LOCAL WOLVES // ISSUE 23 - BERTIE GILBERT

#FILMMADNESS March, you are a gem. I remember sitting in class, listening to my teacher babble about the importance of March Madness hence my inspiration to create #filmmadness. Woo for sports! I was always intrigued about the quick writes we had to write and voice our opinions about. The topic was about fear so I thought I should overcome that sense of “fear.� I signed up for a semester long film program where I worked with other film creatives once a week and we received a laptop with FCPX which was wicked cool. I’m a mega tech nerd, btw. So we would be assigned to make short videos and commercials. It was a fun experience and it made me appreciate all the filmmakers who dedicate their time to produce, direct and edit. The other fun part was choosing the music, randomly testing the white balance before we conduct interviews with clients and learning how to properly use a tripod to film.

Looking back, I wanted to produce and create documentaries of the music industry which I am in love with learning about - the team behind the stage and the publicity world. Any chance you get to experience anything new, go outside of your comfort zone so I say just DO IT! I hope this issue inspires you to take advantage of your spring break or vacation and explore your interests.

Cathrine Khom founding editor-in-chief

many thanks:

alexia adana

jacob dixon

michael morales

@alexiaadana new york, ny

@justabitofjacob north england, uk

@mikemoreorless atlanta, ga

alivia latimer

jake lofven

nicolas heller

@alivialatimer los angeles, ca

@grimbleism brisbane, au

@nuevayorknico new york, ny

bertie gilbert

josh phrakhun

ollie ritchie

@bertieglbrt london, uk

@joshphrakhun brisbane, au

@ritchieollie sydney, au

chantel lucas

kevin clark

tom explores los angeles

@chantel_lucas brooklyn, ny

@modernvoyage southern california

@tomexploresla los angeles, ca

frankie enticknap

lucy moon

vagabrothers

@frantakesphotos cambridge, uk

@meowitslucy london, uk

@vagabrothers san diego, ca

MARCH 2015

contents

Classics 07

playlist

08

munchies

10

diy department

12

on the street

14

p.s. positivity

f e at u r e s 16

no rest for the wicked

22

#filmmadness recap

26

tom explores los angeles

30

nicolas heller

32 34

ollie ritchie alexia adana

36

jacob dixon

40

kevin clark

42

jake lofven

46

bertie gilbert

54

lucy moon

58

alivia latimer

60

vagabrothers

66 70 72 74

josh phrakhun

frankie enticknap chantel lucas michael morales

iss ue t w e n t y t h r e e / / m ar c h t w e n t y fi fteen

b erti e gilb ert

founder / editor-in-chief cathrine khom copy editor sophia khom publicist faith escalera web designer ariane therrien illustrators eduardo escanear + jaimus tailor diy coordinator madison bass-taylor playlist maker sena cheung front cover logo fiona yeung back cover logo isabel ramos cover photo harry hitchens contributing writers kamrin baker, ashley bulayo, chloe luthringshausen, orion carloto, sydney clarke, amanda ferrarese, jacob karre, hudson luthringshausen, lydia snapper, alexandra southerst contributing photographers lexie alley, philipp ammon, mila austin, talia azadian, pamela ayala, viviana contreras, justin dingwall, rachel epstein, samantha eisenberg, amanda harle, emily hedrick, katy johnson, rachel kober, lhoycel marie, louisiana mei gelpi, ruby james, dylan razo, haydn rydings, priti shikotra, madison bass-taylor, maddi vujnov graphic designers cassidy boatright, christine ennis, isabel manimbo, isabel ramos style department sophie bernard, emily hedrick, katie qian, jessie yarborough description local wolves magazine, an online + print publication based in southern california with a talented team from all over the world. we focus on embracing the local scene in art, music, entertainment and film. our goal is to capture and share the stories about people doing what they love to do.

st a y c o n n e c t e d w i t h b e rt i e // y o ut ube be r t i e be r t g t umb lr be r t i e gi l be r t fi l m s t w it t e r @ be r t i e gl br t ins t a g ram @ be r t i e e gi l be r t

connect http://localwolvesmag.com http://facebook.com/localwolves http://twitter.com/localwolves http://instagram.com/localwolves http://pinterest.com/localwolves http://8tracks.com/localwolves general inquiries localwolvesmagazine@yahoo.com press + advertisting inquiries localwolvespress@gmail.com

COVERAGE: SENA CHEUNG

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munchies +

YELL O W FE V ER

+

COVERAGE: ISABEL MANIMBO

YELLOW FEVER noun /YELL-O FEE-VER/

Definition of YELLOW FEVER (According to yellowfevereats.com) 1. when someone is obsessed with asian things 2. an infectious tropical disease 3. ridiculously tasty asian bowls

Meet YELLOW FEVER, a local joint located in the South Bay, guaranteed to satisfy all your asian food munchies. Known for its signature bowls, and it’s awesome bowl mural (made out of different types of plastic bowls of all sizes), their staff is super friendly and knowledgeable and they will help you pick the right bowl for your soul. Yellow Fever also likes to be part of the ecofriendly environment and uses high-quality ingredients in all their dishes. To order, you first choose your base (rice, noodles or greens), and then your city: Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, Saigon, Bangkok, Californian and Kona. You can also add kale chips as toppings and even order their amazing parmesan fries. Craving all types of Asian food? Make sure you check out Yellow Fever!

LOCATION 24416 Crenshaw Blvd Torrance, CA 90505 CONTACT (310) 539-2249 yellowfevereats.com

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2909 District Ave Fairfax, VA 22031 202.333. 4646

do it yourself + FL O RAL HAIR C O M B +

SU P P LIES + 26 gage floral wire + gardening sheers + needle nose pliers + hair comb

FLOW ERS + ranunculus + billyballs + thistle + lavender COVERAGE: MADISON BASS-TAYLOR

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STE P S

1

gather groups of two to three flowers + hold them to the top of comb

2

4

point stems in opposite direction for other side + secure with wire

5

7

wrap with wire along top of comb

3

flip comb over + feel around for sharp wire ends

6

repeat for middle

tuck with needle nose pliers if necessary

trim off any stems sticking out

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on the street COVERAGE: EMILY HEDRICK Men’s street style in Los Angeles is all about expressing individuality, showcasing special and interesting pieces, as well as creating one’s own aesthetic. Street style all over the world commonly focuses on women’s fashion, but often forgets about the originality of men’s fashion. To get the full scoop on men’s modern street style, I had the help of twenty two year old fashion student Jake Heddaeus, who is a Los Angeles resident. It is common for men’s modern fashion to gravitate towards simple, neutral clothes, but methods like juxtaposition and color blocking are what help men’s street style stand out. For men like Jake, it’s all about picking one special piece out of his wardrobe and layering on other pieces whether they highlight the main piece, or make it more interesting. The world of men’s fashion is seeing rising trends of unique proportions, sandals incorporated with high fashion, and matching separates. Street style in general is all about always wearing what feels right to you, while also celebrating your own individuality and standing out among the crowd. Street style highlights the individuals who treat dressing as an art. Men’s fashion truly has a world and art form of it’s own and continues to rapidly evolve. Be on the lookout for more men’s streetwear incorporated on “On The Street”!’

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n o i r O to: Carlo

H

i there babes and Happy March!

I’m excited to reach out this month because I wanted to talk to you guys about the wonderful world of online friendships! Back in 2012 is when I really started to take social media seriously and I discovered the world of fan bases on Twitter. I was about 15 years old, I had just started high school, and just like any other story you’ve heard, I was your typical ‘I don’t fit in’ gal. It wasn’t long until I started using social media as an outlet to express myself publicly without fearing judgement. Luckily for me, I wasn’t the only one. Along with my boy band crazed hormones and constant hours put into watching and sharing numerous videos online, I was connected with many people across the world that shared the exact same interests as me and luckily to this day, we still remain best friends. See, what I love about internet friends is that it’s so much different than meeting a friend in real life. There’s more time you guys have to connect with one another and it avoids that awkward small talk and weird ways of getting to know each other and plus, you get the fun of jumping into each others arms the second you guys meet each other in person for the first time!

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SORION: So as most of you may know, I started off my YouTube career with my best friend, Sam Fazz but do you know that we first met on the world wide interwebz? Way back in 2012, we began to follow each other through mutual friends and we connected through our similar interests and humor.

Luckily for us, we both live in Atlanta and it wasn’t until an Ed Sheeran concert at the Tabernacle that finally brought us together. Prior to the concert, we made many plans together that eventually failed due to her dance schedule and my theatre rehearsals. Once we finally got the chance to meet each other, I knew that she would be my best friend forever. Our personalities compliment each other so well, so that’s when we decided to start up our very own YouTube channel. We never really thought anything of it, we only wanted to make videos for our own recreational fun, but the internet had other plans for us. Somehow, our videos got shared more than we expected and it turned our after school hobby into a job that we both love. What’s better than working to create things you love with someone you love?! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Three years down the line, Sam is considered more of a twin sister to me than a

! e f i l r ties fo

bes best friend. Sometimes I even forget that we we’re strictly “internet friends” at one point only because we seen each other in real life so often!

WIFEY 4 LIFEY: Let’s just say 2012 was a prime year of making new friends.

