We need a sense of purpose to get out of bed in the morning and each other to get by. I tell those stories. Why is a huge word for me. What trauma, ghosts, luck, inspiration got you here? I guide real people and pro talent to share a story (some real, some not). If it’s emotionally true, you feel it. We connect. That’s the good stuff.

I’ve long asked people about their story. Besides being the first rule of good conversation, the answers are endlessly interesting. Somewhere in their answer, I catch something to connect to…and share back. Recently, I’ve taken some of those moments and crafted scripts and characters to shoot. A visual novelist.

I’m a former suburban dad who raised two daughters and a few dogs in California. Thrived in the buzzsaw of our house, work, school and elite sports lives. Lost my mom to a long term illness. Lost good people to the politics of divorce. Moved 3000 miles to Manhattan for Michelle: Second Rodeo for us both. My story has high’s and lows and scratched up messy moments by the bucket… probably similar to yours.

My parents and grandparents are from a rural mill town south of Pittsburgh long with stout working people, local dive bars, rusted trucks and church on Sunday. I spent a lot of time there and it formed me. Elementary school, our family moved to Southern California 15 minutes from the beach and all its sun baked possibilites. The blend gave me a dual citizenship of eastern work ethic and blind romantic optimism. Both my parents were simple people. Both my brother and I became artists - we don’t know how that happened.

Play for me is food, a few or more hours on my road bike (Scott Mont on Strava) and a good bookstore. I have a mild obsession with cooking. I know people who eat only to avoid hunger: they’re not my people. I prefer spoons, sometimes eat with my hands and judge you if you don't share :) I use my grandfathers 100 year old Griswold #10 daily. Michelle says I have a man crush on my Dominican butcher. I can’t rebuild a car engine but I can go into any kitchen and feed you a good meal.

Fun Fact: my high school job was selling Cokes/peanuts/hotdogs/malts in the stands at California Angel baseball games. In front of thousands each night we hustled for commission, dealt with drunk fans, flirted with popcorn girls and saw the occasional double play. I never caught a ball.

Thanks for your interest. Production is an odd unicorn of a business. The adrenaline, the obsessive detail, the olympic problem solving skills, the magic. Our industry is worth it all. It’s a gift to do this. I hope to see you on the road soon.

Abbott Laboratories, AbbVie, Andersen Windows, Aramark, Bearpaw, Del Webb, General Electric, Land O’ Lakes, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Memorial Sloan Kettering, National Park Service, Nationwide Insurance, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Pennsylvania Tourism, Pfizer, Pulte Homes, Proctor & Gamble, Shea Homes, Sprint, State Street Corp, Sunovion, United Healthcare, US Army, Univ. of California Irvine, Verizon, Werther’s, Wyndham