Epilogue

The making of Miente was like an epic love affair. I think a lot of the crew felt like that. Our loved ones didn't see us for a month. We were completely removed and all our time, energy, and passion was consumed by this film. Relationships started, relationships ended. Inspiration was sparked, life paths were changed, connections were made. It was just fantastic. I could not have had a better experience.

Since coming back home I have re-sketched my life path. Before this experience I was still on the fence about whether I would pursue Psychology or Film/Photography. I had the inkling feeling that Psychology, although stable and guaranteeing a steady income, may not be my cup of tea... dealing with other peoples personal problems on a non-artistic level while staying in one place and being committed to my patients... just ... isn't for me. At least not yet. Not right now.

I need to follow my dream. It would be so lame of me not to. I don't need much. I'm young and idealistic. Even if I was poor and lived out of the back of my truck, I know I will still find happiness in doing what I love, moving around, meeting people, and being occupied with artistic projects, and dealing with on-and-off temporary unemployment. I want to study the medium of photography more fully.

I'm currently trying to figure out whether or not I should go to grad school and get a Master of Fine Arts in Photography or get a job... the photographers I worked with in Miente seem to have gotten to where they are by getting jobs, and they seem very satisfied with where they are. However, my dad thinks its better to be overqualified and have a Master of Fine Arts from which I would have a broad range of opportunities. I'm not sure if he knows what he's talking about. If you have any advice, I would really, really appreciate it.

There's this fabulous opportunity to work with an entrepreneur by the name of Danny Chu. He started a company called Digipixart, which is basically a photolab. I could either apprentice with Danny, be a wedding photographer, do some studio photography, learn about lighting, learn photoshop, learn how to get business, build a portfolio... OR I could go to grad school, learn about lighting, have a lot of equipment available to me, be around struggling artists, and... see what I learn, whether or not it seems applicable to the real world.

Miente couldn't have been a more perfect movie for me to work on. It completely catered to my interests in every way. The set was dramatically colorful and artistic, the crew was hysterical and warm, the storyline was psychological and philosophical... C'mon now, that's me in a nutshell! (If i were a movie...)

I hope to one day direct a movie that is as close to my heart as Miente was to Rafi. I know the path I want to take and that is through Photography, through fashion photography and set design, lighting, and people.

I am so eternally grateful for the opportunity that Soni Fritz gave me. And I am so eternally grateful that I met her and got to know her and be close to her. She is lovely and I did not expect for her to be such an intelligent and inspiring woman. I sorta kinda want to be her when I grow up.