Directing Work
In my final semester of college, I made this surrealist short for a lighting project. My personal goal (and challenge) was in depicting such a complex feeling within just two minutes, non-sync.
For me, this piece is about depression, feeling overwhelmed, and loss of interest in anything. Each item (flowers, ribbons, crown, heart, etc.) represents something the character has gained, whether it be love, success, beauty, or physical materials. Despite all the lovely things, she isn’t truly happy - and in trying to find herself within all of this, she becomes more aware of how tied and trapped she is by her dread, which somehow makes it worse. It can be a truly difficult thing to escape your own mind. Overwatered is meant to show that realization.
When you overwater a flower, the roots rot, the soil appears dry despite the bottom being soaked, and the plant eventually wilts.
Premiered at Pace University’s Film and Screen Studies 2025 Film Festival with nominations for Best Direction and Best Editing.Screened at New Plaza Cinema's NYC Short Film Showcase presented by Michael Jacobsohn.Overwatered
tears . pearls . flowers . hearts . ribbon . vines . drowning . alone .
tears . pearls . flowers . hearts . ribbon . vines . drowning . alone .
tears . pearls . flowers . hearts . ribbon . vines . drowning . alone . tears . pearls . flowers . hearts . ribbon . vines . drowning . alone .
PEAS
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forts . pinky promises . boxes . sisters . stuffed animals . forgiveness .
forts . pinky promises . boxes . sisters . stuffed animals . forgiveness .
forts . pinky promises . boxes . sisters . stuffed animals . forgiveness . forts . pinky promises . boxes . sisters . stuffed animals . forgiveness .
DoP : Christopher Alvord, Edited by Pierce Stephan
Inspired by my own sisterhood, PEAS is a short film about the moment where everything is forgiven because, at the end of the day, you love each other.
This was my first time screenwriting, and what I like to consider my directorial debut! The process of PEAS was one of my favorites and really showed me that I can and do, in fact, adore directing.
I tend to gravitate towards fantastical and dreamy stories, so this realist short was a bit out of my comfort zone. PEAS taught me that even the most normal of circumstances and metaphorless narratives can be full of essence and feeling.
Something I loved about this project was the fact that a lot of the people involved in this project all have sisters. It was so interesting to hear about everyone’s relationships and dynamics of sisterhood and lean into that for choices in rehearsals, on set, and during post.
Starring Yemie Woo and Leynah Nguyen
Concept Scene
For a feature film written by Phoenix LaFreniere and Cece Tsow, currently in development
Actors: Morgan Robbins and Phoenix LaFreniere
Director: Cece Tsow
DoP: Pierce Stephan
More to come…
Fake Advertisement Project
For a lighting class taught by Justyn T. Davis
Music: ‘Black Dog’ by Led Zeppelin
Featuring a product by Fender
This “Ad” was for a project where we had to create a 15-second fake advertisement. Showing off a product in such a short amount of time was a challenge, but I love this little video. My goal was to lean into the feeling and almost daydream that comes with having an electric guitar. My favorite choice was to use a mix of an old digicam and a modern DSLR, which I think tied everything together with the concert-video aesthetic.
Film Team: Kaylyn Yew & Aster Bariel
Actor: Phoenix LaFreniere