It is the storyteller’s duty to expand empathy. Ignorance blinds us to the pain of others, and we too often embrace it, because it is easy and safe. Just as stories reflect society, so too can society reflect the stories it is told. As storytellers, creatives, and influencers, we have a duty to use our platforms and our voice to share stories not often shared, and to be beacons of empathy. Stories should reveal pain when others have hidden it and show love to those who have not felt it. Most importantly, a good storyteller knows when to tell a story and when to uplift another. The voices of minority groups, of the exploited, of those who have been discriminated against and targeted, deserve to be heard from their own mouths.
During my collaboration with The Creative Process, I am learning as much as I can and working on projects that tell stories I can be proud of. I was trained as a director and writer, but my passion is in editing and sound design first. At the end of the day, I just want to create.
I recently put the finishing touches on my senior thesis film “Nominated,” about an actress who decides to boycott her own awards ceremony. It’s a story about representation and diversity in media, something that is deeply important to me. Completing the film during a pandemic has been a challenge, as our final week of shooting overlapped with the shutdown of California. I’m also currently wrapping up Bronzeville, a narrative podcast and my largest sound design project to date. Working with world-class actors like Laurence Fishburne and LeVar Burton was an incredible experience, and I’m proud of the work I put into crafting this story.
I hope to continue working on podcasts into the future, as an editor and eventually as a director. A pure audio experience allows for such visceral and emotional storytelling, and it’s my hope that one day this medium will reach and even surpass the heights of film in its ambition and impact.
What do you feel is the importance of storytelling and creativity? And what experiences do you hope to have through your collaboration with The Creative Process?
