Photography

Happy @Neopets 25th Anniversary! I just made a brand new Neopet today, @Filmvisionary the Flotsam! The first photo was from this summer at @comic_con! The rest of the photos and videos are from #SDCC 2023 at a special free 90's themed Neopets party in downtown SD! Definitely one of the coolest #ComicCon events I've been to! The swag bag included a Neopets playmat, tumbler, Aisha plushie, and more. I first heard about #Neopets in 6th grade in 2003. It was one of the first things I ever used the internet for with many good memories feeding pets, playing games, and sending Neomail to friends. Notably, I learned how to write HTML with the Neopets coding tutorials. I wrote stories, made a homepage for my Neopets guild, "The TV Land Club," and later coded a full website for my high school marching band. I received a digital camera in 2005 and spent 3 years taking and uploading band photos to my website before Facebook was a thing! For my Senior Project, I created a music educational website with CSS. I got the idea to film demonstrations of every instrument for the site which became my first experience creating and editing video. In 2009, I started a YouTube account to catalogue all of my field show, music, and musical stage performances. I've uploaded over 400 videos/films to date. When it finally came time to select a college major, I chose Film because I wanted to continue making all of the art that I had fallen in love with in high school. My skills in writing, photo editing, graphic design, publicity, and passion for creating can all be traced back to Neopets. And for that, I will be a Neopets fan for life! ❤️ P.S. I've collected my bank interest every day for the past 21 years and currently have 37,700,945 Neopoints 😂

Happy 25th Anniversary @Neopets! Here are all of the #Neopets plushies that I've collected since I started playing in 2001! Most of them were from McDonald's, Limited Too, or inherited from my sister. I got the pink Royal Meepit last year at @comicconla and the jumbo 25th Anniversary pink Aisha just this summer as an SD @comic_con exclusive! Happy Trans Awareness Week! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🩵🩷🤍🤎🖤

If you're seeing this, I hope you will stop scrolling for 5 minutes and hear what I have to say. All I ask is that you read this with an open heart and open mind. In the year 2000, all of the 3rd graders re-enacted the early British colonial era. All the boys wore white shirts and pants and all the girls wore long dresses and bonnets. Before class, we lined up in 2 separate boys and girls lines. The classroom was also divided in half, boys sitting on one side, girls on the other. It was the earliest memory that I have of feeling gender dysphoria. I very much desired to cross to the other side of the room and wear what the girls were wearing. I disliked being segregated from my friends, most of whom were girls. I was 9 years old. In the early 2000's, there was almost no information about what I was feeling. No Wikipedia. No YouTube. The word "transgender" hadn't even been invented yet. I did find a little bit on the subject, but thought that I couldn't be a woman if I didn't like men and if I would go to Hell if I did. So I ignored those feelings...unsuccessfully for 30 years. My memories of gender dysphoria are like stars in the skies. Far too numerous to count, but brightly shining as a constellation in the map of my life. Signs. Endless signs pointing to the truth. It's very likely that I would have taken this to my grave if not for my wife, Cathy. She showed me a level of love and acceptance that I had never known before. When the pandemic hit, everything came to a standstill and I was forced to reconcile that something wasn't right within me. A sadness that had been buried deep down in my soul. But this time, I had access to so many resources including my local LGBTQ community, mental health therapy, and millions of LGBTQ people around the world sharing that we are not alone. (I hit the character limit, story continued in the comments below)

Trick-or-Treat! Happy 13th Anniversary to my college film project that we shot in just a few hours for $0. It stars my actual grandfather and was inspired by the many years that he stood in this exact spot giving out Halloween candy before he passed in 2019. It's been a warm memento of him ever since. Stay tuned for behind-the-scenes videos after the credits roll! Trick-or-Treat was created for my cinematography class and for @campusmoviefest in 2011. From start to finish, it was made in just 7 days and was completed on my actual 21st birthday. It went on to screen at @pacartsmovement and win a $3300 scholarship from the LB Dramatic Allied Arts Guild, which paid for a new MacBook Pro, Canon 60D camera, and Adobe CS6 software, all of which I still use to this day! The positive reception helped to build a level of confidence that I needed down the road for our other films, including @startrekwarsfilm and @ashshomecoming. Thanks again to all of our friends and family for giving me my start and Happy Halloween! P.S. The featured "Praying Bunny" was a stuffed animal that I've had since I was born. This was my grandfather's first and only acting performance. All of the insert shots of only his left hand were actually my own hand in his jacket, which I shot by myself after he went to bed, holding the camera in my right hand. The original music I planned to use was "In the Hall of the Mountain King." However, it wasn't working in the edit. Luckily, the Creepy Classics CD that I was using had "Danse Macabre" on it it completely improved the pacing of the film. Things that were slow before were sped up and having a musical background played a key part in editing this film seamlessly. Special thanks to my writing teacher, Bonnie Blackburn, for helping me come up with and revise the concept! No script was ever written, just a one-page list of shots and scene notes.

