There’s a classic (within my family, at least) home video of me as a toddler, relentlessly hassling my dad to hand over his brand-new video camera - it was the beginning of a 30-year creative life. I’ve always reached for the camera, and from elementary school through high school, I found endless reasons to make movies with family and friends. I remember my senior year especially well: one of my art teachers and a best friend’s stepmom, Lynn Thomsen, sat with me on a school bus and encouraged me to follow my art into college and beyond. High school is a time when expectations from others can weigh heavily, and pursuing a career in “the arts” doesn’t exactly scream stability. But Lynn’s encouragement felt different—it was like she granted me permission to take the leap. Tragically, Lynn passed away not long after that conversation, but her advice stayed with me, standing out among all the voices telling me what I “should” do.
Since then, I’ve found a foothold in film, and more broadly, in storytelling. My journey has included my first feature film, American Gadfly, which tells the story of the late Senator Mike Gravel and the teens who ran his 2020 “point-making” campaign, as well as countless short films, PSAs, water activism projects, and corporate ads. Over time, my craft has matured, and I’ve found ways to sustain myself in the world of art.
For a long time, I thought of myself as a “filmmaker,” but these days I lean more toward “storyteller” as I branch into new mediums. In early 2025, my company will release our first graphic novel, Wolf’s Edge, a survival thriller that’s the first major step in adapting this world into a feature film. It’s part of a universe I’ve been building since 2010, The Adventures of Sam Wolf. The story follows 18-year-old Isaac Kilborne, who’s stranded on an island with only a baby boar for company and his father’s book, The Adventures of Sam Wolf. Wolf’s Edge is entirely hand-drawn, anchoring a larger world of stories.
Simultaneously, we’re producing a six-part audio drama series in collaboration with my dear friend Francis Hellyer at Audiama Productions, The Adventures of Sam Wolf, a wild, magical ride where 14-year-old Sam falls into his own comic book. Inside, he must battle to save his imagination from forces intent on making him grow up too soon.
As I dive into this new chapter, I carry with me the encouragement of those who believed, who fueled my passion, and who pushed me to work harder every day. I’m striving to bring rich, poignant, and FUN stories to life that I hope will captivate you. Inspire you. Thrill you. And keep you at the edge of your seat.
Join along for the adventure!