"Instalife"

Two years ago, out of frustration over a TV idea I had not getting off the ground, I buried myself in YouTube videos, bought a camera and some lights, and decided I was going to shoot it myself. Little did I know what kind of impact that decision would have on my life.

After the learning phase came the identity crisis phase... am I a musician or a filmmaker? Turns out life doesn’t limit you to one thing—we’re the only ones who can do that. While I’ve made a few micro films along the way, “Instalife” is the first film I fully wrote and directed. It was my opportunity to comment on society while learning the art of filmmaking on a slightly larger scale. So, I stubbornly insisted on editing it, coloring it, scoring it, and doing all the graphics myself. I wanted to understand each aspect of filmmaking on a small level by immersing myself in it.

Flash forward and I’m proud to say I won “Best Director” for “Instalife” out of the 80 awesome films accepted into the Georgia Shorts Film Festival. It’s an honor that tells me I’m on the right path. That I have more stories to tell.

The beauty of filmmaking is that it requires an army of incredible people with a united vision to make it happen. Thank you to everyone who was a part of making “Instalife” a reality. I’m excited to finally share it with the world.

Film Summary:

Audrey has thousands of followers for her beauty tutorials, Tyler is living the party life, Jonathan is celebrating his wedding anniversary, and Chloe is spreading calm with her yoga poses. But looks can be deceiving. Peering behind the curtain of these four people connected by their social media feeds, we see that reality isn't stranger than fiction—it is fiction.

Director’s Statement:

Social media has grown to be so pervasive in our society, it's creating as many negative externalities as it is positive. Instalife explores the isolation and comparison envy brought about by highly-curated social feeds.