Our 10th Annual Halloween Party - Pokémon Edition! We decided to go all out for this one, with everything Pokémon that I could possibly think of. Thank you to everyone who came out for it and for the last 10 years of parties. We love and appreciate you all very much and hope to see you at the next 10!!! Pictured: Halloween 2015-2024

At exactly 1:16AM on October 26th, 2024, we went to celebrate #BackToTheFuture at the original shooting location! It was an honor to meet Jennifer, @theclaudiawells, and Mayor Goldie Wilson, #DonaldFullilove, and to be around so much enthusiasm for the best trilogy of all time!!!

San Diego @comic_con 2024: #Dawn, #Misty, and #Sprigatito! #SDCC #SDCC2024 #Pokemon

Thank you QFilms Festival for allowing me to be your DCP Technical Supervisor again for the 4th time! I was honored to put the show together and to play a part in bringing so many important messages to the big screen. Opening night on the #QueenMary was epic and it felt very inspiring to explore a ship that had been on the front lines of freedom during WWII. And right now, my LGBTQ community is under similar threats from those who want to exterminate us. Please take action to help our society move towards equality and freedom by voting this November 5th! 🩵🩷🤍❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤

Happy 2-Year Wedding Anniversary to @CathySound! I am extremely lucky and grateful to have already spent the past decade with you. You changed my life 10 years ago and you've been making my life worth living everyday since. Like always having someone to go on adventures with, playing music together, having Eevee for over 4 years, and getting over my cat allergies (mostly)! I love you and will always be there, no matter where your heart leads. See you in another 10! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🩵🩷🤍🤎🖤

We were invited to see a special advanced screening of #Lego #StarWars #RebuildTheGalaxy on Thursday! It has an emotional original story, while also being a love letter to the entire franchise. Felt like a really good fan film! Also bumped into @bibbymoynihan and high-fived @gatenm123, both of whom were absolutely hilarious and really made this so memorable. Special thanks to @akemiscool for inviting us!!!

Thank you #Nintendo for an awesome #PlayTour2024 at #UniversalStudios #Citywalk! Everything was completely free and there was so much to do. We left with a bag of #freebies, including 2 plushies that I won on just 1 claw machine attempt! Special thanks to the employee who gave us special #Toadette figurines for dressing up. Please come back in 2025!!! #Pokemon #AnimalCrossing #Kirby #Mario #Luigi #PrincessPeach #MarioKart

Top 10 #clarinet moments from our April 2024 @Tonario.Orchestra concert! Sorry this post is so self-serving, but it was an honor being 1st chair (by default!) for the first time EVER! Thank you #TonarioOrchestra for challenging me to get better! Which anime and Studio Ghibli themes did you hear? Filmed by: @kcphoto83

San Diego #ComicCon #Freebies 2024!!! Can you figure out which 2 items I actually purchased?! Thank you to @skywalkingpod for helping me get so much free stuff in my 17th year in at #SDCC :)

#GoFestCSULB2024!!!

If you're at @animeexpo today, come see us play Ghibli, Genshin Impact, and more anime music with the @tonario.orchestra at 4pm at the Community Stage in the Entertainment Hall! Happy 8th Anniversary of #PokemonGo!

Epic free premiere screening of #StarWars #TheAcolyte at my first visit to @elcapitanthtre! They gave us posters, popcorn, soda, and an amazing #wurlitzer organ performance of Star Wars music. The first 2 episodes feel extremely faithful to the original films with interesting characters, great Asian representation, and even a #Matrix homage! Looking forward to seeing the 2nd known trans person in Star Wars, @theabigailthorn ❤️

After 155 hours playing #MarioKart8 and over 25 years experience with every single version of #MarioKart, I finally earned the gold tires to complete every unlockable in the game! The DLC really got me back into the game and I had to study the world records for every course to get this done. Maybe someday I'll be able to get 3 stars for all 200CC cups too. Thanks for the memories #Nintendo! Add me on Switch if you want!