The internet holds a utopia of kick ass girls and luckily for me I met one of the raddest babes on the Twittersphere, my dearest wifey, Amanda. We became such close friends in such a short amount of time and I knew that I could go to her for anything and everything. We spent our nights before bed and our mornings before school video chatting every single day. She was basically my personal alarm clock because I’d wake up to a FaceTime call every school morning at 6 am from her. Things got challenging at times because we live 900 miles apart (Atlanta, Georgia to Detroit, Michigan) but we refused to let that get in the way of our friendship. It wasn’t until January 2015 that we finally met each other in real life for the first time. I bought a round trip ticket to Detroit, packed my bags, and was on my way to meet my best friend in the entire world. Once finally doing a leap of faith into each other’s arms at baggage claim

illustrations by eduardo escanear

and nearly breaking my knee, we spent an entire week together laughing, cuddling, taking ten thousand photos, having Taylor Swift dance parties, and fulfilling our every plan we’ve ever made before meeting each other. We posted so many photos on our Twitter accounts and the internet went crazy knowing we FINALLY met each other after 3 years of pure online-friendship-chemistry. Leaving Michigan and saying my farewells to Amanda was by far one of the hardest goodbyes I’ve ever had to do because I knew once I landed in Atlanta, it was back to late night texts and FaceTime calls. Although there are 900 miles separating the both of us, the distance could never and will never tear us apart.

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no rest for the wicked PHOTOGRAPHER KATY GENRE MUA AMBER SILVA STYLING KATIE QIAN WARDROBE BAD MADGE VINTAGE MODELS AUTRY @ FORD + CAROLINE @ PHOTOGENICS LA

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FILM MA D NESS PHOTO: HARRY HITCHENS

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NESS

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#film madness + W O LFIE SU B MISSI O NS +

This month we asked our readers: What are your thoughts about filmmakers using the video platform, YouTube to share their video content? // Illustration: Jaimus Tailor.

Frank Capra once said “There are no rules in filmmaking, only sins. And the cardinal sin is dullness.” He could not have been more correct. In order to keep the film industry alive and exciting, it is constantly evolving. Filmmakers have experimented for years, thus producing some of the best films in history. I think that using popular websites, such as YouTube, as a filming platform is such a magnificent idea. With the internet being so prevalent in our everyday lives, it is a great way to get a larger audience; especially if you are either a beginning filmmaker or an independent filmmaker. I think that although films in theaters will forever be loved and treasured, people would be impressed with knowing that such an amazing project was made with something that everyone has access to. They will see the true potential of social media and maybe that will inspire the next generation to use YouTube to create the next awardwinning motion picture. – TEYRIS KING, COLUMBUS, OH YouTube has boomed and is still continuing to sky rocket.

YouTube has given the public a variety of content that we can watch. From make-up tutorials to small documentaries, YouTube will have it. Personally, I think YouTube is one of the greatest platforms. People will be able to find others that share a common interest and I think that’s important.

It’s important to find people like yourself to build on ideas or simply just to listen or see someone who thinks similarly to you. It’s important for you to feel content with who you are and filmmakers on YouTube do exactly that. They make it seem like you’re with them throughout the whole process and like you’re a close friend. Not only does it give viewers an escape, but it also allows the filmmakers to go back to their happy place. So many of the creators on YouTube have such a marvelous time filming and editing short videos for others to see. They love the positive and negative comments they get on each video, regardless how harsh because they know that someone will love it just as much as the creators do. Filmmakers are given the opportunity to express themselves through YouTube, and not having to go through the struggle of trying to make it in Hollywood. YouTube is its own Hollywood in itself and it gives a guaranteed success if the correct aspects are put into it. – KATHRYN SEA, FRESH MEADOWS, NY

YouTube is a relatively recent platform for anyone that wants to share any sort of video content. Before YouTube was created, if you were a filmmaker, having your work be seen by a mass amount of people was not an easy task.

There were countless steps and people you had to get involved in the process just to hopefully get your content out there. However now, there’s a platform where you can completely create your own work, and put yourself in total control of who’s viewing your content. Any person can upload their film onto the site and have a chance of having people see it in a short amount of time. Now, that kind of exposure does not come fast or easy generally, but by communicating with other creators on the site, publicity for your work is extended. There is definitely a false sense that YouTube is for quick, pointless videos that people scroll upon when they have nothing else better to do, but when you look deeper into the site you can find some of the best filmmakers out there. Large amounts of content creators have transitioned from easy, more simple videos, into short films or even movies. For example, Jonah Green created the full-length film, Insight and Sawyer Hartman has been producing short films for years now and has gained a large following. I see creativity blossom through films on YouTube, and the site is just one more outlet for creators to share their ambitious, inspiring ideas. – JODIE QUINTER, BOSTON, MA As a filmmaker myself, I personally would love to see more filmmakers creating content on YouTube. I must admit that Vimeo seems to be where more professional/formal videos are found, though ironically it seems showcasing work on YouTube is a lot easier to access and find. YouTube is such a key, strong platform for people to get their work out there whenever I create something new, YouTube is the first place I go to upload it. It’s an internationally known website and everyone has been on it or seen it or at least heard of it.

There are quite a few YouTubers who are passionate about shooting their daily vlogs and make each video like a piece of art on their own, such as FunForLouis and JacksGap. I love that JacksGap not only create fun vlogs but also showcase their short films on YouTube as it is their passion.

– AEMELIA TAYLOR, BIRMINGHAM, UK

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T O M EXPLORES L O S

AN G ELES PHOTOS: VIVIANA CONTRERAS

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GET TO KNOW TOM: My name is Tom Carroll. I grew up in La Habra Heights and studied art at Occidental. I ride my bike a lot and draw in my free time. My last few jobs were tour guide jobs; I gave tours at Los Angeles State Historic Park and prior to that I led discussion based tours at LACMA. A lot of what I learned as a tour guide, speaking loudly and slowly, knowing when you are losing your audience; I use for “Tom Explores Los Angeles.”

INVOLVEMENT IN THE FILM INDUSTRY: TC: The idea of “Tom Explores Los Angeles” started as a homework assignment for a class I took at Pasadena City College. The assignment being, we had to make a video that was under 5 minutes long, taught someone something and then had to be uploaded to youtube. Luckily for me, my friend Derrick is a very talented filmmaker. I asked him if he would shoot a short video of me walking, explaining the history of the 110 walkway. That turned out to be the first episode; people had nice things to say about the video, so we kept making them.

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN FILM SO FAR: TC: Derrick, the director of “Tom Explores Los Angeles,” is the filmmaker of the two of us. I write, research and host each episode. Together though, I would say our greatest accomplishments come in the form of random people telling us how we were able to show them a side of Los Angeles that they didn’t know existed. The show is really an enthusiasm amplifier for the two us, we are interested in the stories that city of Los Angeles contains. We both enjoy telling stories as best as we possibly can, both visual and narrative.

FAVORITE PROCESS ABOUT FILMMAKING: TC: I love how collaborative filmmaking is. I draw a lot, but creating work in a vacuum can be draining for a people person such as myself. The way Derrick and I work together in very much a team effort. I will pitch him various episode ideas and see what resonates with him. My approach is narrative based, while his is visual based. Once we find an idea that fires on both levels, we will shoot the episode. We just posted our 21st episode. We have been doing this project for two years at this point and there is no way just the two of us could have sustained it for the long without the help dozens of friends, who have all helped in their own way.

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DREAM COLLABORATION: TC: Derrick would want to work with Paul Thomas Anderson and I would love to work with Werner Herzog. A lot of the way we tell stories is rooted in a Herzogian approach, falling line with many of his documentaries. As far what I would do, I would do anything, just to be able to say that I worked with Werner Herzog on a project.

ADVICE FOR ASPIRING FILMMAKERS: TC: The best advice I can give aspiring filmmakers is just start making something, doesn’t matter what. With free distribution (YouTube) and digital video as cheap as it is, you have no excuses. Make something, even if you think it sucks, and put it online. Then make more stuff. Looking back at episodes from two years ago, of course there are things I would change about them, but it doesn’t matter. The important thing is that we didn’t stop making episodes just because they weren’t perfect.

DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL FILM STYLE: TC: Derrick’s approach is inline with Cinéma Vérité. Since we make a documentary, he tries to let what happens, happen.

In terms of style, his approach is more influenced by cinema, directors like Paul Thomas Anderson and David Lynch, rather than tv. This is why the show feels more cinematic than normal episodic television.

CURRENT FAVORITE FILMMAKERS: TC: My current favorite filmmakers are Werner Herzog, Errol Morris, Joshua Oppenheimer. Really anyone who tell a true story in a compelling way.

FAVORITE LOCAL SPOT: TC: The Los Angeles River (under the 6th Street Bridge). There is a sense of Cathedral-like holiness to this particular expanse of the Los Angeles River. There is no other place I feel so simultaneously connected to and isolated from the city of Los Angeles; I go here to reset. The Bearded Beagle. Best vintage store in Los Angeles. Run by two hard working young people tucked away, just south of York and Fig in Highland Park.

Selection is always on point and I am always surprised their prices are so much lower than any other vintage store.

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nicolas heller STORY: SYDNEY CLARKE PHOTO: RACHEL KOBER

If you haven’t already heard of NicOLAS Heller, you should definitely put him on your radar because he is doing big things. The New York based filmmaker has been gaining a ton of attention due to his No Your City series, which is available to stream on Vimeo. This isn’t your typical documentary series, however. Heller manages to capture everything that makes New York unique, from the people to the sites. He attempts to capture the old New York, one he recalls as being present before recent changes. “My favorite stores, restaurants and venues are all being forced out to make room for banks and food chains,” he says. “The city is losing its charm. It is losing its characters. I want to make sure that I have documentation of all of the fascinating characters that make the city so unique before they no longer exist here.”

The series focuses on a different subject in each of the eight episodes, all of whom he meets on the street. “I can usually tell within seconds if they would be a good story,” Heller says. He credits these subjects as the reason that he is able to capture the true spirit of New York, although he does not pick them because he thinks they represent the city. “I feel like they have an interesting relationship with the streets. The majority of them are “NYC celebrities” like the Naked Cowboy, but less douchey.” Picking to set No Your City in New York was no coincidence, either. Heller traveled around after college, which he says gave him a whole new appreciation to the city he calls home. He began to notice details that he didn’t before; things that natives often take for granted.

