Like Neo’s portal to the Matrix and Dorothy’s ruby slippers to home, as I sink deeper into my favorite chocolate-brown armchair to watch a movie or TV, I sink deeper into the fictional world on the screen before me. From the moment I click the remote, the screen transports me at light speed into another universe, another experience, another perspective. At the end of a grueling day, I have come to cherish the hour I have to myself when I can indulge in my favorite pairing: dinner and the screen.

Hunched over my plate devouring Sunday’s leftover fish, I love nothing more than to lose myself in the lives of the characters on film and TV; more often than not, I find myself exclaiming out loud, “I wish I could film stories like that.” Yet, once the credits begin to roll and I wilt back into the welcoming arms of my chair, I realize that “I can.” As each movie or TV show envelops me in its world, it also effectively broadens my perspective and increases my awareness of my filmmaking. This ritual, which has become increasingly rare and thus all the more treasured, allows me to transcend my own troubles as I gain new insights to the stories, struggles and passions of others in the world around me.

For example, movies and TV shows like Crash, Brokeback Mountain, Schindler’s List and Lost enlighten me to the harsh realities of prejudice and human relationships, which in turn deepen my sensitivity to these issues. Now I recognize the prejudice that extends beyond race, gender, creed or sexual orientation. Until I watched films such as Menace II Society and Boyz N the Hood back in high school, I regarded the “gangstas” at my high school as no more than baggy-panted buffoons in whale-sized t-shirts. However, my new perspective opened my eyes to the fact that not only did I share many of my honors and AP classes with them, but they were also like me: human.

Similarly, documentaries such as Super Size Me transformed my daily habits and motivated me to take action to help others. Morgan Spurlock’s grotesque plight into obesity shocked me into realizing that eating unhealthily was more than just a fast-track to a flabbier figure; it could also leave me infertile! After the horrifying gastric bypass operation scene, I turned away from my pizza in disgust and the following day subjected myself to an after-school boot camp of push-ups, sit-ups, and weights in my bedroom—a workout that continues to this day. Eventually, I went so far as to produce a promotional teen health video “Get Out and Play” that went on to win Videomaker Magazine’s Best Student Video of 2008.

Likewise, TV shows like Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown and 60 Minutes transport me to other world locations, human stories and global perspectives.

And with the advent of in-depth special features, I learn the dedication that it takes to produce film and TV. The Lord of the Rings Special Extended DVD Editions not only took me on a journey to middle-earth, but also took me along with Peter Jackson, Barrie M. Osborne, Fran Walsh and all of the other devoted people who collaborated to produce the trilogy. I watched riveted as those in the WETA Workshop fashioned the chain mail even as it scraped the skin clean off their fingertips; I watch in awe of Peter Jackson’s dramatic weight loss during the final weeks of production. Yet their efforts resulted in one of the most successful trilogies in film history. As I feast upon reheated eggplant, I yearn to be a part of such a process. From beginning to end, I want to engage in the social and collaborative aspects of producing my version of storytelling: international food documentaries. More than anything, I dream of bringing my own ideas to life and sharing my enthusiasm for visual storytelling.

Most nights, after viewing a stimulating film or TV show, I lie in bed and stare at the ceiling, pondering the many stories I cannot wait to tell, stories from different perspectives, about the human experience. One day, I hope to create a masterpiece that will convey my message with beauty and truth and inspire future generations to gain new perspectives and make positive changes in their lives too.

Another film premiere for my UCLA Film & Photography Society.

Check us out here.