FOUNDER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR
It all started in a giant convertible Cadillac, rolling across the country on the Mother Road.
FOUNDER & PRODUCER
I was a “free-range kid” growing up in New Zealand with a walking range of about 3 miles, a biking range of about 5 miles, and a bus range of about 15 miles to downtown. Today’s kids are as flightless as a Kiwi bird. Not cool!
It all started in a giant convertible Cadillac, rolling across the country on the Mother Road with a TV camera strapped to the hood..
I made my first documentary films about Route 66, the historic highway. These roadtrips across America were more than kicks - they were a journey into the stories of hundreds of small towns, main streets, and unique proprietors – all struggling to survive against the onslaught of freeways and franchise blight.
The documentaries I created helped spark a Route 66 revival - a revival that would lure travelers back to the Main Street of America, and inspire many communities on the brink to stage a comeback.
Later, I moved to Buffalo, New York, the ultimate underdog town. Working with Visit Buffalo Niagara and other creative partners, I produced dozens of short films that chronicled and catalyzed the ongoing renaissance of a once-moribund rustbelt city.
To this day, I’m driven by the agony of America’s homogenization – and the thrill of seeing communities survive and thrive when they rediscover and celebrate their unique character, identity, and story.
That's why, with my friend Chris Elisara, I founded First+Main Films: the creative studio dedicated to helping cities, towns, and neighborhoods through films that foster civic pride, build community and spark imagination.