Many of the people are NYC fixtures, people who he had seen around long before he left. “I used the series as an opportunity to finally speak to them and tell their story.”

No Your City is just one of the many projects that he is currently involved in.

One of his more recent shorts is titled “Ferguson to NYC,” a collaboration with Rolling Stone. Heller had been arrested a week before filming while at the Eric Garner verdict protest, and was contacted by the magazine to continue his filming. The short follows four major protestors as they organize their movement. “I was essentially a fly on the wall. It was very moving to hear about their involvement with the movement.” Heller is also currently working on other pieces, including a No Your City season 2 and Queens of Kings, which is a mini series on Brooklyn drag queens.

Heller thanks New York for most of the inspiration for his work. “The people that inspire me are my subjects and long term NYC residents. I recently befriended Clayton Patterson, who is essentially the ambassador of the Lower East Side. He has been documenting the change over the past thirty five years and being able to talk to him for hours is something that inspires me greatly.”

Heller goes on to add that he is inspired by the energy of New York, and all that is being done there. “It is the best place to find inspiration. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

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ollie ritchie Q UEST I O NS : A LEXA ND RA SOU THERST P HOTO S : O L L IE RITCHIE

GET TO KNOW OLLIE: I made my first ever channel back in 2009, back when I used to film with the webcam built into my MacBook. I guess I was inspired by YouTubers like NigaHiga. At least, that’s what my friends and I were into at the time. Funny skits and humorous vlogs. I then stopped for a while because, quite frankly, the videos I made were bloody horrible and I knew that. I came back to it in 2010, making action shorts. I made a new channel with a new name, “ritchieollie” an alias that I use now for a majority of my other social media accounts. Enter photography.

I spent a solid two years on photography, accumulating an absolutely lovely Instagram following of what is now 42,000+ people. Then, in 2013-2014 I came across what is now my motivation and my inspiration, for filmmaking and for my life.

First there was Casey Neistat. His perfectly organized style was incredibly aesthetic and mesmerizing to watch. Soon after I discovered this incredible channel called JacksGap. I watched Ben Brown’s videos which I consider Ben to be the primary cause of this intense desire to travel that I have. His perspective on life and his lifestyle has had a profound effect on me; if I ever met him in person I don’t think I could thank him enough for the indirect, positive changes he’s made on my life. His vlogs have even entered my daily schedule! (Wake up, eat, go to school, eat, come home, watch Ben’s vlog, eat, do homework, go to sleep.) ‘Onya Ben!

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LIFE WITHOUT youtube + PHOTOGRAPHY: OR: I would probably be trying to find a way to share my photos and films elsewhere. I honestly can’t imagine me doing anything else but photography and filmmaking. It’s like Kodaline, they went into the music industry with no plan B, either they succeed or they fall to the ground. I feel like my situation is very similar.

Although technically I do have university as a plan B, I stick with the mentality that I don’t have one and that gives me drive. It gives me the motivation I think I need to get to where I want to be.

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN FILM + PHOTO SO FAR: OR: I got an email one day in early 2014 and in they told me that I inspired them to start taking photos and video themselves.

That, in itself, took me a while to get my head around. “I inspired someone.” I was ecstatic! The fact that I can inspire people just by doing something I love to do is, I think, a huge accomplishment!

GOAL FOR YOUR CHANNEL + CAREER: OR: I want to continue to inspire people. I want to promote happiness and love through film and storytelling, and I want to turn that into a career. I also remember sending my dad an email in last February with a link to a work that inspired me

CONT’D called The Gap by Daniel Sax. It was footage put together to visually represent a quote by Ira Glass. Essentially it talks about “the gap” or the creative block that people who do creative work experience and he talks about how to overcome that. I was incredibly motivated after watching it!

ANYTHING YOU WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY: OR: If I could change one thing, I would have tried to be more open to criticism earlier on. I used to be absolutely horrific at taking on criticism. On my most recent project, which is being shown at a small film festival in Sydney, I worked closely with my Dad. I would show him what I had made and then he would give me more ideas and some criticism. I took his advice and the criticism on board and as a result I think I’ve made my best video yet and I recently found out that this particular film was nominated for best cinematography!

CRAZIEST THING THAT’S HAPPENED TO YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA: OR: Not much has happened in terms of YouTube (apart from being in this lovely magazine!) but on Instagram, I’ve been able to meet so many people on the internet and many of these people I now call my friends. I just can’t wait to travel so I can meet everyone in person.

“I WANT TO CONTINUE TO INSPIRE PEOPLE. I WANT TO PROMOTE HAPPINESS AND LOVE THROUGH FILM AND STORYTELLING AND I WANT TO TURN THAT INTO A CAREER. “ DREAM COLLABORATION: OR: I’d definitely have to say Ben Brown, hands down. I’d want to help him film one of his Visual Vibes because they’re all so beautiful to watch.

ADVICE FOR ASPIRING FILMMAKERS: OR: I guess I can rephrase Ira Glass here, but keep making, keep working, keep creating because you can only benefit from that. Remember you can never stop improving. Eventually you’ll find yourself, you’ll find your style and from there anything can happen.

FAVORITE LOCAL SPOT: OR: Bondi’s really filled with so many incredible places to just chill, it’s hard to choose! But if we include the rest of Sydney, then Newtown! It’s one of the loveliest places I’ve ever wondered around. It’s definitely in my top ten out of all 658 of Sydney’s suburbs.

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alexia adana PHOTOS: CHRIS LAMPKINS

GET TO KNOW ALEXIA: My name is Alexia Adana, I am a lifestyle photographer, filmmaker, and ultimately a storyteller. I’ve always been an artsy person. Since I was a kid, I’ve been conjuring up stories in my head and going on adventures. As I grew up, that passion for storytelling manifested into reading a lot of fantasy and sci-fi, participating in school theater, taking art classes, and being in a broadway trouping group for kids. In college I began my career as a live event photographer under the alias iLex. I’ve got some really awesome stories from the two and a half years I worked and traveled capturing concerts, parties, and music festivals.

After college I wanted to take my career to the next level. I re-branded and stopped shooting parties and music festivals.

Since then I’ve been focusing my energy on telling captivating stories about passion, thrill, and adventure in photo series and short films. I’ve learned a lot along the way. The important things to me are surrounding myself with positive, open minded people and working hard. I’m very happy that I took the route of doing what I love in life.

INVOLVEMENT IN THE FILM INDUSTRY: AA: When I started doing photography in high school, I felt like I had finally found my favorite medium. Then I discovered video and film, and I realized that it was the epitome of storytelling for me. The combination of visuals, acting, music, and excellent writing is what makes film so intriguing to me. Photography will always be a big part in my life. Film is just an extension of it.

LIFE WITHOUT FILMMAKING: AA: I’m not sure I could be the kind of visual artist I am without making videos and films as well. If filmmaking wasn’t a part of my life, I would probably feel incomplete.

Greatest accomplishment in FILM so far: AA: So far my greatest accomplishment was being able to make a short about the Holy Ship! Experience in it’s maiden voyage. This was the first time hundreds of people got on a giant cruise ship and partied with the biggest EDM producers for three days straight. I got to document that! After the cruise, I spent two weeks straight editing for the first time. I got up early every day working at least eight hours, because I had an instinctive sense of urgency. It was so nerve wrecking and exciting to publish the final product. Once released, I got a lot of really positive feedback. That’s when I knew that video and film was going to open up an entirely new door for me in my career. After that I started getting hired to shoot videos for local clients, followed shortly by local musicians. I now have the freedom to work on passion project films in my spare time.

I look forward to what I will create in the future.

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favorite process about filmmaking: AA: I’m a visual person, so the most fun part is always coming up with the story and shooting the story. I also work in production so I’m constantly learning new ways to film and manipulate light. It’s a hard, but exciting process. It’s the best feeling in the world when you get just the right shot.

Advice for aspiring filmmakers: AA: Do what makes you happy, with no pressure to be anything but yourself. Never compare yourself to others who have achieved great things. Only focus on the stories you want to tell. Learn to work with others and be professional. That alone will take you very far. Work Hard! Don’t try to be perfect. Stay passionate and dedicated. Just go shoot! anything you would do differently: AA: We are all on our own journeys and I wouldn’t change mine in any way. I appreciate all the obstacles I’ve encountered and all the mistakes I’ve learned from. I will only continue to grow as an artist and an individual. I look forward to what the future holds for me. describe your personal FILM STYLE: AA: I like to create a sense of mystery and adventure. I’ve always gravitated towards art that makes me wonder and feel engrossed. I’d like my stories to have the same effect. current favorite filmmakers: AA: I’m the worst at picking favorites, because I consume a lot of media and it’s very hard to remember everything. There’s a couple independents that come to mind who are worth checking out: Ben Sinclair and Katja Blichfeld have created a really well written series, High Maintenance on Vimeo. Canada Films creates wonderfully adventurous films and videos. I suggest going to film festivals. There are millions of filmmakers to discover!

Favorite local spot: AA: Well, I’ve only been living in New York City for seven months so that’s a really hard question! I live in Ridgewood, Queens which is a really awesome neighborhood rich with culture. My favorite coffee joint is Fair Weather Bushwick. I’ve had my photo prints hung there and actually sold a piece, which is always a great feeling. As far as food and hangouts go, there’s definitely way too many to choose from!

