evolution as an Artist
This month, I was honored with the Master of Storytelling award at the 5th annual Druk International Film Festival. Each year, this award is given to filmmakers who have made significant contributions to independent cinema.
From The Festival:
"Your dedication and artistry in independent filmmaking have truly made their mark. The jury was incredibly impressed by your creation, which exemplifies the power and innovation of independent cinema. The Master of Storytelling recognizes filmmakers like yourself who have carved a significant path in the independent film industry, pushing boundaries and inspiring audiences. Your contribution is truly commendable."
This recognition is not only a huge honor—it also feels timely and deeply reflective of my own artistic transition. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been shifting from identifying solely as a filmmaker to embracing the broader title of storyteller.
This blog post is all about what prompted that shift and the new creative projects I’m exploring beyond film.
My Journey to Filmmaking
I majored in marketing communications and minored in acting in college. During my senior year, an internship at a talent agency opened my eyes to the entire world behind the scenes, leading me to pursue a master’s degree in cinema production. I fell in love with producing—steering productions and bringing stories to life. But after producing my graduate thesis film, I realized I wanted more than just the logistical side—I wanted to write and direct as well. That was in 2017, and since then, I’ve written and directed nine films.
My films have always been a response to uncomfortable truths about the world. I use storytelling to bring bold, often taboo topics front and center. My work spans documentaries on Black Feminist Theory, sexual trauma recovery, and misogyny within the Christian faith to narrative films exploring the orgasm gap, a patriarchy-free commitment ceremony,and even a socialist Santa Claus. (FILM PORTFOLIO)
I have never been a Hollywood filmmaker or even an industry filmmaker. I pride myself on a nimble, attainable approach to filmmaking—one that doesn’t require millions of dollars or star-studded casts to tell a compelling story. My microbudget method allowed me to produce multiple films while maintaining a full-time 9-5 job. Most of my films were shot over weekends or during short vacation breaks, with two locations maximum and skeleton crews wearing multiple hats.
(Shameless plug: I created a podcast called The Microbudget Indie Filmmakers Podcast to detail my approach: www.microbudgetfilmpodcast.com)
Between 2017-2022, my films premiered at three Academy Award-qualifying festivals and screened internationally in Australia, Toronto, France, and Nigeria. They won numerous awards, including Best Documentary, Best Human Rights Film, Best Comedy, and Best Women Empowerment Film. Some of my films have since been distributed on Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, and over 30 academic libraries, including Harvard University.
I am deeply proud of my work and forever grateful to the teams that helped bring these stories to life. But in 2022, something shifted…
The Big Shift
In 2022, I began to feel exhausted by the filmmaking process. While I had mastered making successful films on a microbudget, I started to dread the sheer magnitude of each project—script breakdowns, budgeting, casting, location scouting, permits, shooting, post-production, marketing, and distribution. Each film required at least a year of my life.
For the first time, I craved simplicity—the kind of simplicity where I could just pick up a camera and shoot. I started asking myself: What if this story was a photo series? What if I removed the screen altogether? What if it became an audio project? What if, instead of fictionalizing these narratives, I simply started blogging?
My passion for storytelling never wavered, but my desire to explore new mediums outside of filmmaking grew stronger.
I remember being in Toronto at a BIPOC creatives brunch when I introduced myself not as a filmmaker, but as a storyteller. It felt natural. It felt true. Shortly after, I tweeted:
My Upcoming Projects
Since expanding my creative scope, I’ve taken on three major projects outside of traditional filmmaking:
Blogging
(Which you’re reading right now!)
In September 2024, I launched a personal blog on my website, committing to one post per month. For years, my storytelling took the form of scripts—real-life experiences translated into character arcs and plotlines. But I had a deeper desire to let my narratives stand alone.
I realized my stories didn’t need to be transformed into a screenplay; they could exist as personal narratives. Since launching the blog, I’ve written seven deeply personal posts, using this space as a public diary to spark conversations, challenge taboos, and share my most authentic self.
Blogging has been a freeing addition to my storytelling repertoire—it’s pure, unfiltered, and not tailored for entertainment. My words simply exist.
All of my blogs can be found HERE
Fiction Podcast: Velvet
My next non-film storytelling project is Velvet, a seven-episode fiction podcast about a woman who discovers she’s asexual and embarks on a journey to explore sensual, romantic, and emotional connection outside of sex.
This story is deeply personal. Since coming out as ace in 2022, I’ve encountered countless misconceptions about asexuality and the limiting beliefs around intimacy absent of sex or sexual desire.
At first, Velvet was a short film script. But I pivoted to podcasting for two reasons:
Simplicity: The entire project can be recorded remotely. My production team and cast can execute this from the comfort of their homes, eliminating the need for equipment, permits, or location scouting.
Creative choice: I wanted to remove sight from the storytelling experience, forcing the audience to engage with attraction and intimacy in a world where what you feel matters more than what you see.
After a year of writing, we’re now in full-swing production! We have an incredible team—a producer, an audio engineer, an editor, and a composer—so I can focus on writing and directing. Our cast of 14 voice actors begins rehearsals next month!
We’ll be releasing the 7 episode series during Asexual Awareness Week October 26th-November 1st 2025.
Photography: Unscripted
Photography has quickly become my favorite storytelling medium. It’s the simplest form of creation—no set design, no actors, no dialogue—just a moment captured in time.
I’m currently working on a five-year photo series called Unscripted. This series disrupts the illusion of life as a carefully scripted narrative, capturing spontaneous moments that defy expectations.
Volume 1: Mirrors (view here) explores the unintentional synchronicity between humans and wildlife.
Volume 2: Solitude (shooting this year) focuses on moments of introspection in crowded cities.
Future volumes include Thresholds, Joy, and Defiance.
I’ve also been vlogging my journey as a self-taught photographer. Once all five volumes are complete, I’ll likely turn the process into a short documentary (somehow, filmmaking always finds its way back).
Wrapping it all up
I think the ability to evolve is crucial to staying true to your creative voice. If I had clung to filmmaking as my only medium, I would have stifled my artistic growth. Being multifaceted is not a distraction—it’s a superpower. Some of the most inspiring artists, like Solange, embody this. She’s a singer, songwriter, composer, producer, and choreographer, seamlessly moving between disciplines to bring her vision to life.
Storytelling isn’t bound to a single format. Whether through film, podcasts, photography, or personal essays, my goal remains the same—to tell bold, thought-provoking stories. Expanding my creative practice hasn’t diluted my voice, it’s amplified it. And that, to me, is the true mark of a storyteller.