Last year, we showed you how our #StarTrekWarsFilm trailer was cut perfectly...but did you know we did it for the teaser trailer too?! #MayThe4thBeWithYou! Original parody music composed by @georgeshawmusic! Check out the FULL film, link in bio! Filmvisionary.com/films #StarWars #StarTrekWars #StarWarsDay #freecomicbookday

Thank you to everyone who came out for our #Tonario concert! We appreciate you! Next concert will be at @animeexpo on 7/6 and perhaps again in the fall. Follow @tonario.orchestra for updates :)

Congrats to everyone in the @tonario.orchestra on a magical performance! It only took 22 years, but I finally made 1st chair clarinet (since no one else was available)! Thank you #Tonario for making me feel like a real musician ❤ Photos by: @kcphoto83

Come see us play #StudioGhibli music with @tonario.ghibli this Saturday night! Don't miss it! FREE TICKETS: tonario.org

Thank you @backstagecast and @theankler for a glorious free screening of the #Loki series finale with #TomHiddleston! The show was even more satisfying on the big screen. Tom's insights into the glorious purpose of his character and the show itself were exactly why Loki's 15-year journey will be one of the BEST EVER from the MCU. P.S. On my way back from the bathroom, @twhiddleston appeared magically before my eyes as he was exiting the theater. I congratulated him and he thanked me before being quickly wisked away but it felt like a very genuine interaction that I won't forget. Congratulations Tom on a job very well done! 💚💚💚 “Time present and time past Are both perhaps present in time future, And time future contained in time past." - T.S. Elliot

Come see us play Studio Ghibli music with the @tonario.ghibli orchestra! FREE TICKETS for our Long Beach concert on 4/27: tonario.org Featuring music from: Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Liz and the Blue Bird, and Genshin Impact!

#Oscar Party 2024! @cathysound came in 1st place with 15 correctly predicted wins! I tied for 3rd with 12. My favorite winners of the night included: Godzilla Minus One for VFX (a must-watch), Barbie for Original Song, Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron for his 2nd Animated Feature win, Da'Vine Joy Randolph for The Holdovers, and Oppenheimer's Emma Thomas, who I now know to be the producer of all of Christopher Nolan's mind-blowing works! What was your favorite moment? :)

Happy #MAR10 Day! Did you know that I sewed my #Toadette costume as well as the yellow #PowerStar and #Luma plushies too?! #SuperNintendoWorld was my happy place last year ❤️ #Rosalina #Mario #Luigi

Happy #Pokemon Day 2024!!! #PokemonGo #SinnohTour Los Angeles was insane! It was a non-stop whirlwind of meeting new and old friends, shiny hunting, and getting so many photo ops! I threw together this Dawn cosplay in about 2 weeks, made entirely from existing items and materials. Although I was completely exhausted after 8+ straight hours of walking and gameplay, it was an incredibly rewarding first in-person event experience that we will never forget ❤️ Special thanks to @lunaalpha for taking most of these!

Thank you for the free Boba plushies and keychain @gongchausaca!!! Congratulations on your grand opening!

Happy Valentine's Day! (12/15/23) #UniversalStudios #SuperNintendoWorld #Toad #Toadette #Rosalina

Happy #LunarNewYear! A buffet of incredible performances from Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese cultures at @usc_pam! I greatly appreciated seeing all of the hard work put into these beautiful performances ❤️

Happy Birthday to the love of my life @cathysound! She wanted a #MichaelSchur -iverse party and thus it was so. Thank you to the creators, crews, and casts of #TheGoodPlace, #ParksAndRec, #Brooklyn99, and #TheOffice for bringing so much joy to us and the universe! Can you figure out who we dressed up as?

Our #Pokemon #fanfilm, #AshsHomecoming, is playing at @anime_los_angeles this Saturday, 1/6! Let us know if you can make it!

Many (but not all) of the photos I forgot to post in 2023! Our Honeymoon trip turned into a Honeymoon year! I'm not sure that 2023 will ever be matched, but we'll certainly try in 2024 <3

Catch this INSANE holiday light show house before it goes away today! Over 1 HOUR show loop! Mind-blowing! 3343 Chatwin Ave, Long Beach CA

Happy 12:31:23 on 12/31/23! #WaltzDay

Merry Catmas!

Last month, we were invited by my cousins to go on @DisneyMovieInsiders tour of #WaltDisneyStudios in Burbank, CA and suffice to say...it was an unbelievable once-in-a-lifetime experience! Every corner is absolutely bursting with history and had me recalling every #Disney memory I've ever made. From my middle school book report on Walt Disney, to making character cosplays, to my family's obsession with the company, to the excitement of Disney, Pixar, and Marvel film releases, to the over 2 years I worked on @StarTrekWarsFilm, to seeing the handprints of dozens of legendary artists that I've studied and looked up to, to working on @ObiWanKenobi, to the annual trips we've made to the parks for the past 30 years, it's crazy to believe how much Disney has been an integral part of my life. Extra special thanks to Derek and family for this gift, as well as our phenomenal tour guide @pointofdrew2016! And yes, they let us hold a real Oscar :)

New 3D scans from @comicconla 2023: #R2D2, #StarTrek, and #AmyPond! Thanks for the free scans @3dhqsandiego!