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jacob dixon PHOTOS: MILA AUSTIN

GET TO KNOW JACOB: I am twenty one year old student from the north of England, studying film, in my final year of university just outside London. I’m a filmmaker, coffee lover (working as a barista outside university) dog lover (I have my own called Oscar, he is the best dog in the world) excessive tweeter, hopeless romantic, sometimes ordinary, sometimes eccentric but generally all round happy guy. One of my biggest aims at the moment is to try to be positive when I can and constantly am changing each year as a person for the better, which is great to see. I find myself being creative through visual forms like film or photography, which is where I would like my future to take me. I constantly want to discover more of the world and what life has to offer, a strong hunger for traveling! I’ve grown up with internet in every way and it has become a huge part of my life and through it, I’ve been very lucky to meet some wonderful people who share similar interests which I hope only continues to happen. involvement in the film industry: JD: It wasn’t a path I found myself on in early stages of my life; I feel I came to film the past few years after trying various mediums. Like many people though who create videos, I happened to pick up a portable camera when I was younger and just made silly home videos – I remember one of the first being my childhood best friend and I just riding around on our unicycles, purposely falling off and bumping into things, at that age it was comedy gold. Eventually as I grew up I just kept filming, at one point I had a YouTube channel (in the early years) dedicated to ukulele tutorials when they started becoming a thing. Another year I taught myself after effects and tried visual effect videos. Then as I entered late teenage years, I tried vlogging for a while, some filmy style videos after that and over time pretty much any sort of category there is. Once I reached university I’ve been more interested in storytelling and short films and realized that is where I have most interest, the film industry.

So I think it is just a path I found myself on just because I’ve always had an interest in videos and it has developed further as years have gone on.

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LIFE WITHOUT FILMMAKING: JD: I’ve never really seen myself as an ‘academic’ type, I love practical things and doing something rather than studying it or writing about it, so I think it would be some other creative medium, most likely photography or something computer based, I wish I had taught myself to code actually, I know that is a great skill to have. I always thought I would be a great teacher though; I love kids and had a fantastic time in a previous job hosting ‘laser tag’ with the unique job title ‘laser Storm Commander’ so it looks great on a CV, doing parties for children’s birthdays. So maybe I’d be training as a teacher for younger kids? Who knows! greatest accomplishment in FILM SO FAR: JD: I never hold much high regard for my own projects for too long and after a while start to dislike content that I have created, a personal struggle I’m sure many creators go through, usually because I notice all the things which I could have done better, so I tend to only feel good about my most recent work. I have just finished filming my first proper short film as part of my final year project for university, it was a highly challenging task and took months of planning and a whole restless week to finish filming, but I was so happy throughout and by the end I felt like the team had really come together to create something beautiful. It is currently in the edit and with any luck will turn out as a good film, which we can enter into festivals. I would say that it will be my greatest accomplishment to date as it really made me step up my game as a filmmaker, I learned so much throughout the process and it has truly inspired me to create more and better content. favorite process about filmmaking: JD: For me it is being on set with a great team who are all passionate about what you are creating. If you are fortunate, like I have been to work with people who all do their role well, then when it comes to the actual filming, yes it will be stressful, but also, a very fun process and you can enjoy being on set making the film come to life. I tend to take up the role of cinematographer, so for me personally, planning out a shot and seeing it come together exactly how you pictured it in your mind, if not better is so exciting!

It’s like bringing fantasy to reality so that is definitely one of my favorite things.

DREAM COLLABORATION: JD: There are a multitude of YouTube creators that I would love to collaborate with who are creating fantastic content and really setting the standard for other creatives on the platform. If I could do any collaboration, I wouldn’t settle for anything in particular, I want to try various content forms such as; short film,documentary, music video, vlogs or anything else there is out there.

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CONT’D I am constantly inspired and impressed by so many and would be privileged to work on projects with anyone pushing the boundaries, being creative and inspiring others. If I was to name some of the people that always inspire me and would love to work with, some which I’ve met and some who I hope to meet one day: JacksGap, Ben Brown, FunForLouis, Bertie Gilbert, Adrian Bliss, Troye Sivan, Casey Neistat, Harry Hitchens, KickThePJ, Jack Howard and hitRECord Joe are just a few and there are plenty more, I honestly rate collaboration highly and would always recommend it whenever you have the opportunity. advice for aspiring filmmakers: JD: This is advice I would give myself knowing what I know now about filmmaking. First, appreciate how important sound is, if you don’t have good sound, no matter how good your film/video looks it won’t be appreciated fully.

Lighting, it is so important, very technical and if you take time to learn it, all your visuals will look so much more professional. When it comes to visuals, look for inspiration everywhere, don’t just copy what is popular, people who create good content find inspiration themselves, you don’t want to make a copy of a copy of a copy. Study paintings, poems, films, photographs, anything you can find, try and use these to inspire your content, the more varied the more individual you will become. As I’ve mentioned collaboration is always key as well, not exactly like those you may be used to seeing on YouTube, collaborate with someone who uses a different creative expression to you, there is always so much to be learned by sharing ideas and seeing how others work.

Truthfully the most resounding advice that I could give, as simple as it is, is to just ‘do.’ I have wasted too much time in my life making excuses for reasons I cannot create.

Don’t be afraid of making something bad, just do it, get it out the way and move onto the next piece. The more you create, the more you learn and the better you become as a creative. anything you would do differently: JD: If I could go back five years, I would just tell myself to create, create, create. Whatever medium it is, express yourself as much as possible and stop with the excuses.

Seek inspiration wherever you can, don’t be trapped by the same four walls of your bedroom, go out explore, watch multitudes of films, even the terrible ‘boring’ ones, go to art galleries, talk to people find their stories and tell your own.

You can make a project out of anything and if you stick with it, you never know what it could become. Also, have confidence, don’t be ashamed or embarrassed of your work, no one begins ‘perfect,’ we all start out somewhere.

CONT’D Enjoy the journey you take over the years as a creative and watch yourself become better, it will be motivating and inspiring to see your own growth. describe your personal film style: JD: If I am truthfully honest I don’t know if I have a style yet. I know some people find their “thing” and stick with it but I am constantly learning, evolving and changing as a filmmaker, using inspiration from others to understand what works and why it works. The style changes on each piece that I work on, recently I have tried to concentrate on the conceptual side of the ‘visual story’ I am telling, rather than just shooting something because it looks nice. I am trying to go ‘back to basics’ as filmmaking can be overwhelming with all that you can do with it and rediscover myself a bit rather than borrowing styles from other people. It’d definitely something that takes time and I would say to others, don’t worry if you haven’t found your style yet, it will come the more you create and find what you enjoy.

“Don’t be afraid of making something bad, just do it, get it out the way and move onto the next piece. The more you create, the more you learn and the better you become as a creative.” current favorite filmmakers: JD: If you haven’t seen any of those I mentioned above about collaborating with, definitely check them out as they all have fantastic content. I don’t have a particular favorite filmmaker myself; I just love how vast the Internet is and enjoy discovering new people every day. We are fortunate to be in a time where no matter which part of the world a person inhabits they can create and upload content, ready for millions to view if they get so lucky. I always seek out new creative people and particularly independent filmmakers. There are so many stories to be told from so many perspectives and it is a pleasure when you discover the ones worth watching and see videos shared around the lovely community that the internet has created. favorite local spoT: JD: I am a huge lover, as I’m sure most people are, of independent coffee shops. They have such a cosy warm feeling about them, the employees are usually passionate about their coffee and knowledgeable, plus it tastes better!

The inside of each have a niche that makes them individual to others and I adore beautiful interior aesthetics, it gets very hard not to instagram each one! Apart from anything, I always believe you should support local businesses over big chain brands. Every time I go to a city I make it my aim to visit a new coffee shop that has been recommended in some way. Whether meeting a friend or on my own I’ll seek out new spot!

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KE V C LA PHOTOS: Maddi Vujnov

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IN RK

get to know kevin: My name is Kevin Clark and I am a twenty one year old from California.

INVOLVEMENT IN THE FILM INDUSTRY: KC: I often think about my life when I was really young. I feel like those were the times when I was most heavily inspired by things. I remember just being in awe of the world. Before filmmaking had ever occurred to me, I actually first wanted to be a roller coaster designer and then I wanted to be a magician. I seriously pursued both of those things at the age of 7. I was always intrigued by the technicality of a roller coaster and the rush that it would give you, but I also loved the mystery of magic. I would perform tricks with my friends at lunch during school and we thought we were just blowing people’s minds. Looking back on it now, I’d say that those two fused together perfectly when I found filmmaking. greatest accomplishment in film so far: KC: That’s a funny question because I have truly been doing this for a while and I don’t ever think I’ve had a moment where I have felt absolutely accomplished. After everything that I make I know that there is still more to learn. Seeing an audience react to your work is such a rewarding experience and I’ve learned over the years that you don’t always want the reaction that you were expecting. When I finished editing A Portrait of Wild I remember telling someone, “I hope that they either love this film or absolutely despise it”.

And my reasoning for that was because I wanted to make something that was all or nothing. I didn’t want anyone to feel like they just experienced something in the middle or mediocre. Thankfully, I have had both lovers and haters of the film. So I feel accomplished in that. favorite process about filmmaking: KC: The filmmaking process is the most challenging, exciting, bold, painful and joyous event that I have ever had the honor of part taking in. When you are making a film, it’s almost like undergoing enlightenment. All of the sudden you begin to notice the colors and sounds of the world. It forces you to look into the details of life and pull those out.

It makes you ask why. It’s unforgiving. It’s confusing. And it never ceases to surprise you. I have recently began to only shoot on 16mm film. The reason for this is because I love that it gives me no other options than to obey the medium. I was born as a kid that grew up with a digital camera. I learned how to edit in iMovie and I know that I could fix anything I need to in post. When I first started out I was astonished by how much could actually be changed and manipulated on the back end of a film. All through high school we would make our friends dance around in front of a camera and they would look at us in confusion of what it was we were actually doing. One week later they would be watching something that actually looked amazing. They would be in space. Or flying. Or in an epic battle scene.

It looked like a movie and it actually wasn’t half bad. But was it leading us towards great filmmaking? Maybe not.

