

What inspires your films?
My films are inspired by the most pressing issues or the day – I don’t shy away from controversy or hot button topics. I gravitate towards subject matter that will spark a conversation and make people think.
What was the catalyst to produce WHITE WITH FEAR?
Being born and living most of my life in the US, I have always been surprised by how many in the population believe so deeply in the political propaganda they’ve been fed around people of color. As a journalist with a long history of covering hate and bigotry in various forms, I thought there was some imperative context that needed to be brought to the surface.
What is the biggest revelation in the film that you discovered while making it?
The biggest revelations came many times in the form of archival “smoking gun” footage – instances where politicians and operatives blatantly showed their hands in speeches, documents, or on national television. No one was trying to hide these strategies half as hard as we had expected they would.

How do you select content for upcoming projects, and do you ever worry about negative media attention?
As a journalist, you can’t really focus on negative or positive media attention. You need to follow the facts and see where they lead. I try to select projects that require more of a deep dive than has been done in the past, and I let go of the rest.
What’s the biggest misconception about being a filmmaker?
Too many to list! But as a documentary filmmaker it has always been — for me – a process of talking to people, listening and researching. It also means picking up rocks and looking at the proverbial bugs you always find underneath.

What gets you excited about making and creating original content?
A subject that hasn’t been explored in depth, and interesting people who have stories to share around it.
What would you do if you had conflict on a set? Have you experienced this before due to the thought-provoking nature of your films?
Surprisingly, we haven’t had too many on-set conflicts during interviews. We show up, we stay respectful, we listen, we engage in a lively and sometimes provocative discourse, but I try not to make disagreements personal. That just makes subjects shut down and isn’t conducive to getting the best interview results.

What is the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make for your projects?
For this film in particular, we had 20 additional minutes at the top that ultimately did not make the final cut. It was a fascinating history about Richard Nixon and Barry Goldwater that sadly wound up on the cutting room floor. In the end we realized that the strength of this film really came from the first-person perspectives of folks in the modern era who told us about their stories from inside the “rooms where it happened.” For this reason we re-cut the film to focus more on the present day. I think the final product is much stronger and packs more emotional punch because of it.
What are you working on next?
We are working on a film about antisemitism coming from progressive spaces, as told by voices within the progressive movement. Light fare, right?!
For more about the film, tickets and screenings, please visit the official website.
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