My goal as a documentarian is to capture the essence of a place, event, or person as naturally and authentically as possible, staying true to how it affected me. Whenever possible, I like to light my scenes—not to alter reality, but to enhance the visual storytelling. While this might seem contradictory, I believe mostly it will add to the film rather than detracts from its authenticity. In documentary filmmaking, I believe one of the most important aspects are finding the optimal distance between the filmmaker and the subject. Get too close, and you risk losing sight of the bigger picture; stay too far, and the crucial details may be lost. The Latin phrase Homo mensura—"man is the measure"—resonates with me, emphasizing the importance of moderation in all things, including filmmaking. Given my love for biographical dramas in narrative cinema, it's no surprise that I find character-driven portraits the most compelling form of documentary storytelling.