I don’t mention this to bash anything, I was also lucky enough to have the most amazing mentors in the world. I owe my whole career to my high school film teacher Craig Landino, because he always held story as king and when you’re making films that way, it’s hard to lose your core.

But I consistently found myself relying on the editing room.

And to me the most daunting part about that was that I was not making my own decisions in my writing or on set and I was still just a kid trying to learn. Later in life as a director, this hurt me. I sort of feel like I’ve had to work backwards now and re-learn all of my bad habits out. This is why I’ve fallen in love with 16mm is because it has brought me back to the roots of cinema and has forced me to go without the crutch. If you are a filmmaker and you feel like you have begun to lose something but you can’t necessarily point out what it is. Start shooting film. advice for aspiring filmmakers: KC: Live a good life. Don’t let anything stop you from that.

Say yes to every daring opportunity that you can. Don’t go to film school just as a “backup.” There are no “backups” you’re either going for it or you’re not. Go see a bunch of bands, see a show anytime you can. Aim to master your craft. Shoot film. Ask questions. Be bold. Back up all hard drives. Change your routine constantly. Surround yourself with genius people. Listen to everyone. Play music. Develop an attention to detail. Leave your own culture and travel.

Hold off for as long as you can on developing a style. Be kind to other people. describe your personal FILM STYLE: KC: I’m still finding out what my style of filmmaking is. I think that I am beginning to see that I consistently want to pack more into the threads of the story but let the film carry itself in a more minimal value. I’m seeing that less is more. Something that has actually really intrigued me lately has been the absence of sound in a film and what that does to people when they are watching. I want to keep experimenting with these things. I have been making a lot music videos lately and they have been such a great way to try out some narrative experimentation. I just recently shot a music video for my band, Roah Summit and I loved looking into faces. We would just hold the camera on the faces of the actors for long periods of time and just let them live in the world of the scene.

Current favorite filmmakers: KC: Directors: Andrei Tarkovsky, Werner Herzog, Derek Cianfrance, Stanley Kubrick, Paul Thomas Anderson, Alejandro G. Inarritu. The community on Vimeo is full of inspiring people. A few of these people are good homies but all never cease to amaze me: Evan Prosofsky, Young Replicant, Zack Spiger, Kate Arizmendi, Emily Kai Bock, Aoife McArdle and Daniel Wolfe.

FAVORITE LOCAL SPOT: KC: In N Out is always a good call and I’m a huge fan of East Borough. My order is a 12 inch grilled pork and a jasmine iced tea.

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jake lofven

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STORY: ASHLEY BULAYO PHOTOS: GEORGIA MOLONEY

We’ve seen many YouTube accounts who have inspired, motivated and driven others to go out and do something amazing. They keep us coming back for more and clicking the like button or sharing with our friends and family. YouTube user Grimbleism is no different. Actually, he is different. He uses YouTube as an outlet to display his uncanning work with the world. At only seventeen, GRIMBLEISM AKA Jake Lofven is someone who you should definitely expect to see rise in the future.

But who is Jake Lofven? Sure, we know as much as we can from his vlogs but are we all going to avoid the question on, “How on earth did you start making beautiful videos for everyone to enjoy?” We can all thank his dad who sparked his interest in film. At an early age, Lofven’s life was captured in home movies so naturally, film was what surrounded him.

You can kind of say, everything roots back to his dad. As a filmmaker, you have to know when to pull the brakes and just walk away.

You may be thinking, what is it with Jake’s YouTube channel that makes it so great? Well, stop reading this and watch just one of his short films or vlogs and you’ll see why. Each video is beautifully shot, edited and produced to the point where you are in awe and you’ve just finished watching all his videos on his account in one sitting. There just isn’t enough of Lofven and we (or at least I) want more. With that said, you’ll be happy to know he has some ideas brewing, “As much as I’d love to upload on a more regular basis, I’m deeply afraid of it becoming a chore to maintain that frequency of uploads and content. ‘Quality over quantity’ definitely applies to me.”

As for Lofven, he relies on his father’s “fresh eyes and comprehensive insight into film” to give him the last critique.

“What he points out is often true and I usually agree with him. It’s like one last bit of reassurance before I click ‘export’ and walk away from the film.” One can compare Lofven’s work has hints of attribution to Wes Anderson. “I honestly think Wes Anderson is a godsend. He’s an auteur with a very distinct vision and I really admire that. If I ever met him, I’d spend most of that meeting trembling before managing to drop in a compliment. Something like, ‘Well done for being amazing.’” says Lofven.

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But that’s not to say Lofven’s work isn’t unique. No, no, no. That’s far the from the truth. It’s his short films that are unbelievable.

He’s published a few and wonderfully displays his keen eye and work with the camera or computer. That said, don’t expect to see his ideas written down for the world to see. “Script writing is definitely not for me. I get more joy out of bringing the idea to life during the production and post-production,” says Lofven. His ideas that he brings to the table are fresh which can be difficult for any filmmaker who wants to remain relevant despite the fact short films and such are published on a daily basis around the world. To steer clear from that rut, Lofven researches everything similar to it to gain inspiration and get an idea of what has been overused in the past. He notes, “I THINK EVERYONE CAN GET AWAY WITH SHARING THE SAME CONCEPT AS LONG AS IT APPEARS UNIQUE. SOMETIMES A FILM CONCEPT MIGHT ONLY NEED A SLIGHT TWEAK TO APPEAR COMPLETELY INDIVIDUAL BUT OTHER TIMES, WHEN THE IDEA BRINGS NOTHING TO THE TABLE, IT NEEDS TO BE DROPPED.” If you follow Grimbleism’s current YouTube channel and watch his vlogs, you know hilarity ensues. He’s blunt. He’s truthful.

He tells it like it is. He knows he can easily make fun of himself (Check out “faux pas: Scrapbook”). But in reality, it wasn’t always that way. In the past, he had another channel called JackLofven1 with personal vlogs. This was his step towards growing thicker skin towards bullies who ridiculed him for expressing himself.

He says, “I’d take that to heart instead of use their comments for improvement. How I learned to cope with that feedback was actually by erasing that account and creating videos in secret until I regained my confidence with my content. Instead of letting less favorable remarks bring me down, I decided to take them onboard as constructive criticisms.”

Thus, the rest of the YouTube community welcomed him with open arms while craving more short films or vlogs. With this video-sharing website, Lofven says it’s a great place for anyone to build an audience for the content they desire to publish. He adds, “That’s been one of my favorite aspects of the website: to see that there are people out there watching. The fact that they have somehow found my stuff and can place a face to the work is fantastic.” As for a career outside of YouTube? That’s a possibility.

With a secured spot in a film school for 2016, who knows what can happen? But until then, he has a message for his loyal followers, “Keep being the fabulous cluster of people that you already are! Also, watch this space.”

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B E R T I E GILBERT

STORY: LYDIA SNAPPER PHOTOS: HARRY HITCHENS

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AT NEARLY EIGHTEEN, it is rare to know exactly what you want out of life. Typically it seems that that time in your life is etched out as a period of self doubt and confusion as you’re presented with the mammoth task of defining your role in this world. However, for BERTIE GILBERT, this was never an issue. He says “its kind of alien to me, thinking that there are tons of people who don’t want to be filmmakers!

It’s the best, and what I truly believe I’m meant to be and want to be doing for the rest of my life.”

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With one simple Google search you’ll find an impressive portfolio of professional level shorts from Gilbert. Although the Internet is seemingly brimming with amateur filmmakers, the content, emotional capacity, and collaboration present in all of his shorts, makes Bertie stand out – to fans and professionals alike.

interest in what it is we’re doing.” From that opportunity, Gilbert finalized his first feature film, Rocks That Bleed.

Although still in the early days, he reflects on what he has noticed so far about the differences between creating a short and a feature. He says, “for starters, the first draft of the script took me absolutely forever to write. Simply because shorts are usually twenty to twenty five pages, this is one hundred and twenty. Also, there’s more people riding on this feature. Unless you’re incredibly rich, a feature can rarely truly be a passion project. I can’t just call up my friends when I’m in the mood to make a film with a months notice and a few shot ideas and call that a feature.

I’m talking constantly to producers and so forth in order to make the film true to myself and true to the story I want to tell, while at the same time being within budget and being feasible.”

In the middle of 2014, Kathleen Grace, a woman who, with partners Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, started a company called New Form Digital, which caters to funding and distributing short films from online creators, approached Gilbert to be one of the first people involved in the project.

Gilbert reflects that with this funding, he still has complete creative freedom, saying that “When we had dinner with him he had some incredible stories to tell. He’s such an engaging presence and has clearly got such a passion and

Let’s take a step back shall we because it would be unrealistic to say that Gilbert jumped right into this level of sophisticated filmmaking. He reflects on his start, walking me through his initial introduction to creating films. He says, “when I was eight I recorded short sketches on family holidays, when I was nine I made action movies and when I was ten I advanced to stop-motion Lego animations; which are actually still online but I will never tell a soul what the channel’s called.”

“ I ’ M I NC R E D I B L Y F O R T U N A TE TO B E W H E R E I ’ M A T . D O I D ESE R V E I T ? W H O K NO W S , B U T I ’ M G O I N G TO P U S H F R O M H E R E ON O U T TO M A K E T H E B EST F I L M S I C A N . ” From there, he recalls his start on YouTube, saying “I mean when I was fourteen I was making dumb garbage, but I was fourteen! You get a pass when you’re a kid. In the year leading up to my first short, the stuff I was creating progressively became more and more experimental and narrative based, to the point where it only made sense for me to make a short film. For years before, making my short films I experimented with lighting, subject matter and format all the time because regardless of what I was creating, I never did it for any other reason than wanting to make something and to enjoy making it.” As with most artists, Gilbert uses his craft as a tool to make sense of and work through challenging moments in his life. He uses his short, Tick Where It Hurts as an example.

