During my master's program in Manhattan, New York, I seized several opportunities to immerse myself in the world of artistic cinema (ironically not even my major). I was fortunate to be hired by D’Angora Productions and Apples and Oranges Studios—both esteemed Tony Award-winning companies—to contribute to two of their projects. Initially brought on as a production assistant, my role quickly expanded, allowing me to collaborate across multiple departments.

Within both projects, I joined the Art Department, where I was entrusted with creating “on-the-fly” props and designing scene backdrops and setups. Additionally, I was invited to assist in the Camera and Electrical Department on No One Called Ahead (NOCA). My involvement even extended to acting, as I had the unique opportunity to be an extra alongside Perez Hilton for the Mélange digital TV series.

Working closely under the direction of Tim Kashani and Tom D’Angora, I gained invaluable insight into the filmmaking process. I learned to interpret camera perspectives in relation to scene settings, experiment with camera editing and panning techniques, contribute to script revisions through collective brainstorming, and witness firsthand the progression of a film from script development to the final cut.