Evergreen Misery, 4min., USA
Directed by Ryan Joseph
Music video about artist MOTHICA arriving at "Mothicorp" and discovering hidden truths within herself.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

Mothica had a compelling concept — her subconscious mind visualized as a corporate prison versus a lush, true inner world. That tension was too cinematic to pass up.

2. From idea to finished product, how long did it take?

About a month of planning, two days to build the set and shoot.

3. How would you describe your film in two words?

Subconscious liberation.

4. What was the biggest obstacle?

The set build. Figuring out how to physically construct two completely different worlds on a tight timeline took the most problem-solving.

5. What were your initial reactions to the audience feedback video?

It was fun. It's genuinely nice to watch people react to something you made.

6. When did you realize you wanted to make films?

It started early. Growing up, Star Wars and Indiana Jones hit me in a way I couldn't quite explain at the time. My dad gave me a Canon camcorder around age 10 and something just clicked — the idea that you could capture life and play it back in front of your eyes was fascinating to me. From that point on, my brother and I were in the backyard basically every day filming whatever we could think of. By high school I was taking every film class available, making shorts, recreations, experimental stuff — anything to understand how it all worked. It never really felt like a decision. It was just what I kept doing.

7. What film have you seen the most?

Hard to pick one — Interstellar, Dune, Mad Max, and Neon Demon have all gotten a lot of rewatches.

8. What elements could festivals implement to better support filmmakers?

Honest feedback from programmers goes a long way. The conversation around the work matters as much as the screening itself.

9. How has your experience been with FilmFreeway?

Straightforward and easy to navigate. Gets the job done.

10. What is your favorite meal?

On a serious sushi kick lately.

11. What's next?

Always working. Just wrapped a Samsonite campaign, heading into a new round of music videos, and finishing up a TV pilot.