Filmmaker Statement

In August, 2020, I had only been living in California a few months. Everyone I knew lived on the other side of the country. Very far away it felt. I decided to make a short film. My friend suggested I work off the concept, “Hidden in Plain Sight”. OK. So that Saturday, I got up, drove into the Ojai foothills, and started shooting, not knowing what I would find. I was alone. No one except me and this dry heat. I came up to a clearing, and I saw that a few hundred feet ahead, overlooking the valley was this bench. I went up and sat on the bench, wondering why it was so far away from everything. I sat and thought for a long time. Afterwards I stood up to leave and saw that the bench had a dedication on it. It was for a man who had passed away in 2014. I was curious so I looked him up and found his obituary. After reading it, I realized I found my film. It was hiding in plain sight.