Film & TV
Cause we ended as lovers
Cause We Ended as Lovers is a deeply personal meditation on grief, love, and the echoes left behind when someone you cherish transitions from this world. Written in the wake of my partner Kerri’s passing, the piece explores the quiet spaces between memory and longing, and the ways in which love continues to evolve, even in absence. It’s not just about mourning—it’s about the transformation that grief demands, and the strange, beautiful persistence of connection beyond form.
We Deliver Episode 3
We Deliver is a series I developed with Geeby Dajani, set in the raw, electric world of 1990s New York City. It dives into the inner workings of an illegal marijuana delivery service at a time when the city was teetering between lawlessness and transformation. Based on real experiences, the series explores not just the hustle, but the relationships, risks, and coded networks that kept this underground economy thriving. It’s a story about survival, loyalty, and the blurred lines between criminality and commerce in a city that never stopped moving.
Subway stories the listener
Subway Stories began as part of an HBO contest, gathering true stories from New Yorkers whose lives collided underground. I was drawn to the raw humanity of these submissions—the fleeting, charged moments that happen in the in-between spaces of a city constantly in motion. The piece I developed from this is rooted in the grit and poetry of the subway—a place where strangers become part of each other’s stories, even if only for a stop or two. It’s a celebration of those small, unexpected connections that reveal the heart of urban life.
A Brother's Kiss
A Brother’s Kiss is a raw, gritty, and deeply tender film about the bond between two brothers growing up in East Harlem. Spanning from the 1970s to the 1990s, the story traces their lives as they navigate a world marked by struggle, loyalty, and love—both for each other and for the neighborhood that shapes them. Set against the backdrop of a city in flux, the film explores how the streets can both break and bind, and how family can be both a burden and a salvation. It’s a story rooted in real places, real pain, and the enduring hope of connection.
King of the Jungle
King of the Jungle is a film inspired by a deeply personal moment in my life—the trauma of witnessing my father being shot when I was twelve. The story centers on a developmentally disabled young man who witnesses the murder of his mother, and the emotional spiral that follows as he struggles to make sense of a world that suddenly turns violent and incomprehensible. Set in the heart of the city, the film explores the fragility of innocence, the raw impact of grief, and the quiet, often unseen ways trauma lives in the body and mind. It’s a story about vulnerability, survival, and the search for connection in a world that doesn’t know how to hold difference or pain.
Sunset Park
Sunset Park is a spirited, streetwise sports drama I wrote in 1994, inspired by a real-life story featured on 60 Minutes. The film follows an unlikely female coach who takes over a rough Brooklyn high school boys’ basketball team and earns their respect through grit, heart, and determination. Produced for Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman, the story captures the raw energy of 1990s New York, the transformative power of mentorship, and the resilience of young men learning to trust someone who never gave up on them.
How to Make it in America
How to Make It in America is an HBO series I was a writer/producer on, set in the fast-paced, ever-changing world of downtown New York. It follows a group of friends hustling to turn their dreams into reality, navigating the lines between street smarts and legitimate success. The show is about the grind—the ambition, setbacks, and small victories that define what it means to make it in a city that’s always one step ahead. It’s a story of creativity, resilience, and the unshakable belief that if you move fast enough, you can carve out your own version of the American dream.
The Get Down
The Get Down is a Netflix series I helped bring to life, chronicling the birth of hip-hop in the South Bronx during the late 1970s. It’s a vibrant, mythic retelling of a cultural revolution—where music, art, and street life collided to create something entirely new. Working alongside Baz Luhrmann and an incredible team, I focused on grounding the story in the real energy of the Bronx—capturing the voices, struggles, and dreams of young people who changed the world through creativity and resilience. The Get Down is about more than music—it’s about the power of community, and the magic that can rise from even the hardest streets.
Them Covenant
THEM is an anthology series for Amazon Prime that explores the intersection of race, fear, and the American dream turned nightmare. I worked on the first season, which follows a Black family who moves to an all-white neighborhood in 1950s Los Angeles, only to face both human and supernatural threats. The series is a deep dive into the psychological and societal horrors of racism, told through a stylized, unsettling lens. My role involved shaping the emotional and narrative core of several episodes, ensuring the terror was not just external, but rooted in the real trauma of systemic oppression.