We've wrapped rehearsals for Room 627 and are now moving into final preparations for filming. It feels like we're ready. The script is set, the performances are taking shape, and the schedule is coming together.
But for me, this moment doesn't feel like the end. It feels more like a quiet turning point. As the director, I know what lies ahead isn't just the days of filming and the long hours on set. It's a real responsibility, both in how we make the film and how people experience the process. Directing Room 627 carries a weight that goes far beyond the technical side of filmmaking.
In these final days before filming, I find myself reflecting more than doing my usual prep. I'm thinking about how I'll show up, listen and respond, how I guide without forcing, and how I stay present enough to notice when something real happens.
Directing always comes with some pressure, especially with material like this. It's not just about schedules or logistics, it's far deeper. The actors are trusting me with something personal. Over the course of our filming days, they'll go to tough emotional places, and my job is to support them, not push them.
You can't fake that once the cameras are rolling. It has to be there before we start.
I think about Deacon playing Eli and the weight that role carries. There's a lot he can't say in that performance, and it takes real restraint and honesty to keep that up. My job isn't to tell him how to feel, but to make sure he feels safe enough to trust his instincts and let them come through.
I also think about Finnegan and how complex his character Ryan is. Ryan might seem simple at first, but there's a lot happening beneath the surface, and it's my job to protect that complexity and make sure it isn't reduced to something simpler than he is.
Then there's Sonny, who brings a steady presence to Mr. Abrams and grounds the whole story. His performance doesn't need to be loud to make an impact, and I need to protect that balance. Sometimes the smallest moments matter most, and it's my job to notice them.
Thinking about all this, I realize directing this film isn't about having all the answers. It's about being ready to spot the truth when it appears, and supporting it without getting in the way.
That takes something deeper than just outward preparation. It requires trust. Not only between the actors and myself, but in the work we've already done. Trust that the story is there, that the performances are organic and in the moment, and trust that if I stay present and grounded, the film will reveal itself in the moments we capture.
It's a two-way street. The actors trust me to guide them, to create a space where they can do their best work, and to notice when something real is happening. I don't take that lightly.
But I'm also trusting them. I trust that they'll stay open, honest, and willing to work in ways that help the film grow. This process isn't about control. It's about working together.
There's humility in knowing I don't have all the answers, and I'm grateful for it.
I'm truly blessed to have the opportunity to work with actors like Deacon, Finnegan, and Sonny, who bring not only incredible talent to the story, but also thoughtfulness and honesty. I'm just as grateful for a fantastic crew who are counting on me to help lead this project.
There's also a kind of humility at this stage. No matter how much we prepare, there's always something unknown. Scenes will change, performances will grow, and unplanned moments will happen. The challenge isn't to control them but to be ready for them, to notice, recognize, and to protect them when they come.
Even after almost twenty years of directing, I still feel it as filming gets closer. That inner tension in the days before production never really goes away.
As filming draws closer, I feel the weight of what we're about to do. It's not overwhelming, it's meaningful. This story matters, the people telling it matter, and how we approach the work will make all the difference.
Soon, we'll step onto the set, and everything we've discussed, rehearsed, and prepared for will be put into action. Only the moment in front of us, and the work that lies ahead will be the focus.
And in that moment, my job will be simple, even if it's not easy, to be present, clear, steady, to earn the trust I've been given, and to help guide Deacon, Finnegan, and Sonny toward their best and most honest performances.
Rehearsals may be over. But for me, this is where the real work begins.