There have been many times in my life when I just felt like I needed an escape. Since I was a kid, for some reason, I just needed a break from reality. That escape came in the form of playing with toys, playing a game, or daydreaming, but one that has stayed with me into adulthood was watching films.

Last year I made my first documentary film as part of my graduate thesis project. Yes, I did this purely because it was required to graduate but it ended up being accepted into my first film festival. So not only did I get my masters degree, it ended up having a way bigger purpose than I initially thought it would. But just like my narrative short film, it came with its own set of challenges.

There were only a few things that I could've seen myself possibly majoring in, and those were psychology, astronomy, and film. Psychology showed me how people move through the world, astronomy showed me the world’s place in the universe, and film allowed me to capture the world. When it came down to choosing my major, I chose film: the one that allowed me to combine all my interests by creating fascinating characters and building worlds to tell a story.

Becoming a filmmaker is a big dream of mine. I've gotten some experience in my life such as filming a few events, editing montages, and...