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Why This Story?
A Story That Demanded To Be Told Boldly.
When Northridge Preparatory School first approached me about producing a promotional film, they already had a story in mind: Raphael’s.
They described a young man whose journey stretched from his commute from Chicago’s South Side to the physical demands of boxing, alongside the challenges he faced in the classroom and at home. There was a clear hero’s journey in what they shared, and I was immediately struck by the dramatic potential of the story.
But meeting Raphael changed the scale of what I imagined this film could be.
After sitting down with him and hearing his story firsthand, I was convinced that Southpaw North could reach far beyond its original purpose as a school promotional film. The connection to Northridge remained central, but Raphael’s experience had the power to speak to people who had never heard of the school.
I wanted to make a documentary that gave his story the weight it deserved. From that first interview, I knew it demanded to be told boldly.
Why This Film?
A bold visual approach. A deeply personal commitment.
Raphael’s story called for a film that was as visually bold as it was sincere. I wanted every creative decision in Southpaw North to reflect the care we were putting into telling it.
Over several months, we filmed interviews across numerous locations and spent time capturing the places and experiences that shaped his life. We rode the trains and buses from Chicago’s South Side to the North Side, filming Raphael’s actual commute to school. We brought our cameras into a working training facility used by UFC fighters. Being in those spaces mattered. I wanted the documentary to stay connected to the reality of his experience.
That approach extended to the photographs. We printed hundreds of images on Polaroid film, then physically arranged and filmed them. Rather than simply placing digital photographs on screen, we gave them a tangible presence: real objects, staged and captured through the camera. It was a hands-on approach that made the imagery feel organic and considered.
The same care continued through post-production. We spent months working on the score and color grade, then completed a full studio sound mix and master. The images, music and sound all deserved that attention.
Southpaw North grew beyond the scope of a school promotional film into a passion project and a labor of love. I cared deeply about doing justice to Raphael’s story, and I wanted to bring everything I loved about filmmaking to the work.
To me, filmmaking is the pinnacle of art. It brings photography, music, performance, sound and storytelling together into a shared experience. Southpaw North became an opportunity to pursue that belief with sincerity and care.
Why the Emmys?
Recognition from the people who understand the craft.
Receiving a 2026 Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award nomination for Southpaw North was a tremendous honor. After the months we spent filming, shaping the story and refining every element of the finished film, knowing that fellow professionals recognized the work meant an incredible amount to me.
There is something particularly meaningful about recognition from your peers. They understand the decisions, discipline and care that filmmaking requires. To have this film recognized within my own industry was an affirmation of the work and the conviction that guided it from the beginning.
For me, the nomination also brought wider recognition to a project that began with one school and one young man’s story. What started as a promotional film for Northridge Preparatory School had become a deeply personal commitment to the craft. Seeing Southpaw North nominated was an extraordinary moment in that journey.
2026 Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award Nominee
Outstanding Achievement for Branded Content – Long Form Content
What Made Southpaw North Stand Out?
My answer begins with Raphael’s story and the commitment we made to telling it. We followed his actual commute, filmed across multiple locations, created physical photographic sequences and devoted months to the music, color and sound.
Those choices gave Southpaw North its identity. Each was an opportunity to bring more care, texture and intention to the film. Together, they reflect what I wanted this project to be: a boldly told documentary, grounded in a real person’s experience and made with a deep love for filmmaking.