It’s been two years in the making, but our latest feature film Teacher’s Pet is finally complete and set to premiere this month.

This film is unlike any I’ve directed—especially in terms of size and scope—and it’s my favorite to date.

While still technically a micro-budget production, it was a departure from everything I had done before, which had always been extremely DIY.

For one, this film had an actual budget and a small team of producers to help get it off the ground.

That meant less time wrangling locations or SAG paperwork, and more time being creative.

As I look ahead to the premiere, festival run, and eventual release, I can’t help but also look back at what got us to this point.

With that in mind, below are a few lessons and takeaways I’ve been reflecting on from the experience. I hope they’re helpful for those of you on a similar journey:
 

1. Nerves Are Good

I had already made and released three feature films before Teacher’s Pet, and had a pretty solid workflow in place.

That made me hesitant to scale things up and step into a different kind of playing field than I was used to.

When I first had the opportunity to direct this film, I remember having some nerves—despite also being excited.

I’d be collaborating with a larger team than ever before, and there would be a financial investment on the line.

The process itself would be vastly different than my usual workflow, and the fear of the unknown started to creep in.

But I quickly reminded myself that creative breakthroughs and career growth rarely feel comfortable.

And the real lesson is always to run toward the fear. That’s how you challenge yourself and break new ground.

2. Lean Into Your Strengths

One internal debate I had early on was whether or not to DP the film myself.

I had recently shot my no-budget / no-crew feature Disappearing Boy, which meant serving as my own cinematographer.

But for Teacher’s Pet, I had planned to work with a DP, and we even shot some footage together ahead of our main production.

When she became unavailable for the main shoot, I weighed my options and spoke with several DPs. Ultimately, I chose to shoot it myself.

While I’ve never marketed myself as a cinematographer, I’ve shot many projects over the years and am confident behind the camera. 

This film had the resources to hire a DP and do it the “right” way, but after careful consideration, I opted for the less conventional route.

If I could direct and DP without compromising performances—and free up resources for other key areas—I owed it to the film to do so.

It turned out to be the right call. So much so that I’m now considering DP’ing all of my future films.

The takeaway was to lean into your strengths. It frees up budget and mental bandwidth for the areas where you actually need help.

3. Seek Out Experimentation

Many of my favorite moments in the film came from creative experimentation.

Whether it was using a super wide-angle lens, unconventional framing, or an improvised moment with the actors—there were plenty of lightning-in-a-bottle moments.

It would’ve been easy to shoot the film more traditionally, but that would have stripped away its individuality and unique tone.

If anything, I would take even more risks the next time around,

It may be a cliche, but it’s true – the biggest risk to your film is taking no risk at all. The boldest, most unconventional ideas are always the most memorable.

4. Be Hyper-Collaborative

Coming off a no-budget, no-crew feature, I had to recalibrate how I thought about collaboration.

Film is inherently collaborative—and resisting that only hurts the final product.

On Teacher’s Pet, I made a point to be as open-minded as possible while staying laser-focused on the vision.

If an actor wanted to tweak a line, the answer was usually yes—they knew their character better than anyone.

If my 1st AC had a shot idea, I tried it. He had experience on very different sets and brought tons of valuable insights.

If a producer suggested alternate coverage for the edit, I got it. Half the time, those shots made the final cut.

The point is – it’s easy to have an ego as a director and to think your job is to say no to everything.

But the way I see it, your job is to say yes – just to the right ideas. And you can only get there with an open mind, primed for collaboration. .

5. Push for the Extra 10%

I firmly believe that films are made or broken by the final 10%.

It’s easy to get your movie 90% there. But it’s that last stretch—those micro-decisions—that elevate it to something special.

On set, that might mean rewriting a scene on the fly or swapping lenses for a better frame, even when you’re behind the clock.

In post, it could mean trimming three frames or going the extra mile with some sound design.

These tweaks seem minor on their own. But compounded across hundreds of moments, they make a world of difference.

That final 10% is what separates a good film from a great one.

6. The Right Talent Changes Everything

I’ve been lucky to work with great actors on all my films, but with Teacher’s Pet, the bar was higher than ever.

Every actor in the film elevated it.

Whether it was reworking scenes with one of our leads (Luke Barnett—an incredible writer/filmmaker himself), or collaborating with horror icon Barbara Crampton, who brought her signature flair—every performance made the movie better.

There’s no substitute for great actors. And when the whole cast delivers, their performances multiply and strengthen each other.

If there’s one thing to prioritize on any project, it’s casting. The right talent adds more production value than any camera or lighting setup ever could.

7. No-Budget Experience Was Crucial

Although this was technically my biggest production to date, I leaned heavily on DIY tactics.

I DP’d the film myself, used natural light whenever possible, and worked quickly—just like I would on any micro-budget set.

Even though the shoot was relatively fast-paced, it was far easier to navigate compared to past films I shot in fewer days with less crew.

Scaling up is easier than scaling down, and working with no resources is the best possible training ground.

DIY filmmaking isn’t just a stepping stone. It’s a methodology you can apply to any project—regardless of budget—to maximize results.

These are just some of the takeaways I’ve had while reflecting on the film. I’ll be sharing more soon, along with info on screenings and more!

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