- I am a writer and a filmmaker. Here's a CV.
- I will be publishing my debut novel–With Love, Budapest – later this year.
- I am also directing a feature documentary, The Unfinished Legacy of Bullet Shih.
- I am the cofounder of ManifestWorks and The Roam Literary Collective.
- I currently reside in Budapest, Hungary.
Mini Bio
My experience with juvenile justice began in 1986 at a detention center in Reno—as an offender. The experience galvanized my interest in how we deal with at-risk youth. I am a storyteller at heart, and I try to use that craft to inform, persuade, and enlighten. I have produced, shot, and directed content for television, theatrical and web distribution, with broadcast partners that include ABC News, MSNBC, A&E, Channel 4 (UK), The BBC, and Discovery International. I also started a nonprofit that helps the formerly incarcerated pursue meaningful careers in the entertainment industry.
THE UNFINISHED LEGACY OF BULLET SHIH: Director
Currently in production: A feature documentary about what happens to a prolific artist's legacy after an untimely death. Is the story a blueprint for honoring the life's work of the artist in the family, or a cautionary tale about artistic ambition.
THE THINGS WE SHARE : Director, Producer, Cinematographer
Eight short films about Ukrainian art, culture, and cuisine.
ENCUENTRA TU VOZ: Director, Producer, Cinematographer
Supporting freedom of expression and human rights of artists from Cuba and around the world.
UNCHARITABLE: Segment Producer, Cinematographer
Stephen Gyllenhaal’s documentary that explores the challenges put forth in Dan Pallotta’s book of the same name.
KINGS OF THE YUKON: Director, Producer
A portrait of the Yupik way of life and how the decline of King salmon in Alaska is threatening their centuries-old way of life.
THEY CALL US MONSTERS: Co-Producer, Camera
A feature documentary directed by Ben Lear that takes a balanced look at the practice of trying juveniles as adults. Although such young men are often accused of committing very serious offenses, Ben gives you the chance to spend time with them in a way that will help audiences be better informed about the issue.
NGO Work
SB1052 ADVOCACY VIDEO: Producer, Photographer
Produced for Human Rights Watch and the Fair Sentencing of Youth to advocate for a bill that would ensure juveniles understand their Miranda Rights before waiving them.
MEET JESSE: Director, Producer, Cinematographer
Piece I produced and directed with the graduates of my community nonprofit program, ManifestWorks young people whose lives have been affected by juvenile justice and public foster care systems. Fun fact: six years later, after getting his PhD, Jesse would become a contestant on the 43rd season of Survivor.
Other Film and Broadcast Documentaries
MURDER IN ENCHANTED HILLS (A&E)
A deeper look into the stories of Paul Gingerich and Colt Lundy we uncovered in Young Kids, Hard Time. In this extended version of a doc we did for Channel 4 in the UK, we dig a bit deeper into the circumstances surrounding the crime that resulted in both boys being sentenced to 25 years in the adult prison system.
Roles: Executive Producer, Field Producer
12-YEAR-OLD LIFER: THE PAUL GINGERICH STORY (CHANNEL 4)
In 2010, Paul Gingerich took part in the murder of his friend's stepfather when he was a couple weeks past his 12th birthday. To this day, the primary reason Colt Lundy was compelled to kill his stepfather remains a mystery to everyone except Colt. This special documentary released in Britain, France, and Australia looks at the rural Indiana community and both boys' families that were forever changed on that spring afternoon.
Roles: Executive Producer, Field Producer
INSIDE THE GANGSTERS CODE (DISCOVER INTL)
The Burqueños are the newest gang on the New Mexico prison scene. In this one-hour episode, ex-mobster Lou Ferrante travels to some of the state's most notorious prisons and into the barrios of Albuquerque in search of the Burqueños' roots and power players.
Roles: Producer, Field Producer
YOUNG KIDS, HARD TIME (MSNBC)
Young Kids, Hard Time is an award-winning 2-part series from Calamari Productions on the reality of juveniles serving long sentences in prison. Wabash Valley is home to the Youth Incarcerated As Adults cellblock (YIA), where 53 kids eat, sleep, study, and recreate. When they turn 18, they are transitioned into the adult population.
Roles: Producer, Field Producer
Award: PASS Award for Outstanding Doc
LAKE COUNTY JUVENILE JUSTICE (MSNBC)
From the confines of America's juvenile detention facilities to the razor wire of juvenile prison to the heart-pounding juvenile courtroom hearings where everything is on the line, Lake County Juvenile Justice (Cradle to Jail on Hulu) explores where juvenile crime begins, how it evolves, and what's at stake for kids, families and professionals in the system.
Roles: Producer, Field Producer
Awards: Crystal Clarion, Gracie Allen Award - Outstanding Documentary Series