A reel that feels like you.
You don’t need to show everything. You need to show what makes you, you.
Read the noteTHE CHOPSTICKS NOTEBOOK / 001The stories
The stories
behind the stories.
Ideas for finding your voice, building a crew, and making something meaningful with people near and far.
Explore the notes
A little perspective for the road ahead.FEATURED NOTE01 / 12
FIELD NOTES / 002—004
In good company.
A few stories to take with you. Scroll to see what comes next.
02 / 12The best work starts before the first take.
Shared ambition gets a team together. A good conversation keeps it together.
03 / 12The people behind the frame.
A small, thoughtful crew can make a big idea possible. Start with the people the story needs.
04 / 12Write the scene you can't forget.
Before the whole screenplay, there is a moment you cannot stop thinking about.
05 / 12 MUST READ
A creative brief people can actually use.
Give your collaborators a starting point, not a puzzle to solve.
Read the note FIELD NOTES / 006—008
The readers' edition.
Practical ideas for the moments between the big moments.
06The audition is a conversation.
Preparation helps you arrive ready. Curiosity helps you stay present.
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07Across time zones, on one team.
Distance changes the rhythm of a project. It does not have to weaken the connection.
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08Make room for the work you want.
A portfolio can point toward the work you want to make next, as clearly as it looks back.
Read the note ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW
Listen before you film.
The strongest documentary questions leave room for an answer you did not expect.
Read the note
09 / 12 FIELD NOTES / 010—012
Keep the ideas coming.
More notes on the people, places, and sounds that make a film.
10A location can tell a story.
The right place does more than look beautiful. It gives the story something to say.
Read the note11Sound is part of the script.
An audience hears the world of a film before it understands every image.
Read the note12What to ask before you say yes.
A good opportunity is one you can understand before you commit to it.
Read the noteKEEP THE STORY MOVING
Explore opportunitiesYour next chapter is waiting.
Find a new perspective, a creative partner, or the project that changes everything.