Cheugy is really a simple and relatable story. It's a classic story structure of characters facing an exterior dilemma outside of their control. I'm most interested in telling contained, human stories. So, in Cheugy, it's really about these lived-in characters as they try to figure out how to navigate the turbulence of marriage and adulthood.

THEMES

• GRIEF - Grief, in many different forms, is something I'm really interested in exploring in my films. I find grief -- in all magnitudes -- not only fascinating but really telling when it comes to how we interact as human beings.
• THE MILLENNIAL DREAD - Look. We've all got it. What's that about? It feels as though we are a generation that has a really specific point of view and I'm really interested in exploring that through my characters.
• COMPARISON - This is a personal theme for me, for sure. And I often put my characters in these positions. I'm really interested in exploring this idea of the pressure we feel from external forces. For me, as an artist and as a millennial, it feels like there's always this pressure to compare yourself with others. How am I measuring up to my peers? Marcus and Julia are absolutely dealing with these pressures in Cheugy. They feel like the goal post is always moving and even when they achieve the next thing, they feel like they haven't arrived and the way they lean on each other is really beautiful to me.
• MODERN MARRIAGE/ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS - Right now, I'm super interested in the expression of characters through established relationships. In some of my previous work, I was interested in exploring budding relationships, but in my last film Is This It? and in Cheugy -- I'm really interested in the ways in which partners who have been together for quite some time interact.

MY WHY

I feel strongly that when it comes to making films and any art, it's tremendously important to express what's true to you in this moment. That's exactly what this story is. It's a personal story that I hope feels universal.

PREVIOUS FILMS

My previous films have been official selections of film festivals internationally and some have won awards. You can reference short clips from each of my three previous films below.

IS THIS IT?

David, a relatively anxious guy, takes a ceremonial pilgrimage to honor his estranged mother. Watch the trailer here.

COLD CALL

An insurance salesman trauma bonds and falls in love over the course of a cold call. Watch the trailer here.

WOULD YOU RATHER?

Steve meets up with his friend for lunch, but his life-threatening condition gets in the way of any meaningful conversation. Watch the trailer here.