When I was in high school I dreamed of becoming a movie director.
I idolized the creative geniuses like Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino, and Kevin Smith who started out with nothing and rose to the top with their talent and passion.
That’s what I wanted to do with my life – make movies. When I first came to Las Vegas, it was to stay with my friend and scout locations for our movie. Since we had no money we had to get creative. My idea was to shoot scenes on the streets of Las Vegas, but to do it so quickly the authorities would never know we were there. To shoot a movie in Las Vegas a person has to apply for special permits at city hall, and I didn’t want to do that. My approach was a colossal failure. I had no idea that Las Vegas had so many security cameras watching every inch of the Strip, nor that LVPD was so responsive. My movie project was shut down within an hour, and I was so bereft I went into the nearest cannabis dispensary to soothe my nerves. I got to talking with the owner of the cannabis shop, and he asked me if I ever directed any TV commercials. It was quite accidental, but because of my experience and equipment I landed a job making spots for Las Vegas TV. Now I have the right permits, and can shoot footage around Las Vegas, but I am no longer making a movie. My new job is making advertisements for the cannabis franchise.