Director's statement: I am an independent filmmaker and television creator working outside of the U.S. studio system. Inspired by world cinema, DIY movements, and the democracy of Internet culture, I tell character-driven stories using locations and technology that are accessible to me. I have found alternate routes to creating my feature and short films, documentaries, music videos, and TV specials, and strategizing how to reach an audience. Often handling multiple creative and crew roles myself, I work with modest budgets and tap talent outside of the industry or working on its fringes. I enjoy collaborating with my friends and neighbors and shooting the parts of New York City I know from my own life. This means scenery largely unknown to tourists and absent from Hollywood screens. My characters, cast, and crew are ones that have been marginalized by the American studio system. The motivation to pursue this route began early. I started watching Third Cinema—or anti-colonial films from Latin America, Asia, and Africa—as a small girl because of the influence of my mother, an immigrant from El Salvador, and my father, an American war photographer. Today my studio, Quail Bell, is a haven for real and unreal stories, and is based in Ridgewood, known for its multiculturalism and industrial history.