The Modern Romantic

My name's Japhy and I'm a writer and director living in L.A. Scriptwriting, music video directing, journalism and blogging are all ways of telling a story and I enjoy them all.

Well, that's always pretty awesome. You should check out my resume on Linked In and then contact me.

Currently I am using the site to showcase my latest work and to talk about what I'm learning about creating great stories in different media. I hope to put up some useful guides as I go along.

Sure. I directed a music video for the indie-rock band Grizzly Bear and just directed the Fall campaign videos for Max Azria and Herve Leger. I've written for Salon and The Advocate. I've interviewed Janet Jackson. I can fold an origami balloon. Dogs love me.

The name is from the character "Japhy Ryder" in Jack Kerouac's The Dharma Bums. It's not my real name, but it's what everybody calls me. Even my Mom, though usually she makes finger quotes when she says it.

Currently, I am writing a big summer sci-fi feature that's a bit of an homage to The Twilight Zone, but with more things blowing up. I'm also working on a story about Appalachia. I really like art house film, but my sensibility is more pop. Also, I'm big on female protaganists.

Gallery openings, rapelling into canyons, cooking recipes out of Gourmet for friends, and saying "Hooray!" a lot.

I'm a big nerd and love technology. The graphics, the design of the site are all by yours truly. Lately, I've been using a lot of new social media stuff like Twitter and Vimeo-- both of which I integrate into the site.

I call myself a Modernist because I believe that the clear-eyed search for Truth, no matter how eternally elusive, is the only worthwhile pursuit in this life. I call myself a Romantic, because the truths I know are in bluegrass songs, the stale scent of a car on the third day of a road trip and in Moby Dick.

I will eventually reply to every email that is sent to me. Email me at .