Filmmaker Statement

One may read Avon Calling as an indictment of traditional beauty standards and gender dynamics, or an examination of the ways in which the past always comes back to haunt us. Regardless of thematic interpretation, however, I have encountered an even more significant takeaway as a young filmmaker. We walked onto the cold sandy beach with nothing but a camera, tripod, sound kit, and a shot list, and returned shortly after with a film that had somehow developed a sublimely organic sense of personality. What was most critical in bringing the film together was the collaborative environment that was fostered on our set. Every member of the crew was distinctly in tune with one another, and the outline detailed in our shot list became merely a loose framework for our creative visualization. We inhibited a liberating sense of freedom throughout the process and brought a meaningful story to life through unbridled mutual respect and a love for the freedom of indie filmmaking.