Above is Alex’s second film school assignment—make a two minute silent film.

Since first seeing it, I've had multiple recurring thoughts about this 150 second video:

• I'm struck by the conciseness of the storytelling. I won't say I thougth it an impossible ask but would have surely thought it an unreasonable ask were it put before me. Two minutes? What the heck am I suppposed to say in two minutes?
• I marvel that Aleo thought of and subsequently executed a narrative in that amount of time.
• I continue to be surprised how Aleo can get what he needs, acting-wise, out of common civilians (e.g. his family).
• The long-shot up the stairs.
• That he essentially took this from concept to a finished product in 72 hours.
• During the in-class showing, his professor was asking him how achieved some of his techniques, the opening shot in particular. How's that for a little wind up your skirt?
• How pleasant Aleo is to work with. No incoherent lunatic. Lots of excitement (and thus joy) during the process. It's a gift watching a person do what is in their natural wheelhouse. I've never not been moved by the beauty of that. And when that person is your child, it is a triple-gift.

Lastly, I have accepted that I will never understand how Alex can create these videos. I've now watched the making of multiple films and can never see how it is going to translate to these finished products. It is equally apparent that he is the opposite of me and can see the whole thing, like all of it, in his mind before he breaks ground. Remarkable.