When I arrived at the Action on Film Festival, I was greeted with genuine warmth by Del Weston—the visionary behind the Action On Film Festivals and the AOF MEGA Fests. He was practically glowing with praise for my film, speaking with such enthusiasm it caught me off guard. After pouring so much into the project, hearing that kind of response was deeply validating.

Fellow filmmakers at the festival thought I had shot on film stock, but in reality, I used a cutting-edge HD tape camera. With the right blend of cinema lenses, film-style presets, and carefully crafted visual effects, the final look punched above its weight. I couldn’t help but think of the filmmakers who’d spent hundreds of thousands, only to be overlooked completely. Back then, digital was just starting to take over film. It was the beginning of a major shift.