Linus! It's so great to be speaking with you. I love your work and I love the energy you bring to the online space, and the film work you create. First off, what is it about film that you enjoy so much?

So glad I’m here Dave! What do I love most about film… You’re really giving me the hardest question first, huh?

There are so many things I love about film, and not to give you a cliché answer, but it has to be the process. Conceptualizing a shoot, choosing a film stock that pairs with the idea, getting the wheels turning, and setting up the shoot to finally make the photographs. Shooting only 10 photos… For medium format… Packing everything up, heading home exhausted, and then developing the film to see the final product. It’s just very hands-on! It’s truly the most rewarding experience I’ve put myself through and I guess that’s why I find myself doing it over and over again.

Beautifully put my friend. One of the reasons I'm such a fan of yours is your willingness to share your learnings and experiences with such depth and breadth. I personally have learned a lot from you. What drives that impulse?

I like to talk! But really- I cant shut up about this stuff. I'm constantly consumed with this, and since I love talking about it, it feels like a natural step to share with others. That and, especially when it comes to talking in a video format, speaking about this work comes naturally after being into theatre stuff throughout my years of education.

One of the guiding mantras of this site is "be the bridge that connects who you learned from and who is learning from you," and you are definitely a shining example of that mentality.

Your work is incredible, but what I find most impressive right now, during a global pandemic, you've launched a film lab. Orders are piling up and I love following along the process online, watching you dive into the world of development. How did this effort first come about, and how is it all going so far?

Well, the film lab started when photography gigs ended. After weeks of plotting how I could actually do it, I finally opened for orders, and sold out in thirty minutes. Flash forward four months, now I’ve got a full lab grade processor in my apartment, multiple scanners, and so many orders that I may need to hire my first employee. All with no ad promotion other than on my social media accounts. It’s going ~well~ but to say I didn’t bite off more than I can chew this month (August) would be a lie. I’m overwhelmed!

I love that you created “seasons” and kind of made the lab a fun interactive experience. Can you describe that aspect of the lab?

Of course! So- the first of each month, a new season begins. It’s essentially my way of controlling the number of orders I get each month so that I’m not completely swamped. This way, I have time for photo concepts and YouTube videos.

It helps me run this lab on my own. Otherwise for interaction, each month I do various film camera giveaway, film development giveaways, whatever I can to say thanks honestly.

In previous seasons before I got too many orders - I offered a FaceTime call with orders of 3+ rolls where I’d hang with the customer while I develop their film. It was sick to be honest.

Thats badass. Did the idea for seasons come from video games?

Actually, it didn’t. Not from Warzone even though I played a lot of it in the early pandemic. It came from TV. Drop a season, get ready for the next one, drop that. Refresher period for the actors and team in between.

Let’s talk about your sci-fi shoots cause I love that stuff. Can you break down the process from first thought to when you hit publish on the image?

Honestly, it usually starts with a phrase, movie, or some sort of design I’ve been obsessed with. Most of the time it’s a phrase. “When it’s dark out”...”Shadow Clones”...”The Art of Fitting In”...all phrases that came to mind one day and eventually became a full concept.

Once I think of a phrase or watch something that inspires an idea, I spend a couple days letting it run through my mind as I start to collect things like props and models, even if the collection is just in my brain at first. Then I start to really go get the props and contact models, we set up a shoot, and I set the scene. 10 exposures later, the roll is finished, and I tear down the scene. That’s the challenge for me. Just 10 shots for these ideas. Then I go home, develop, scan, make a contact sheet (which is digitally created, not created via englargement), and when the timing is right...I share it.