The original Star Wars ("A New Hope") has had the greatest impact on me of all the films I've ever watched. It's really what sparked something in me to want to make movies.

Today the challenge is not visuals, but to be able to tell a riveting emotional story, something that can reach deep down inside the audience's heart and twist it like a toy to make them laugh, cry or jump out of their seats to root for the hero.

Dreams do come true. But it will involve a lot of hard work, a lot of dedication, a lot of studying.

I wrote several screenplays over the years to really polish my craft and learn from my mistakes.

Growing up in the 80's, I think a lot of us saw things that were "new," an experience we don't get too much of these days. We saw things that were never done before. When Star Wars first came out, no movie before that had ever looked that way.

I spent several years in the film finance business, but I returned to what I loved most about the industry - actual filmmaking, producing, writing and directing.

I've already made several friends-for-life from the latest movies I've worked on, and I know I'll make several more in the years to come.