Our #Pokemon #fanfilm, #AshsHomecoming, is playing at #AnimeLosAngeles in Long Beach! Come join us for this special 5-year anniversary screening & panel with FREE poster giveaway! Post below if you'll be there in 2024!!!

#LAComicCon 2023: #R2D2 and #AmyPond from #DrWho! I got the dress on clearance and wanted to add something to it. I considered making an R2D2 dome headband, like they sell in the parks, but I realized that a periscope would pair better with the dress design. I used cardboard and 3 wooden chopsticks to create the shape, covered with silver spray-paint, blue paint, and electrical tape. The bow was made from a random piece of blue fabric and a red plastic jewel. The blue shoes were a bit on the small side, so I actually cut the leather open underneath the buckle. Despite the dress doing most of the work, I was happy to be the only person representing R2 that I could see amongst the literal thousands of #StarWars cosplayers! Or to some people, the Tardis 😉

@StarTrekWarsFilm 8-Year Reunion Screening & Panel at @comicconla 2023! #StarTrekWarsFilm

Happy International #Eevee Day! Just saw #TheMarvels and it was hilarious! Make sure to watch #MsMarvel and #CaptainMarvel first!

#TDOR #TransLivesMatter

Happy 100th Birthday #MickeyMouse! #Disney100 #Mickey #InsideOut #Disgust #DisneyBound

Have you STILL not seen our #StarWars vs. #StarTrek film, @startrekwarsfilm?! Then come join us for this special 8-year reunion screening and panel at @comicconla! Don't miss it! Sunday, Dec. 3rd 4-5pm / Room 411 Tickets: ComicConLA.com #LACC #LAComicCon #StarTrekWars #fanfilm

@startrekwarsfilm is going to @comicconla! Our film screening & panel is on Sunday, 12/3 at 4pm in Room 411 @laconventioncenter! Post below if you can make it to our #StarTrek vs. #StarWars #fanfilm! #StarTrekWars #ComicConLA #LAComicCon

Happy Halloween 2023! 🎃

8 Years Ago, we went to see the #BackToTheFuture trilogy on the EXACT same day that Marty McFly arrived in the future, at the mall in Industry, CA where they shot the original parking lot time travel scene! They even had some car replicas and the Twin Pines Mall sign! It's the only time I've ever seen a triple feature over the course of 7 hours, and a special moment in time. Happy #BackToTheFutureDay!

Happy #Disney 100th Anniversary! (8/31/23) #PeterPan #Wendy #disneybound #Disneyland #disney100

A year before our wedding, I decided to surprise Cathy with a performance of one of our favorite songs, Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy. It was the song I had proposed with. I had only performed as a soloist once before in 2009, so I knew that I had to re-build my clarinet embouchure and skills. So over the course of 2022, I secretly practiced whenever Cathy was out, which was sometimes tricky to hide! I REALLY needed the practice and found myself out of breath before the piece ended. Intonation was also a major issue, so I spent a lot of time with many of the high notes to get them in tune. I needed a very talented accompanist as well, so my cousin Daniel graciously stepped in to play the difficult piano part. The best aspect of the piece is the rubato ebbing and flowing of tempo. It's what gives the piece life and expression. So Daniel and I sent a few recordings back and forth to try to get on the same page with the tempos that I wanted. Just one week before the wedding, we had an opportunity to do one secret rehearsal which proved to be very important. I had the piece fully memorized by that time. Finally, on the big day, I secretly put my clarinet together in the morning and hid it in the closet. After the cake cutting, I warmed up for just a minute and then hit the stage. I'll be honest and say that I don't remember exactly what I was thinking during my performance, but I do remember the cool air on my skin. I remember reacting to cues from Daniel. And I remember Cathy sitting in her chair with her mom's white coat on. It was probably one of the rare few moments that day when I wasn't planning. When you're playing music, it's about being in the moment. You can't worry about the past or the future, you can only play the best you can on any given note. And that's something that I'm continuing to learn each day, thanks to Cathy. She's been keeping the music alive in me for the past 9 years...and keeping me in the moment too <3

April 2023 Honeymoon, Part 5: #DisneylandParis! After our week in London, we took the tubes to #KingsCrossStation and boarded the @EuroStar to Paris. It was surprising to enter another country by train, but it was a smooth and relaxing 2-hour ride through the Chunnel. We then took a train to Chessy, which ends right at the Disney park gates! We took a free shuttle bus to our hotel after a full day of traveling. We spent a day at each park, which were fortunately not too crowded, so we managed to do just about everything! The parks were quite beautiful, the rides were non-stop, and the shows were stunning. One special memory is when Mickey spotted our wedding ears on a passing parade float and pointed to his ring finger. Halfway into our trip, it was nice to feel at home while having a brand new experience. Before we left Chessy, we explored the peaceful countryside-like exterior of the hotel. It was the only time on the trip that we just sat down on a bench and savored the crisp silence.

