Filmmaker Statement

With Empath I wanted to create a layered cautionary tale about community, identity, and authenticity. The film prods at a lot of interesting questions, and I think that's due to the fact that the concept of "emotional contagion" was a large door that opened up into a hallway full of many other doors that could be opened. I found early on in the writing process that people were bringing their own very valid interpretations to the work in a really exciting and engaging way. I was particularly interested in asking, to what degree does our sense of community motivate, or even unconsciously dictate our emotional responses? Is empathy a tribal tool that functions to reinforce group cohesion? I wanted to explore the consequences of the social concept of "mirroring", and the science of mirror neurons as this semi-invisible evidence of naturally occurring hierarchies, in which imitation is much more than a form of flattery.