I realized tonight that there is something I don’t know how to do.
There’s been a lot of giving up on the world lately, a lot of exhaustion and noise—but after all is said and done, I just don’t know how to stop loving someone. No matter how mad a moment or a person makes me.
The world is filled with conflict, and it’s often from that tension that great stories emerge—into books, scripts, and eventually movies.
And yes, that opening line probably tells you that I’ve had my own conflicts and reckonings this year. It’s been a big one. As we head into the holiday season, I find myself reflecting more than usual. Expect a few more newsletters… and a whole new season of podcast episodes.
For starters, I went back to the Cannes Film Festival and Marché this year—and this time I came home with a project. While I was there, I must have pitched over a hundred times, across twelve projects (and a few that weren’t even mine). I really want to win this thing in my own way. Somewhere in that whirlwind, something shifted. I came home realizing I had become a producer—and that I love it.
In the spring, I was hired as a gaffer on a feature comedy. Fifteen days of rain, mud, and deep woods an hour from home brought their challenges, but I felt confident in my lighting solutions and had an incredible team behind me. I even got to flex my producer brain a few times to help keep things moving. After that, I produced and shot another feature, a handful of shorts, and jumped onto several other productions throughout the year.
Another milestone: my colleague Eryn Rea and I reopened a door that first cracked open years ago with my early short, Mother’s Garden. We’ve spent the last few months developing the feature version—now titled Amma’s Garden. We’re about halfway through the script and exploring the idea of making it in a Spanish-speaking territory with a bilingual cast. Neither of us speaks Spanish (yet), so we’ll collaborate with folks who can help us craft something truly international. I’m thrilled about where it’s heading.
I have one more project on the books for December, and after that I’m diving into planning season—getting aligned for everything coming down the line.
As always, I love hearing what good trouble you’re getting into. Reach out any time and share.
Have a great December—and expect new content from me very soon.
All my best,
Derek
Hello Derek! As a person on substack with no comments, I reach out today to say I see you! Congrats on all of the moving and shaking; you have worked it in 2025! As for me, after three awesome mentorships for SCW, I rerouted away from SCW to pursue some personal pursuits and also to research and write a script (which I started documenting on my substack). I also landed a pro editing job that is fun and may have a future…. I look forward to more of your posts!