Name a Sci-Fi or Horror character you relate to on a spiritual/personal level?

In some ways I relate to K from Blade Runner 2049 - I like to do things on my own and find my own answers to questions.

Do you consider yourself part of the sci-fi or horror community?

Yes, I would consider myself part of the sci-fi community. I grew up watching sci-fi films and they have heavily influenced not only my interest in cinema, but my outlook on life. I feel that sci-fi is one of the most valuable genres on both an aesthetic and artistic level, as well as a humanitarian level.

When you’re creating the props and sets that make a new world, where do you look for inspiration? How do you create objects that are relatable but unfamiliar?

I tend to look for inspiration in art, photography, and the natural world primarily. Many of my stories are centered around nature in one way or another, and much of what interests me about the idea of filmmaking and storytelling is the concept of time - its passage, its rigid and strict rules, and how you can break those rules in cinema. When I'm creating sets and props for a new world within a film, I often look at the world as it is now, compare it with the story I want to tell and think: 1. "What do I want to be the difference between the world of the film and our world?", and 2. "What parts of the worlds do I want to be the same?" Because that similarity is what is often most compelling about Sci-Fi - how easy it is to see what's wrong with a world when it's made up, but how hard it is to see those same flaws in the world when you're living in it.

You’ve gotta go through some bad ideas to get to the good ones. Tell us one of your bad ideas. How do you get past the bad ones to find your spark?

I feel that it is rare to have a bad idea in and of itself - what could be defined as bad is the relationship of that idea to the story you are trying to tell. That being said, I've had too many bad ideas to count, but perhaps one bad idea from this short was for Max to somewhat accidentally stumble upon his final destination in the film while fleeing from a nuclear explosion. It was much stronger for him to reach his destination from sheer will and dedication alone, and to draw out that important moment in which his efforts are rewarded. When coming up with ideas, what I've found is that you need to be fluid and allow yourself to get the bad ideas out, along with the good, without judgment. When you've got all your ideas out, then you can begin to find and weed out the ones that don't tell your story or aren't necessary, etc. When I've written down all my ideas, the good and the bad, I often find that some of the ideas I would have initially judged as bad and discarded end up being some of the best.

If the world you created in your film became a reality, is that a world you would want to live in? What would you do if you woke up inside of your film?

If the world of Gemini became a reality, I would not want to live in it. Though I would enjoy the peace and quiet and an escape from our world, it amounts to a kind of Purgatory, with endless ways of torturing a soul. If I woke up inside of my film, I would obviously go find Max and help him kick some ass - after enjoying some peace and quiet. When coming up with ideas, what I've found is that you need to be fluid and allow yourself to get the bad ideas out, along with the good, without judgment. When you've got all your ideas out, then you can begin to find and weed out the ones that don't tell your story or aren't necessary, etc. When I've written down all my ideas, the good and the bad, I often find that some of the ideas I would have initially judged as bad and discarded end up being some of the best.

Who would be in your ultimate sci-fi or horror villain squad?

My ultimate sci-fi villain squad would consist of Darth Vader, Agent Smith, and The Joker.

And finally, what’s your favourite sci-fi film?

My favorite sci-fi film would have to be The Truman Show. I find the concept to be incredibly interesting and it's always a pleasure to watch it. But I would definitely buy a one-way ticket to the world of Back the Future. I'd love to hang out with Marty and Doc.