Aspen

Aspen began taking interest in film in October 2024 after she started at her day program, Futures Explored. But in January 2025, she fell in love with it and is now pursuing it as a full-time career and has goals to improve her filming and expand her network to achieve her career dreams.

Prior to starting at Futures Explored, Aspen did free-lance work and she would set up cameras to film concerts. It was a technical job and didn’t give Aspen the passion she has now for filming, but it did give her a base knowledge that she took with her into her day program. At Futures Explored, Aspen has learned a lot about filming, and she has been praised for her very quick understanding of filming and working the cameras. Aspen’s work is so impressive that she received an offer from Sony to use their lab, where they store high-level and expensive equipment, whenever she wanted. Aspen, being the kind and persuasive person she is, convinced them to partner with Futures Explored so other clients could also have the same access.

The partnership with Sony has also provided her with a mentorship. Once a week, Aspen meets with a mentor who works at Sony to discuss industry related topics and advancements. This mentorship has helped Aspen secure filming gigs. Later in 2025, Aspen will begin filming as an “assistant camera” for a short satirical romance film. Then in 2026, she will film a “feature,” which is a full-on movie that is a western period piece based on a true story. Both gigs are in Los Angeles, and Aspen feels excited at the opportunity to spend time there doing work she enjoys and wants to continue to pursue.

Aspen really enjoys horror, sci-fi, and dystopian movies. She would like to film shorts and movies based on these genres, but as she continues to network and improve her skills, she is happy to accept work that isn’t related to these styles. Additionally, Aspen is writing a dystopian novel, so creative thinking is always something that is a part of her.

Aspen hopes and plans to take on filming as a full-time paid career. She is fascinated by all things camera-related, and her proficiency in how to use them is evident. Aspen has shown promise, drive, and motivation to the people around her, and she is ready to expand her opportunities in the world of filmmaking.