When I was in my early 20's I loved absurdist humor. The television show, "Monty Python's Flying Circus" was one of my favorites. I used to watch VHS tapes of it on repeat and wanted to be just like them.
Before I studied film, I spent some time taking photography classes at OCC, and for many of the assignments, my parents were my main subjects. Inspired by Monty Python, I did an absurdist photo series where my mom and Dad were hit DJs who didn't use records, tapes, or CDs but plastic Fisher Price toy records.
Before I studied film, I spent some time taking photography classes at OCC, and for many of the assignments, my parents were my main subjects. Inspired by Monty Python, I did an absurdist photo series where my mom and Dad were hit DJs who didn't use records, tapes, or CDs but plastic Fisher Price toy records.
When I moved to NYC to study film, the medium changed, but my parents were still my "go to" actors and I would take the bus home whenever I had to make a new film for class. Within two months of starting film school, I was given an assignment to shoot a film on super 8 film stock, so I wrote a short silent film called, "Fender Gender" for the class. My good friend Tim Austin story-boarded it and was even the director of photography.
"Fender Gender" is still one of the weirdest films I've ever made. It was a bonkers idea that was inspired by one thing: What would it be like if a man was driving his car down the street and he had to pull over because a woman in her bathrobe was vacuuming in the middle of the road? When you watch it, you realize that's not even the weirdest part.
When I told my parents about the idea, there was no hesitation at all. They were always "all in" and so very supportive. Upon completion, I showed the film at my college and the students were really surprised that these actors were my parents. One student even asked where they studied acting!
For a film shoot like this, many mothers would make sure that there is food on set, but for this project, my mom not only kept us fed, but she and my Dad even starred in it. For this week's edition of Ruby Tuesday, watch the new version with music by ragtime piano legend James Scott.
"Fender Gender" is still one of the weirdest films I've ever made. It was a bonkers idea that was inspired by one thing: What would it be like if a man was driving his car down the street and he had to pull over because a woman in her bathrobe was vacuuming in the middle of the road? When you watch it, you realize that's not even the weirdest part.
When I told my parents about the idea, there was no hesitation at all. They were always "all in" and so very supportive. Upon completion, I showed the film at my college and the students were really surprised that these actors were my parents. One student even asked where they studied acting!
For a film shoot like this, many mothers would make sure that there is food on set, but for this project, my mom not only kept us fed, but she and my Dad even starred in it. For this week's edition of Ruby Tuesday, watch the new version with music by ragtime piano legend James Scott.
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