He explains, “For a good month or two in early 2014, I was relatively depressed. From my exterior, it didn’t appear that way of course but yeah, I wasn’t in a good place. And eventually after moping around for extensive periods of time, I decided to write a film about a young man coping with the death of his more confident and perhaps egotistical brother. When writing that film, I somehow managed to pour all my negative energy and feelings into the script and into the film as a whole. It’s a film that’s less about suicide and more about the loss of one’s self. That feeling when the confident part of you vanishes without a trace and you’re -

with nothing but resentment and loneliness. The two brothers represent sides of myself, they represent how I was feeling and that represents how I got out of that. I think that’s the best example of me channeling mental health and such. It’s still my proudest work besides maybe Rocks That Bleed but that one’s still new, have to sit on it for a while!”

Rocks That Bleed is a recent short that Gilbert co-wrote and co-directed with his good friend, Sammy Paul. He explains that “rocks” came about when his friend Jack Howard, who has also recently been funded by New Form Digital, reached out to him expressing an interest in collaborating on a film. Gilbert says, “The initial idea before even Jack was involved, was the sun. I wanted to create an incredibly human and natural story set against the backdrop of some incredibly apocalyptic situation that’s barely even mentioned because the characters are so wrapped up in what makes human beings so beautiful, their stupid emotions. I always love films like that.” After a of couple trips to the storyboard, “rocks” became a film about two disconnected brothers spending their last day on earth together in hopes that they will be able to mend their relationship, if it’s the last thing they do. Gilbert explains that within the film there are themes of abandonment and egos deterring relationships, which was inspired by events in his own life.

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This film, which was crafted through the talents of his close friends, was an educational experience. He explains that co-writing this film forced him to really buckle down in a way he hasn’t before, revealing that “Sammy really grounded me down and made us pay attention to every line and make sure the intensions are all there. I’m so thankful for that. I think the script really shines in this one.” In addition to that, Gilbert explains that he feels having friends on set leads to a more focused and passionate working experience both when the cameras are rolling and when they are not. He reflects on the experience of filming the final scene, which is an emotional bit, saying, “Everyone was so on the ball that day. I’ve never experienced a set full of people so focused and driven and engaged with a scene. Sammy was transfixed on our performances, Ciaran was sorting out his lights with mighty precision and everyone else was just giving it their all. I’ll never forget that day.”

All of the shorts that he has created have continued to be released on YouTube, which given the nature of the videos of some of his online peers, seems like an interesting choice. However Gilbert make a good point when he says, “I mean YouTube is the number one video streaming site in the world, why wouldn’t I share my films on there? Of course, I upload them to Vimeo and screen them at various places too, but there’s simply more people on YouTube or at least more people hungry for this type of content.

Besides that, my audience has never been more engaged and inspiring. I’ve grown with my audience and I’m thankful for the old and new of that bunch every single day.”

It’s that group of the people that are allowing Gilbert the opportunity to take his films offline and present them to individuals who may not yet see YouTube as a legitimate platform. In the short two years that Gilbert has been creating films, he has spoken at the BAFTA Building, had a film screened at the BFI Theatre on London’s South Bank and traveled to Toronto, Canada to show his work at Buffer Festival – a unique YouTube experience that Gilbert says is more his “jam” because its shines light on a side of YouTube that all too often goes underrepresented. Modestly, he concludes by saying, “I’m incredibly fortunate to be where I’m at. Do I deserve it? Who knows, but I’m going to push from here on out to make the best films I can.”

G ET TO K NO W B E R T I E : FAVORITE MOVIE: Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind. Such a balanced and impressive filmmaking feat; a masterpiece.

FAVORITE DIRECTOR: Tricky. My top three: Spike Jonze, Paul Thomas Anderson and Michel Gondry.

FAVORITE BAND: The Beatles, Vampire Weekend, or The Shins.

FAVORITE LOCAL PLACE: Portobello Road.

ADVICE: I encourage anyone who wants to make a film to just go and make a film. Simple.

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n o o M y c Lu Q UE STI O N S : AL E X AN D R A S O UTHE R ST PHOTO S : MI L A AUSTI N

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GET TO KNOW LUCY: I’m Lucy, a twenty year old living in London where my days are spent pretending to read the hundreds of pages of history articles I get assigned each week, going on platonic dates with my friends across London, and filming videos for my Youtube channel. I’m a freelancer, which is essentially a smart way of saying I’m unemployed. Last summer, I helped JacksGap to create the Following Heart series whilst they travelled across the Americas to film.

INVOLVEMENT IN THE FILM INDUSTRY: LM: When I was thirteen, my friend showed me Mitchell Davis’s video, “Usher/MCMB.” Through his channel I discovered many others and eventually created my own. I must have commented on every single channel page asking to sub4sub. Initially I was a music video maker (in a similar vein to woohoooandpags, PeacexSara etc.) but when I turned fifteen I changed direction and decided to focus on artsy short films instead. life without youtube: LM: I would probably be handing in my essays on time. My friendship circle would be a lot smaller. I would be working part time at Topshop to fund my wine consumption. It doesn’t look like a more appealing life. greatest accomplishment in film so far: LM: I was recently asked to speak on a panel at the BFI (British Film Institute) but unfortunately I had to decline.

Even to have been asked is such an honour though, being offered such opportunities is a blessing that not many people have the chance to experience.

DREAM COLLABORATION: LM: Oh gosh, I would love to collaborate with so many people! Itsamemyleo and KickThePJ are high on my list, alongside the amazing HeyClaire. I have no idea what we would create but it would be rad.

advice for aspiring filmmakers: LM: Just do it. Start small. Don’t worry about the quality of your equipment or your editing skills, just go with an idea and embrace the jump cuts. Schedule in time to make videos and be open to constructive criticism. anything you would do differently: LM: I would shake the fear that stops me from creating exactly what I wanted to make! Peer pressure can stifle creative freedom. I’m still working on letting go of what others think if it isn’t improving my videos in some way. describe your personal FILM STYLE: LM: When I’m trying to impress people, I describe my creative videos as “alternative short films.” Perhaps they’re more like animated film collages with a focus on contemporary issues and personal experiences. A public journal of my thoughts.

GOAL FOR CHANNEL + CAREER: LM: In the next year, I’m hoping to change up the style of videos on my channel is more variety and higher quality!

For a creator to improve, they must be constantly challenging themselves whilst refining their skills. It’s a difficult balance. Fortunately I have another year and a half before I have to think about starting a career but I hope that I am able to work towards a creative job in the music, fashion or film industry. It’s notoriously difficult to get a job in London but I don’t see myself moving away from this city any time soon so let’s hope an opportunity comes up! favorite local spot: LM: Continental Stores serves some really great coffee, if you’re near Euston and have half an hour to kill. Corsica Studios is one of my favorite clubs in the city. If you’re hungry, there’s an amazing Indian restaurant by King’s Cross called Indian Lounge. It’s bright purple and pretty hard to miss!

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alivia latimer PHOTOS: TAYLOR SCOUT

GET TO KNOW ALIVIA: My name is Alivia, and I am a sesquipedalian human being who can exhibit proficiency on multifarious sides of the camera. in other words, I’m an actress, photographer, and filmmaker. I reside in Los Angeles, and I am quite fond of traveling, exploring, and adventuring, although I think those all mean the same thing.

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INVOLVEMENT IN THE FILM INDUSTRY: AL: At a young age, I was mesmerized by watching behind the scenes on set videos from films and TV shows. The actors seemed to be having so much fun, and that’s really what inspired me to be in front of the camera. What drove me to create behind the camera is just that. I love to create and I long to inspire. I am so compelled to share the ideas inside of me, with the world, in hopes of impacting at least one live in a positive way.

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN FILM SO FAR: AL: My greatest accomplishment in filmmaking would definitely be fact that I have inspired others to pursue their passions and achieve their goals. Receiving comments like those on my videos, really motivates me to continue what I’m doing.

FAVORITE PROCESS ABOUT FILMMAKING: AL: When it comes to filmmaking, my favorite part of the process is the act of doing it. Being on set, creating, whether in front of or behind the camera, is such a magical feeling to me.

DREAM COLLABORATION: AL: If I could collaborate with anyone, without a doubt it would be Jack Harries. He is my favorite content creator, and to work with him would be such an entrancing experience. What would we do? Travel the world, of course; and document it all along the way.

ADVICE FOR ASPIRING FILMMAKERS: AL: My advice for aspiring filmmakers is this: Do not compromise your content. Create what makes you feel happy, and fulfilled. Go all in, and don’t hesitate to think outside the box. Really just bring as much of yourself into your work as possible, and it’ll radiate for sure.

ANYTHING YOU WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY: AL: If there is anything I would have done differently in my career, it’s that I would have began at a younger age.

DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL FILM STYLE: AL: I would like to think that my personal style of filmmaking is rather minimalistic. I am very intrigued by simplicity and the idea of telling a story with minimal dialog/action/etc.

CURRENT FAVORITE FILMMAKERS: AL: My all time, favorite filmmaker is Wes Anderson. His style is exquisitely flawless and oh so captivating. It would a dream come true to work with him, acting wise. I highly recommend watching my personal favorite film of his, “Moonrise Kingdom”. It may just be the cutest film ever created!

FAVORITE LOCAL SPOT: AL: One of my most treasured places to spend time with my friends is an overlook; a little spot tucked away at the top of Mulholland Drive (a road in Los Angeles). Driving up there in the middle of the night, taking in the chilled air, and overlooking the city of angels completely illuminated, it’s quite phantasmagorical, and the vibes are simply peaceable.

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vagabrothers STORY: JACOB KARRE PHOTOS: SHANNON BRODERICK

“The world is a mosaic made up of different cultures, languages and ways of life, many of which are disappearing.

