Artist's Statement

I am a science fiction fanatic. Within the genre, I hold a special affiliation for, interest in, and a creative knack for positive, emotional first contact stories. As a reader and writer, I revel in that exciting fiction space filled with moments of wonder, fear, danger, discovery, mystery…, created when meeting another intelligence; be it AI, ET, terrestrial, biologically engineered, or…? I can clearly see myself delivering or facilitating film products such as Ex Machina, Arrival, or Super 8. Currently, I am crafting a feature, Legacy, that slowly reveals a selfless and brave prehistoric act, which changes the course of humanity; and the contemporary black woman who finds herself experiencing another world-changing encounter.

 

I am a scientist. Although not practicing, understanding the fundamentals of the scientific method allows me to pluck an unlimited supply of ideas and concepts from headlines and journals. My short story “Touch” and adapted short feature Touch came from a science note about tactilely contagious cancer in Tasmanian Devils. I’ve drafted a pilot, Nova Amazonia, as a corrective response to scientific analyses about the minimum amount of men and women our species would need to firmly establish an extrasolar colony. (Nope: you’d need a much smaller number of women and a giant sperm bank.)

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I am a gay, black man. As a teen discovering and exploring his sexuality in the more conservative burbs of the San Francisco bay area, as well as putting this identity and sexuality on view in college, grad school, and the streets of SF, unfortunately, I often had to day-nightmare over the possibility of being accosted for being gay. What to do? Give in? Fight back? Win? Lose? Die? Of course, this gay person, like most, would also dream of having a very real ability to defend themselves—perhaps surprisingly well. This is the kernel that grew into the Flamer pilot submitted for fellowship consideration, contests, and writing labs for 2022..

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As a story-consumer and storyteller, I gravitate toward willing heroes, who instead of being forced to embrace power, grab it and must find their goodness, or evilness, while holding it—with an intentional emphasis on BIPOC, female, and sexual minority inclusion, perspectives, and lead narratives. In my projects, and the industry in general, I want to see my communities centered and represented well. I also endeavor to respectfully include other underrepresented folks with unique abilities, lived experiences, and cultures, via research and collaboration with those communities.

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My dream film and TV projects include: writing or contributing to a Dragonriders of Pern streaming series or film; scripting a feature film on the Tulsa massacre; or writing the Mabel Fairbanks story (First African American ice-skater). 

Dragonriders owned by: Warner Media; Mabel Fairbanks shepherded by: Fairbanks heirs (friends and skaters); Tulsa endeavors are public domain.