The idea for 'Five Fingers Crossed' started one night in the backseat of my best friend Aki’s car during the summer of 2022—a blur of warm weather, loud music, and girlhood energy. I knew I wanted to capture that feeling, that strange in-between of joy and unease that defines being young and alive.
As the concept evolved, real life bled into the narrative. A season of neglecting my mental health and emotional isolation shaped the film’s tone—dark, surreal, and raw. Originally imagined as a city-nightlife story with multiple characters, it transformed into something more haunting and focused. A late-night scene from one of my absolute favorite horror films ever, ‘In the Mouth of Madness’ became a visual touchstone. And after several rewrites, a casting call, and some creative detours, things began to fall into place.
This collaboration with Harley truly brought new layers to the film. Through deep rehearsals in both NYC and Jersey, script dissections, and car scene line runs, ‘Five Fingers Crossed’ grew into a full-bodied experience. It was my most collaborative film yet—and the most emotionally demanding in the best way. The story may center on a cursed car ride, but at its core, it's about isolation, connection, and the things that haunt us long after the engine stops.
This project was a collab between me and my neighbor (and friend) Nova—though we didn’t even know we were neighbors at first, we actually met on the set of ‘Vegan Diet’ two years prior. I posted a casting call looking for a makeup artist so she and her twin sister Mage came along and we’ve been locked in ever since. She hit me up with an idea and instantly had my attention. At the time, I was mostly in editing mode on some other work, but this project reminded me why I love building weird little worlds from scratch. Nova introduced me to analog horror and this strange, offbeat corner of YouTube that completely shifted my creative lens.
We shot it all between her room and the forest up in South Orange, built the set ourselves, used a borrowed camcorder, and made props by hand. It’s a surreal, off-putting monologue piece that plays like a cursed 50s cereal commercial, featuring her dog Angelo and her incredible drag makeup. To this day, it’s one of my favorite things I’ve ever worked on—and it deserves way more credit than it gets.
After the emotional depth of 'The Cleaning Lady', I wanted to create something lighthearted and fun with my friends. 'Vegan Diet' was born from that craving for joy and community. I had been attending Sysstem parties, a collective of North Jersey based artists, around Newark where I first met Bjacks, who expressed interest in acting. With Jay back on board—even filming with a broken arm—we set out to make a short that leaned more into playful storytelling.
This time, I focused on improving the technical side, trading in my old camera at B&H for a used Canon and adding a mic to enhance sound based on feedback from mentors. We shot across three days—at a park, a diner in South Orange that’s known me since childhood, and my house. iMovie handled the edit, and I sprinkled in a few practical effects from Amazon. The whole thing came together with love, growth, and no tragic backstory—just a real desire to make something fun with the people around me.
My first short film—made with an iPhone 12, a $15 selfie stick, and a fire in my chest. I was inspired after watching 'Hereditary' in theaters with my dad and left the screening knowing I had to finally make something. The story took shape around a fictional act of revenge, but the emotional core came from a real experience I went through that same summer—one that left me feeling voiceless. This film became a way to take that power back.
We filmed with what we had, and somehow it all worked: my longtime friend Jay was down, my mom helped, and Mei-Lan—who I connected with through a casting call—brought it to life. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine. And it’s where it all started.
