Please tell us about the projects you worked on before making ‘Art of Abandonment’. How did you start, and how did you learn to make films?
I’ve always been passionate about storytelling through photography, but I didn’t venture into filmmaking until about six years ago. My background is in marketing, so much of my career was spent on the executive production side of creative projects. While working at Mercedes-Benz, we began experimenting with branded, documentary-style projects as part of our marketing efforts—and I was hooked. That experience opened the door to more creative solo filmmaking opportunities.
Tell us about ‘Art of Abandonment’. How do you describe it?
It’s a film about the artistic process. The story follows an aging artist who creates ethereal, natural sculptures hidden in the forest. As his career progresses, he begins to question his legacy and starts to long for recognition. His work is left to decompose in the forest, perhaps never to be discovered, forcing him to reflect on his purpose as an artist.
Please tell us about your favorite filmmakers.
There are too many to name, but the directors who first sparked my interest in film include Wes Anderson, Jim Jarmusch, Darren Aronofsky and Werner Herzog. Recently, I’ve been especially inspired by Chloé Zhao and her ability to blend fiction with documentary storytelling. I also admire Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert—their journey as self-taught filmmakers has motivated me to keep experimenting and learning on my own.
If you were given a good budget, what would be your ideal project?
For new filmmakers, working with limited budgets often restricts the time available to develop a story and build meaningful relationships with subjects. With a solid budget, I’d prioritize development funding to spend more time immersing myself in the story and with the characters. My ideal project would allow space for the story to evolve naturally, without the pressure to rush through production.
Describe how you would ensure that production is on schedule. What steps would you take?
I’m known as a spreadsheet lady for being meticulously organized with detailed schedules, color-coded excel sheets, and technical automations to streamline my workflow. However, documentary filmmaking is inherently unpredictable, and unexpected challenges always arise. To manage this, it’s important to build in schedule buffers and remain flexible, ensuring we can adapt while staying on track.
What was the hardest part of making ‘Art of Abandonment’.
Our main character, Spencer, is just an incredible person. Working with him was one of the most enjoyable filmmaking experiences I’ve ever had and production was full of pranks, laughter and amazing stories. The most difficult part of the process was editing. There were many moments from the shoot that were personally memorable but didn’t add to the narrative. Having to “kill your darlings” and let go of those scenes was a real challenge.
If possible, tell us about your next work. What plans do you have for your future work?
I have a few documentary stories that I’m investigating at the moment in the USA, Japan and Spain. Simultaneously while working on documentaries, I continue to work in marketing and commercial filmmaking.
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