Yesterday I was 1 of 20 people accepted into a prestigious film production program at my university. Today I graduate from the film program I took last year with an award for best directing. “Life moves pretty fast; if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Go after what you want in life and never take no for an answer. I truly believe that if you want something you can make it happen through determination, sacrifice, and passion.
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Yesterday I was 1 of 20 people accepted into a prestigious film production program at my university. Today I graduate from the film program I took last year with an award for best directing.

“Life moves pretty fast; if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Go after what you want in life and never take no for an answer. I truly believe that if you want something you can make it happen through determination, sacrifice, and passion.

I cannot stress enough how true this is. It is up to us to create the life we want. I’ve been feeling incredibly blessed these past few weeks. I’ve been working on industry (union) sets, worked a big tv show and met two of the leads, worked another shoot and made friends with a known actress who’s been introducing me to even more people, and I worked another freelance colorist job on a project I actually enjoyed. The biggest thing for me was realizing that “no” is no longer a part of my vocabulary. Say “yes” to every opportunity and chance that is thrown your way because you never know where that may lead. Fear does not define you. One of the biggest opportunities came from an industry panel that I went to on my own because I thought that it might be good for my career. I was hesitant to go alone and pay $30 for something that wasn’t a sure bet but in the end it was the best thing I could have done. Everything happens for a reason. I say this a lot but that’s because I truly believe it. But just because something will happen doesn’t mean you should sit around expecting everything to fall into your lap regardless. You have to make things happen. Open yourself up to opportunities and create the life you want to live.
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I cannot stress enough how true this is. It is up to us to create the life we want.

I’ve been feeling incredibly blessed these past few weeks. I’ve been working on industry (union) sets, worked a big tv show and met two of the leads, worked another shoot and made friends with a known actress who’s been introducing me to even more people, and I worked another freelance colorist job on a project I actually enjoyed.

The biggest thing for me was realizing that “no” is no longer a part of my vocabulary. Say “yes” to every opportunity and chance that is thrown your way because you never know where that may lead. Fear does not define you. One of the biggest opportunities came from an industry panel that I went to on my own because I thought that it might be good for my career. I was hesitant to go alone and pay $30 for something that wasn’t a sure bet but in the end it was the best thing I could have done.

Everything happens for a reason. I say this a lot but that’s because I truly believe it. But just because something will happen doesn’t mean you should sit around expecting everything to fall into your lap regardless. You have to make things happen. Open yourself up to opportunities and create the life you want to live.

Lately I’ve been wondering if the moments of inexplicable sadness that we experience are the culmination of feelings bottled up and kept in. If that empty hole in your chest is the result of so many absent moments, past and present. That moment when I should have tried harder. That moment when I should have kissed you. When I was too scared to take that opportunity while it was there. When I stay here instead of going where I know I should be. Is it ever too late for something? I’d like to think that it isn’t and that by some act of grace, we’re given second chances. Second chances for our second chances even. But maybe after a certain amount of time those chances start running out and it does become too late. It’s easy to say carpe diem (god forbid anyone say y**o) but how often do we act on that? Isn’t there always something in the way? Too much work, too much responsibility, another tomorrow. And then suddenly those moments pass into more absences. I think we owe it to ourselves to seize every chance we’re given and not wait for things to be “just right.” Because the truth is that they’ll never be perfect. But imperfect situations can lead to perfect moments that exist, fleetingly or sometimes forever. And having known that you did something will far outweigh any other outcome.
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Lately I’ve been wondering if the moments of inexplicable sadness that we experience are the culmination of feelings bottled up and kept in. If that empty hole in your chest is the result of so many absent moments, past and present. That moment when I should have tried harder. That moment when I should have kissed you. When I was too scared to take that opportunity while it was there. When I stay here instead of going where I know I should be.

Is it ever too late for something? I’d like to think that it isn’t and that by some act of grace, we’re given second chances. Second chances for our second chances even. But maybe after a certain amount of time those chances start running out and it does become too late. It’s easy to say carpe diem (god forbid anyone say y**o) but how often do we act on that? Isn’t there always something in the way? Too much work, too much responsibility, another tomorrow. And then suddenly those moments pass into more absences.

I think we owe it to ourselves to seize every chance we’re given and not wait for things to be “just right.” Because the truth is that they’ll never be perfect. But imperfect situations can lead to perfect moments that exist, fleetingly or sometimes forever. And having known that you did something will far outweigh any other outcome.

It’s easy to say but hard to remember, no matter how cliche it may sound, that we should always live our lives to the fullest and take all the chances we’re given. We need to not make those moments of daring and bravery a once in a while thing but part of our lives. There’s nothing wrong with feeling like you’ve done your best or achieved something great at every moment in your life. The next time someone offers you a chance, take it. What have you got to lose?
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It’s easy to say but hard to remember, no matter how cliche it may sound, that we should always live our lives to the fullest and take all the chances we’re given. We need to not make those moments of daring and bravery a once in a while thing but part of our lives. There’s nothing wrong with feeling like you’ve done your best or achieved something great at every moment in your life. The next time someone offers you a chance, take it. What have you got to lose?

Someone asked me today how, in exactly one year, I could have done so much and gotten so far. I told him that it was luck and then thought about it some more.. When I was really young I had this theory that there was only so much luck that could be allotted to a person’s life. Like a bottle with sand pouring out slowly, what was used up couldn’t be replaced. Growing up, I never felt like I was one of the lucky ones. That somehow, luck and opportunity decided to just skip me by. Maybe I was right, maybe I wasn’t. But it sure feels like since getting accepted into film school, things have changed. It might be partially luck.. but when I also consider the big picture of it all, it was also a lot of hard work. I have never WANTED anything so badly in my life.. I’ve never had this kind of drive.. and maybe it took me finally listening to my heart and following my dreams to understand that. Dreams are attainable.. you just have to work for them. But if you work hard and put your entire self into achieving it then amazing, wonderful things will happen for you. I truly believe that. And honestly, working for what you want feels better knowing that YOU did it and it wasn’t just luck but that you, yourself made this happen. This is only the beginning. I will never stop working hard for this.
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Someone asked me today how, in exactly one year, I could have done so much and gotten so far. I told him that it was luck and then thought about it some more..

When I was really young I had this theory that there was only so much luck that could be allotted to a person’s life. Like a bottle with sand pouring out slowly, what was used up couldn’t be replaced. Growing up, I never felt like I was one of the lucky ones. That somehow, luck and opportunity decided to just skip me by. Maybe I was right, maybe I wasn’t. But it sure feels like since getting accepted into film school, things have changed. It might be partially luck.. but when I also consider the big picture of it all, it was also a lot of hard work. I have never WANTED anything so badly in my life.. I’ve never had this kind of drive.. and maybe it took me finally listening to my heart and following my dreams to understand that.

Dreams are attainable.. you just have to work for them. But if you work hard and put your entire self into achieving it then amazing, wonderful things will happen for you. I truly believe that. And honestly, working for what you want feels better knowing that YOU did it and it wasn’t just luck but that you, yourself made this happen.

This is only the beginning. I will never stop working hard for this.