OLDER STUFF
A few things from further back in the pile. Films, ideas, and assorted detours.
FILMS & SERIES
Buckhattan
Buckhannon, West Virginia, gets the Manhattan treatment, complete with an Appalachian take on Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.”
Bucktown
A Halloween outing reveals just how far one dad will go to settle a score with the town bully.
Hill Rats
Two old friends work opposite sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill. Bipartisan absurdity ensues.
Save the Third
Meet Robert Elliott, founder of the Anti-Quartering Society. Somebody has to stand up for the Third Amendment.
#humbled
An idealistic theater director wrangles an indie production’s big egos, messy relationships, and competing ideas about art. Co-produced with Russell Max Simon.
Sh*t Lazy Economists Say
Economics gets the “Sh*t People Say” treatment. An internet meme meets the dismal science.
IDEAS & COLLABORATIONS
Griffith Park
An interactive webseries concept in which a Los Angeles city councilman’s suspicious death sparks a battle over land use and development rights. Co-created with Jennifer Noonan.
(opens the full image in a new tab)Incompatible
A sci-fi drama concept about a young woman seeking purpose in a dystopian world ruled by God, angels, reapers and intelligent machines. Co-created with J. Faye Yuan; written by J. Faye Yuan; illustrations by Oscar Rodriguez. Selected as a 2017 Austin Film Festival Second Rounder.
(opens the full image in a new tab)One Person, All Together!
A children’s picture book concept. Picture book (opens in a new tab)
(opens the full image in a new tab)7k Films
I served on the advisory board of 7k Films, a for-profit arts incubator featured in No Film School (opens in a new tab). Its projects included #humbled (opens in a new tab) and Us & The End (opens in a new tab), the latter written and directed by Graeme MacMillan.
PRESS & RECOGNITION
Press coverage
- DC Theatre Scene (opens in a new tab) — Capital Fringe review of What I’ve All Been Waiting For
- Washington Post (opens in a new tab) — on Retirement
- Washington Post (opens in a new tab) — on Cap South
- Politico (opens in a new tab) — on Cap South
- Roll Call (opens in a new tab) — on Cap South
- The Hill (opens in a new tab) — on Cap South
- Tubefilter (opens in a new tab) — indie spotlight
- Northern Virginia Magazine (opens in a new tab) — Speakeasy Shorts, 120-hour competition
- Northern Virginia Magazine (opens in a new tab) — Speakeasy Shorts, film and live storytelling
- Charleston Gazette-Mail (opens in a new tab) (WV) — on Muck
- The Exponent Telegram (opens in a new tab) (WV) — on Muck
Awards & festival selections
Muck (2016)
- Best Directing (Drama), 2017 Indie Series Awards (opens in a new tab); the film also won Best Cinematography
- Official Honoree, 2017 Webby Awards (opens in a new tab)
- Finalist, CINE Golden Eagle Award
- Official Selection, New York City Independent Film Festival and Pittsburgh Independent Film Festival
- Official Selection and Gold Remi Award Winner, WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival
- Top 10 Selection, ATX Pitch Competition; Finalist, CINE/A&E PitchFest
Bucktown (2015)
Official Selection of Milledgeville Film Festival (GA), UPIKE Film & Media Arts Festival (KY), PUSH! Film Festival (Bristol, TN/VA), and West Virginia FILMmakers Festival.
Game Night (2014)
Grand Prize Winner, Speakeasy Shorts; Best Picture, Clifton Film Festival; Official Selection of DC Shorts and Northern Virginia International Film Festival.
Retirement (2013)
Grand Prize Winner, Speakeasy Shorts; Official Selection of the Maryland International Film Festival, Speechless Film Festival (MN), Clifton Film Festival (VA), Mountaineer Short Film Festival (WV), and DC Shorts.
Cap South (2013)
- Best Web Series, Irvine International Film Festival
- Best Writing (Comedy), 2014 Indie Series Awards (opens in a new tab), shared with Andrew Heaton and Satya Thallam
- Gold Award, DC Web & Digital Media Festival; Grand Prize, cueFILM
- Official Selection of ATL WebFest, LA WebFest, Boston Comedy Fest, LA Comedy Fest, Miami WebFest, and NexTV Web Series & Film Competition
Buck Mild (2012)
Official Selection of Mountaineer Short Film Festival (WV) and Faux Film Festival (OR).
Hill People (2012)
The film won Best Actor at the Lonely Hearts Film Festival.
The Method (2010)
Official Selection, DC Independent Film Festival.
Funniest Fed (2007)
Winner — Best Local Film, DC Shorts.
Hill Rats (2005)
Official Selection, DC Shorts.
TEACHING & CIVIC LIFE
Teaching
From 2005–2017, I taught as an adjunct professor at George Mason University (GMU). In 2012 and 2015, I was nominated for GMU teaching awards.
- PUAD 540 — Public Policy Process. How public policy gets made, from detecting public issues to adopting and implementing solutions.
- LAW 624 — State Attorneys General Seminar. The history, powers, and duties of state attorneys general, with guest lecturers from across the political spectrum.
- ECON 470 — The Economics of Regulation. Regulation through the tools of microeconomic theory and public choice, taught with The Fund for American Studies.
If you’re battling insomnia, try some of my recorded lectures (opens in a new tab).
Civic Life
I’ve volunteered with Arlington County Community Outreach, helping immigrants prepare for the U.S. citizenship test.
LAFAYETTE
We all need heroes. Lafayette is mine. He should be yours, too.