Don't Mind Me

Don’t Mind Me tells the story of George and Vanessa, a brother and sister whose drastically different paths lead them back together. What compelled me to tell this story is the question of whether George and Vanessa can overcome their stark differences to support one another. George and Vanessa are not looking to reconnect. George returns to make enough money off the house for a fresh start and Vanessa will do anything she can to stop the sale. George and Vanessa soon fall back into the habit of relying on and caring for the only family they have. Vanessa pushes George to let her back into his life, rebuilding George’s broken trust in others. George pushes Vanessa to question her rocky status quo. Rather than overcoming their differences, George and Vanessa actively embrace them, rebuilding their family to grow as one.

I wrote this story at a lonely and uncertain time in my life. I transitioned from the bottom of the film industry’s corporate ladder to a service industry job that offered the flexibility to pursue my own creative work. Just as I found my footing, the pandemic hit and I was left unemployed for a year. Engaged in the solitary craft of writing during a period of forced isolation, I realized I’d been isolating myself long before the pandemic. More conscious of my own role, I got to work strengthening my relationships with friends and family. This value of fostering community became essential to the story I was telling and to the filmmaking process. The production of Don’t Mind Me was an opportunity to connect with my closest friends on a deeper level and work as partners to create a project we are all proud of. This resulted in a film that I truly believe in and a collaborative experience that changed my life.

Through exchanging stories with friends and family, we not only connect over what we have in common but also grow and learn from each other’s differences. More and more people in my community are questioning their paths forward and taking a more active role in forging them. This is indicative of a collective change. People are becoming more independent, eschewing larger establishments and accepted norms. I find this inspiring, and want to show that independence can be shared. We are not alone. As we take more ownership of our own lives, it is our relationships that will allow us to support one another and grow together.

Don’t Mind Me is at its core a reflection of this change. While some people will relate more to George, and some will relate more to Vanessa, I hope that the story of Don’t Mind Me will resonate with anyone who has struggled to find their place or their people.