The Making of Courage: Episode Two

pisode Two of The Making of Courage picks up right where the first chapter left off, but this one goes deeper into the part of filmmaking that most people never get to see. This episode focuses on building the vision. Not the final picture, but the work it takes to shape it.

By the time we shot the scenes featured in Episode Two, I was still juggling everything at once. Producing, writing, directing. It was my first time doing all three on a real set, and there were moments where I felt the weight of the entire process. Insurance. Funding. Locations. Contracts. Scheduling. I had a timeline to meet, and every detail mattered. But something shifted on this day. The pieces finally fell into place, and I could feel myself settling into the creative side in a much more focused way. The support around me was real, and it let me breathe for the first time during production.

One of the moments highlighted in this episode is the opening scene of the film. The morning where young Eric learns if he made the basketball team. That scene carries so much of the emotional weight of the film. His anxiety. His pressure. His sense of identity. And then his mother comes in, grounding him the way only she can.

There is a ritual in the film where his mother braids his hair. It is their bonding space. Their quiet moment. Their connection. The thing that calms him down and brings him back to himself. What is funny is that I did not even have long hair as a kid, but that moment still feels deeply true to me. The tenderness between mother and son. The generational care. The way Indigenous families pass strength down through small, everyday acts.

Episode Two shows the shaping of that scene. The intention behind it. The collaboration with actors. The way the crew crafted the space so the moment would feel honest. That is the part of filmmaking I love sharing. It is not just the final shot. It is the process of building meaning into every detail.

This series is not meant to be a highlight reel. It is meant to show the real work. The doubts. The breakthroughs. The constant problem solving. And the moments where everything clicks and reminds you why you wanted to make the film in the first place.

Episode Three is coming soon, and I cannot wait to keep sharing this journey with you.