Artist Statement

I find it fascinating how so much of a story can be expressed within the confines of a single image, much less a series of moving images without the use of spoken word. Thus, it is the job of the director, lighting designer, cameraman, costume designer, and set designer in combination with the actor to not only set a mood, but to tell a story through the visuals.

Coming from a costume design and fashion background, I have learned that good design alone can carry a plot, imply past events, and express the current physical and emotional state of the subject of a piece. You could watch an entire film on mute and still get an impression of the world the characters reside in. Are the characters happy? Is the world chaotic and full of grief? Either of these qualities can be shown through any of the design elements in film. Even more specific details about the character's emotional state can be expressed through the angle of the lens of the camera.

My influences include Wes Anderson and Tim Burton, both of whom have very strong visual ideas and moods for each of their films. Wes Anderson leans toward the whimsical and borderline cartoony worlds, whereas Tim Burton goes for the moody, gritty, and fantastical.

I hope to be able to explore in film, the possibilities of good storytelling through compelling visual arrangement. Whether through specific costume or set design, or through camerawork, I aim to better understand the use of visuals to give subtext.