I’ve learned that none are “better” or “worse” they’re just different, and that’s a beautiful thing.” – Alex Alying We don’t always realize it, but the world is a huge place.

There are more people on the planet than there has ever been in the history of the world. All of these people are scattered across the globe living life day by day in various conditions and in unique cultures. From the United States to Nepal, Australia to Spain, our world is bigger than we can imagine. This inspires people to travel and experience the world for themselves so they can learn and understand.

Travel is something MARKO AND ALEX Alying have in their DNA. Passed through their parents, who were both travelers themselves, to them who learned many things about the world at a young age. The brothers grew up in-between worlds, traveling and experiencing both sides of their American-New Zealand heritage. “This made me realize how big the world was from an early age, that my corner of the earth was only one of many. With that comes curiosity and humility. Americans are often accused of being insular and isolated, but we were blessed to grow up in a very international environment.” Explains Marko.

Although the two are inseparable today, the brothers weren’t always so close. After college the two parted ways on their own adventures. Marko headed to India, after realizing he could learn more from the world by traveling.

During this time he wrote extensively to family and friends, started a blog, and found his passion for writing. Alex, on the other hand, ventured to Spain where he taught English to support himself while also landing jobs on film expeditions. These adventures gave Alex the opportunity to work with the likes of Ken Hames, former British Special Forces Major and current BBC TV presenter. While the brothers were both experiencing life form different angles, they were harnessing skills that would one day help them to launch their career as traveling filmmakers.

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In 2012, after eight years of not seeing each other, the brother’s lives crossed paths. A family friend suggested the two get into the television business, and while Marko was able to travel freely, he decided to move in with Alex in Spain. The two got down to business and produced their first video – a rough outline of what their YouTube channel would become. “We made our first video and sent it to the production studio. They dropped us like a hot potato.

“You two have no chemistry on camera – you can’t even tell you’re brothers.” Ouch.” Marko says, recalling on the memory. While both agree that their first attempt at video production was painful, the experience only made them work harder.

The two started up a YouTube channel (then called VagabrothersTravel) which originally was supposed to be a resume to show production companies. During this time, there was a lot of creative friction between the two.

“Marko comes at each topic from a more journalistic angle, while I try to come at it from a more “let’s have fun” angle. I realize people want to be entertained and at the same time we want to educate our viewers about the world and it’s cultures. We try to be factual and fun. We mix vlogging with a “narration”, we film after we’ve finished getting all the “B-Roll”. That allows our videos to be more researched and informed than a strict in the moment vlog.” Their contrasting personalities and ideas would soon work together to create the hybrid videos the brother’s produce today.

After creating their own videos for nearly a year in their town of San Sebastian, the Vagabrother’s big break came in March of 2013 – The Biggest, Baddest, Bucket List Trip.

“It was a six-month trip around the world to make travel videos in 25 cities in 25 weeks. Additionally, the winner would have a weekly column on MSN Travel and we

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would win a $50,000 prize. To enter, we just had to make a 3-minute video showcasing our home city, write a 500word travel article, and post 3 pictures. We made our video on how to spend 24 hours in San Sebastian, and somehow we made it to the finals and won the contest.” Marko states.

This was the point that really jump-started an entirely new style of adventure for the brothers. While traveling, their main mission was to document and capture the culture for the BBBTV YouTube channel – their passions for culture, writing, and film was starting to finally come together.

In January of 2014, the brothers decided to take the concept they used for BBBTV and put that towards their Vagabrothers channel. They started fresh with zero subscribers hoping to gain the 60,000 they grew on the BBBTV and more. “After the trip finished we decided that we couldn’t go back to normal life. We had to make our travel show concept on YouTube instead of on TV. So we re-launched our channel in January 2014 (switching from vagabrotherstravel to Vagabrothers).” Marko states. It was a challenge for the two. They moved back to California to live with family and took classes at the YouTube Space in LA – all this while talking with European tourism boards to get their travels going again.

A little over a year later and the Vagabrothers are still on the road, producing videos, experiencing different cultures, and meeting new people. They have since gained over one million video views and have reached 25,000 subscribers. Life has certainty changed for the two, as they are constantly traveling to a new destination. Their hard work and dedication has afforded them many amazing opportunities to do some amazing things. Check out their most recent video and follow them on social media to keep up with their latest travels.

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josh phrakhun PHOTOS: GEORGIA MOLONEY

GET TO KNOW JOSH: My name is Joshua Phrakhun and I’m an aspiring filmmaker from Brisbane, Australia. I surf, skate, shoot and spend an unnecessary amount of money on coffee. At the moment I’m still a student studying for a Bachelor of Photography at Griffith University. I finished high school at the end of 2014 and made the decision to jump straight into university. I have been shooting and cutting short little films for the past 4 years now, but it was only up until about 8 months ago when I saw film as a potential career path and really began trying to build up a reputation for shooting. In 2015, I gave myself a challenge and that was to release a video onto my YouTube channel once a month and to build my own community around these films. I feel like if I really do want to get places and achieve things through YouTube now is the time to do so, 2015 is going to be the decider. involvement in the film industry: JP: For me, there wasn’t really a decisive factor that made me choose to become heavily involved in the film industry. Around the start of 2014, I found myself spending a lot of time on YouTube watching short travel, surf, skate, adventure, and pretty much any other type of short entertaining film. I found around a handful of YouTubers and became mesmerized by the standard of content they were producing. At this point it had been around a year since I had made one of my short films and I found myself wanting to shoot again. As time went by I was out with my camera a lot capturing and creating these short stories, I was finding more and more creators online and slowly found myself falling into place in the film industry. In mid 2014, I traveled to South America and created a short little highlights reel which I named Storytellers: South America which received an incredible amount of positive feedback and I haven’t really stopped making content since. After hearing how this film had made these individuals feel, I was very inspired to shoot and create more content. greatest accomplishment in film so far: JP: I have won a few local competitions and a little bit of money through that, but for me I feel the greatest amount of achievement when I gain positive feedback from the people who inspire me.

So when some of the content creators I follow have commented on some of my films there really isn’t a better feeling. It’s pretty indescribable to be completely honest together.

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FAVORITE PROCESS ABOUT FILMMAKING: JP: My favorite process is the final few hours before finishing a project. When I reach the stage where I know I’m going to finish it that day, and I’m on the final straight but I just have to push on for that extra few steps. By then everything has begun coming together and I can pick up the vibe I’m chasing which makes things a lot easier. So yeah, the final few hours; the start of the end. advice for aspiring filmmakers: JP: Be true to what you enjoy watching and work to ensure that your films are a direct result of that. Be persistent, you will make a video and there is a good chance you won’t like it, make another one, and repeat this until your films start to pick up. Shooting and cutting takes patience so make sure you are creating the sort of content you enjoy watching, because at the end of the day, you shouldn’t be doing it for anybody other than yourself. anything you would do differently: JP: Nope, there is absolutely nothing at all I would do differently.

I know I’m only just starting my life as a creator, but already I feel so privileged to be surrounded by such inspiring and supportive people. Everything I have created up until this day has ultimately affected the progression of my own ability. If I wasn’t making those horrid little films years ago, I wouldn’t be able to create what I do today, if that makes sense.

describe your personal film style: JP: Up until very recently, I never believed my work had a particular style, but with every film I create it’s becoming more and more apparent that I do. For me, my style is very heavily influenced by the creators I choose to watch. I try to gather various skills and techniques I can pick up through the films I watch and then incorporate that into my own productions. I create content that I’d enjoy watching myself and that gives me a lot of space to work with. The content I am producing is purely the kind I enjoy watching.

CURRENT FAVORITE FILMMAKERS: JP: The list of my favourite filmmakers is very long. I watch a very diverse range of creators, but I feel like I pick up skills from each and everyone of them. These include: Ben Brown, Louis Cole, Dan Mace, Casey Neistat, Steve Booker, Jack Burke, Tim Kellner, JacksGap and Will Darbyshire, just to name a few. favorite local spot: JP: My favorite spot to kick has to be The Pocket located on Moffat Beach. It’s this real chilled little cafe that does a fine coffee and has a real sweet vibe about it. It’s the spot we check out consistently after every single surf as well, so I guess that’s half the reason I enjoy it so much! Real friendly service, delicious food and a real trendy vibe about it.

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frankie enticknap PHOTOS: MILA AUSTIN

GET TO KNOW FRANKIE: My name is Frankie Enticknap, I am an eighteen year old human, gap year student and YouTuber from Cambridge, England. I am an artist on the side, I do lots of different things but I mainly take conceptual, and emotional (almost surrealist inspired) photographs. My channel is relatively new, but I make videos on art history, the artistic process in general, inspiration, and general upbeat chit chat!

INVOLVEMENT IN THE FILM INDUSTRY: FE: I started making videos for two reasons: one, I noticed that there were very few, if not no other people on YouTube making vlogs that were accessible to everyone, that were inspired and catered towards art and art history. The art channels I had followed were all aimed directly towards people who were already adorers of art! So for that reason I decided to make a channel that anybody could watch, whether you loved art, were interested in understanding it more, or literally couldn’t stand it! The second reason is that there has always been a sort of diamond incrusted veil of presence hiding art away from people without any knowledge in that area, some people find it scary and off putting. When in reality art is just wonderful, and so complex and interesting, there are so many dimensions, countless artists, movements and styles to explore, it’s so exciting! It shouldn’t be pretentious, it should be a wonderful new adventure for people who haven’t been exposed to these things before! I am genuinely excited by art, and I want to share that!

LIFE WITHOUT YOUTUBE: FE: At this point videos make up a very small part of my life so this is just the beginning for me! I am desperate for my channel to grow, and more people to be exposed to a subject that, in a lot of cases, is completely new to them.

