Book Preview: The Shot I Never Got
I was there to document the entire trip—nearly 3,000+ miles across the country. Ten cops. Three vehicles. Countless stories. Each stop mattered. Some were quiet and intimate. Others came with full motorcades and aerial escorts. My job was to thread it all together. And then came D.C.
Book Preview: The Word That Pulled Me Off the Couch
It was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. I was broke. Burned out. Lying on the couch watching The Bachelor, seriously wondering if I was done. Not just with filmmaking—but with dreaming altogether. And then the phone rang.
Book Preview: When the Badge Follows You Back
A San Bernardino cop knelt beside me, looked me in the eyes, and said something I’d never forget: “This doesn’t have to be your life.”
I didn’t know his name. I don’t remember his face. But I remember how he made me feel: like I mattered. Like I had a shot.
That Feeling Before the First Shot
There’s a certain buzz that kicks in before a shoot—the kind that pulls you out of bed before the alarm and keeps your mind spinning through the night. You charge batteries, clean lenses, double-check gear you’ve already checked three times. You google the weather reports and adjust your pack accordingly. And even though you try to plan for every scenario, you already know—most of it won’t go as planned.
Book Preview: When You Only Get One Shot
A few days ago, I had the honor—and the weight—of documenting the funeral of Deputy Hector Cuevas Jr. for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. It was my third time filming a fallen deputy's memorial, and the truth is… it doesn’t get easier.
Book Preview: The Man Who Made Me Stop Chasing the Oscar
I fell in love with Hollywood as a kid. It wasn’t from movies or celebrity magazines—it was through my mom. A romance novelist with a dreamer’s heart, she believed Hollywood was her promised land. Fame. Fortune. The kind of life just up the 10 freeway. But addiction and delusion had other plans. She never quite made it.
Book Preview: One Tweet. One Survivor. One Hell of a Story.
When my friend and longtime collaborator Lolita Harper invited me to be part of a film exploring the story of Alex Collins—one of the deputies shot by disgraced former LAPD officer Christopher Dorner—I didn’t hesitate. Lolita had a vision: to reflect on what happened during that harrowing week in Big Bear ten years ago and to give voice to those who lived through it.
Book Preview: Inside the Velvet Lie
According to the FBI, I was the first person to gain undercover access to the infamous Player and Pimp Ball—an annual celebration where, yes, they actually crown a Pimp of the Year. You can’t make this up. It’s not a parody. It’s not a punchline. It’s real—and witnessing it firsthand was something I’ll never forget.