There's an ongoing joke with my friends and family: "when will sophie come out of her shell?" My grandmother started the bit when as a young toddler, I was usually seen going up to strangers in the super market and asking them about their day or complimenting them on their outfits. I've always been outgoing and relished in being the most social person in the room. I love people. Actually, more like obsessed with people. I'm fascinated with the human experience and the individuality that comes with each new person. This healthy obsession started at a young age, when my social self couldn't get enough in reality, so I naturally gravitated to television as the next best thing. Although most of the TV I watch is scripted, I'm fascinated by the approach of documenting people, places and things in a way I couldn't find in my daily routine. David Wain directs movies and television in an unusual way, favoring the absurd yet keeping the satire and comedy very well maintained. Petra Collins, a young film maker, recently inspired me to take up photography after I saw one of her shows in Los Angeles. She made the switch from photography to documentary film making in a way that stays true to her feminist vision. Both these artists are drastically different, but show people in ways I find myself coming back to over again. Although I can never be a fly on the wall, I think documentary is as close as it gets!