But if I wasn’t making videos, I, like a lot of people, would find it difficult to spread my interests so widely which is why filmmaking is so wonderful, and YouTube is such a brilliant platform. I am currently on a gap year working as a Punt Chauffeur (giving guided tours of the river in Cambridge), doing an internship as an Archive Assistant in an art history based environment, and I am waiting to start my degree in Art History!

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DREAM COLLABORATION: FE: I would have to say probably Carrie Hope Fletcher.

She portrays such wonderful messages to young humans.

She’s fun and awesome but she makes her viewers feel so much more confident and inspired. Inspiration should be given more credit if you’re inspired you have more reasons to get up and enjoy life every day. This is why art, music, writing, acting, going on adventures etc. are all so important.

ADVICE FOR ASPIRING FILMMAKERS: FE: I guess I would say you don’t have to be a hardcore, badass filmmaker to make films. If you love something, and you want to share it, do it! It’s the perfect platform.

Most of the time people don’t realize they love something until someone talks to them about it!

favorite process about filmmaking: FE: Definitely the research, because a lot of my videos are educational in some way or another (even if I sneakily hide that, so no one notices, and gets put off), so I have to do a fair bit of reading up and refreshing my memory on different areas, I love that because then I learn so much more and of course, I love reading the comments, connecting with people is the best part of YouTube! greatest accomplishment in film so far: FE: I suppose the most successful part of my channel so far, is that my viewers are just as excited about art as I am for most of them it is a completely new subject, one of which they were skeptical of before they saw my videos.

That in itself I think is my biggest achievement so far I have done what I wanted to do (even though it is very small scale). I have made people fall in love with what I love!

current favorite filmmakers: FE: My favorite filmmakers are Tim Burton, Wes Anderson, KickThePJ and Drake Doremus. All of these guys have their own styles, completely unlike anyone else.

That’s the key if you want to be a really great artist but to be honest and express your own style, not a copy of somebody else’s is the only way to be really great, I think. favorite local spot: FE: I live in a place surrounded by lakes and Fenland, so the lakes near my house are definitely my favorite place. I love nature, I always have done, getting away from people, and hectic places helps me to think and feel awesome.

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chantel lucas PHOTOS: RACHEL KOBER

get to know chantel: CL: So I’ll save the career version and go for the speed dating format. I grew up living around the world as a military brat which fed my penchant for travel, adventure and general whimsy. I’m a multimedia producer interested in international development issues and technology. When I’m not filming, I am usually on a pilates mat or making a dent in my reading list.

dream collaboration: CL: Vallee Duhamel in Montreal is doing incredible work and I think a type of performative documentary where we have kids relay their dreams could be interesting. We could take those recordings and recreate them in the studio space, under the kid’s direction. I mean Werner Herzog is my favorite documentarian so I’d love to watch him work.

INVOLVEMENT IN THE FILM INDUSTRY: CL: I’ve been involved with media since high school but it was really an internship with National Geographic during my undergraduate that inspired me to pursue film as a career.

describe your personal film style: CL: Measured. Story driven. I hate to use the word cinematic, but there’s a visual imprint I’d like to leave audiences with. One that is thoughtful and aesthetically appealing. I’m working to add surprising to that list.

LIFE WITHOUT FILMMAKING: CL: Actually, I’m in this amazing transitional phase in which I’m beginning a job that directly involves media, but I am not producing content. I am still editing and shooting as a freelancer on the side, but if not filmmaking, I would be doing a version of what I’m doing now: stepping into the wild world of tech startups. That or a contemporary dancer. Or a cosmologist. Or perhaps both: a la Neil Degrasse Tyson but in tights.

current favorite filmmakers: CL: Joshua Oppenheimer and Bart Layton are my favorite filmmakers. They are doing the type of work that I love and that challenges the documentary genre - toeing the line between fact and fiction. Similarly, in the performative vein, Lily Baldwin is genius. Coming from a dance background, I am taken by her aesthetic and choices.

I’d also suggest Josephine Decker and going crazy on Vimeo every once and awhile.

greatest accomplishment in film so far: CL: So far, that would be completing several independent documentaries last year and then co-coordinating a film event in Brighton, UK that showcased my film and others.

FAVORITE LOCAL SPOT: CL: I just moved to Brooklyn from Brighton, UK so I’ll avoid embarrassing myself by my lack of NYC knowledge stuffs. If you’re in Brighton, UK go to Blackbird Tea Room for breakfast. It will change your life and it’s half off on the weekdays. Get earl grey and blue flowers tea and the smashed avocado with feta and poached egg on bread.

favorite process about filmmaking: CL: The beauty of filmmaking is that each process is distinct and those experiences are dictated by the genre you are playing in. Shooting film is exhilarating, and the particular feeling of watching a moment unfold that either reveals some new information about a character, or connects events or characters is unparalleled. But honestly, my absolute favorite process is post-production. When shooting, you are an artist and a technician but, when editing, you are a storyteller. How footage is pieced together and when information is uncovered, these elements can transport the audience to experience new truths or realities. I love all of the possibilities in postproduction. advice for aspiring filmmakers: CL: Don’t underestimate the pre-production process and always listen for the stories around you. Ask questions and collaborate often.

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michael morales STORY: CHLOE LUTHRINGSHAUSEN PHOTOS: DEVIN BREWSTER

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Film creative, Michael Morales has paved a name for himself in the filmmaking world, using his talent behind the camera to define himself as not just a photographer or cinematographer, but a visual storyteller. Hailing from the small town of Grandville, Michigan, Morales credits his early love for film to his childhood hero: his abuelo. Morales has fond memories of his abuelo taking pictures at family gatherings. “I remember watching him dashing around the party, trying to capture those cherished moments,” says Morales. “I wanted to be just like him.” When he was old enough, Morales took over his abuelo’s job, capturing those memorable times himself.

“I LOVED IT, AND EVEN BACK THEN I BECAME A DIFFERENT PERSON WHEN A CAMERA WAS IN MY HAND. THE LOVE FOR CAPTURING AND CREATING POWERFUL IMAGES STAYED WITH ME FROM THAT POINT ON.” Despite his love for visual storytelling, Morales did not initially pursue film as a career option, originally going to school for medicine. “It was only after dropping out of a four year university and having a mini existential crisis that I refocused my life on what I felt I was born to do.” He then pursued his love for film by attending the Compass College of Cinematic Arts in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he learned the techniques of cinematography, directing, and photography. Compass College became a place for him to take risks with his art and challenge himself.

Morales knew eventually he had to make the move to the city environment in order to pursue his goals. Although he loved his hometown, he felt himself gravitating towards the unpredictably and grungy aesthetics of the city, which are reflected in his photography. Today, you can find Morales exploring the streets of Atlanta, with his trusted Nikon camera in hand, capturing the true essence of diverse subjects and locations, from graffiti walls to candid moments between friends. The inspiration for his photography and film comes from the great unknown people, places, and things he knows little about.

One of the most memorable projects Morales has been part of was when he directed the upbeat music video to Desert Noises’ “Shiver.” Morales and his roommate met the band after their concert in Atlanta one night. After pitching the band the idea of a music video, Morales spontaneously drove from Atlanta to Auburn with them, staying up until 6 am to shoot the video. “I realized that the day before, I was in a different state enjoying a concert with my roommate, and in less than 24 hours, we enjoyed this grand adventure and created something awesome. It was then I realized that this is how I want to spend the rest of my life.”

This unknown territory helps Morales become the storyteller behind his art and deliver a unique perspective to his audience. “I feel like I am peeping into a world that I am not a part of, and that helps me to see the world more objectively. I always avoid forcing a story onto a subject or location. It’s more about recognizing what the subject or location is saying and then translating that to your audience in your own voice.” Morales admits that at first his photography focused on the darker emotions of his life, but he also loves using his art to make people smile. That is the beauty of photography: the audience has total freedom to interpret it however they want. “If I can mold a specific idea or vision into a piece and have the audience connect with it, then I consider it a success, especially if it’s a positive message. I like making people smile.” Morales not only creates visual stories in photographs but in cinematic projects as well.

To Morales, creating motion pictures versus capturing photographs requires a different creative mindset. When he is in photography mode, his goal is to show the truth in his photographs and allow the audience to interpret them in their own way. When it comes to cinematography, however, Morales has the ability to express a specific message and emotion to his audience by being a part of each step in the filmmaking process and having more control of the finished product. Although Morales admits the long hours are the hardest part about working in the film industry, he knows it’s worth it. Despite the stressful schedule, nothing compares to the feeling of finishing a project. “When you see it up on screen it’s the most nerve wracking, amazing feeling in the world, and I’m addicted to it.”

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When Morales is not working, he finds free time to pick up on some of his other favorite interests, such as writing, reading, and going to concerts. He also loves exploring his new home of Atlanta. When asked what his favorite local place was in the city, he answered Piedmont Park. He loves watching people enjoy the natural setting together, playing kickball and just enjoying each other’s company. “I think parks like this are a real testament to how pure people can be.” After a long day at the park, Morales definitely recommends hitting up The Local on Ponce De Leon, serving some seriously good chicken wings.

Morales has been working on several upcoming projects, including a web series he is helping produce premiering later this year. Although his main focus belongs to his art in the film industry, his talents are limitless. He admits he also has an interest in the music and fashion industry, aspiring one day to produce an album and even design a clothing line.

Morales’s hard work ethic and love for film clearly translates into his art, taking him beyond the average filmmaker and turning him into a visual storyteller. “As a filmmaker, the places and experiences you can send your audiences are endless. There is a reason people connect with cinema as they do. They cry, laugh, fear, and rejoice all while looking at the silver screen. I have a message that I want to give to the world and for me I couldn’t think of a better medium to tell my stories.”

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+ Larkin Poe by michael morales

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