I’ve been splicing 8mm movies together since I was 13 years old, however, I never planned to become a documentary filmmaker. It just happened. I went to college at SMU in Dallas for an education in film - to become the next Steven Spielberg, really - and fell in love with every aspect of film, the different genres and their film histories. I loved both art imitating life (fiction), and life being the art (documentaries), and in the mid-80’s, both were booming as maverick filmmakers, independent studios and Redford’s Sundance Film Festival began to appear.  I found both formats rewarding in their own powerful ways, each with boundless creative possibilities for new ways of storytelling.  

The documentary feature I eventually created was 'Holy Hell', which premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival in the Grand Jury competition. It was picked up by Netflix, CNN, played in US theaters and abroad, and even received two Critic's Choice Award nominations.  

The one consistent thread, imperative to the success of either dramatic or documentary films, is the editing. No matter what the story, great storytelling is in the editing. Yes, the writer's vision, but shaped and reshaped, over and over, by  the editors:
 

• My strength as an editor comes from my experience as a director and storyteller, and my life-long love affair with the movies!

• My joy is in finding the hidden truth in its bare beauty, and in creating a cinematic experience for the audience.

• My passion is conveying personal, complex narratives in an emotionally compelling manner. 

• My gift is creating magic from nothing, using pieces of reality or fiction, to move, enlighten and uplift others.  

Working my way back into the world of professional filmmaking, my Filmography page share selects of my work since Holy Hell - as an Editor, Director, Producer and/or Executive Producer.