Cardinal Family Reunion 2023! (9/9/23)

9 Years Ago, you changed my life. 3 Years Ago, you helped me start my life over. 1 Year Ago, we started our new lives together...and it's been the happiest year ever! Thank you for making my life happy @cathysound ❤️

Our cake cutting, one year ago! It was a carrot-spice cake with cream cheese frosting, with our red and purple colors and flowers. Our topper was custom made with both of our names and a small cutout of our cat, Eevee! You can see her when we cut our piece out :)

Even though our cat, Eevee, couldn't attend our wedding 1 year ago, we brought a plush replica to find the next person to adopt a cat! And the winners were: @tcullumm and @rene.guggenheimer! We hope you're enjoying your cats! Thank you to everyone who came to support us on our big day last year, we love you all very much ❤️ Special thanks to @rocky_lamb for filming an important part of the video!

Even though our cat, Eevee, couldn't attend our wedding 1 year ago, we brought a plush replica to find the next person to adopt a cat! And the winners were: @tcullumm and @rene.guggenheimer! We hope you're enjoying your cats! Thank you to everyone who came to support us on our big day last year, we love you all very much ❤️

BEYOND INSANITY!!! #PeterPanGoesWrong is the most incredible and mind-blowing show I think I've ever seen...in my life! When I first discovered the televised recording of @peterpanbway 5 years ago, I couldn't stop watching it! Seeing the ENTIRE original cast and creators felt like a dream come true. Their 1000% commitment to the bit was beyond belief, from running around before the show, all the way to the dizzying finale. The stunts, comedy, and complex execution is perfection. I've never been more immersed, impressed, and happy to see such a hilarious disaster! Seriously, see this before it leaves on Sept 17th! And thank you to the performers who interacted with us, we will never forget this one ❤️

FINALLY saw #Barbie...and wow! The powerful & complex messages, the costumes & production design, the blend of laughs & hard truths, the diversity & representation. Just so much to love and learn from this film. It's a wonder that Mattel even signed off on the script! But given the current attacks on women, LGBTQ, and all human rights, this was surely the film that we needed to keep hope alive. What surprised me most was the powerful message for people of all genders: That equality helps us ALL discover our true identity and purpose. Congratulations to #GretaGerwig and her entire team for making the film of 2023!!! 🤍🩷🩵🤎🖤❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Our April 2023 Honeymoon, Part 4: #BackToTheFuture The Musical! The time travel/DeLorean effects were truly mind-blowing, beyond anything I've ever seen before. The new character insights and plot additions fit so well! This is the franchise that made me fall in love with music, storytelling, and filmmaking. Seeing @bttfmusical in London was one of the absolute highlights of our trip! Thank you for all of your hard work alan.silvestri_music, Bob Gale and @glen.ballard, and congratulations on a beautiful show for the perfect trilogy ❤️

Sooooo many old and new friends at #SDCC 2023! This being my 16th year in attendance, bumping into friends and meeting my favorite artists are the highlight of my convention. I appreciate every single person who makes this event so special. As crazy as things can get, there's no con like my original @comic_con ❤️

Was going to see Barbie...but saw #Oppenheimer in 70mm for $5.95 instead! What 3 hours of insanity did I just witness?! The movie was a terrifying warning against war and of the importance of keeping those in power in check, lest we become complicit in our own destruction. And don't forget the 200,000 Japanese civilians who died as a result of our hubris. On a brighter note, does anyone know what the red and green strip of film at the end of the roll means? (see the last picture) 😉

FREE STUFF haul from #SDCC2023! Can you guess which 2 items I actually purchased? What is the best thing that I got? Thank you to the wonderful artists who created all of this ❤️

#ToeiAnimeSDCC2023

Day 3 of #SDCC: #Toadette & #Rosalina from #SuperMario! #Nintendo #SDCC2023

#SDCC #ComicCon Day 2: #Leaf from #Pokemon and #PepperAnn!!! I brought my 20-year old #Neopets rainbow Aisha Plush :) #NeopetsSDCC2023

Day 1 at #SDCC #ComicCon: Tina & Louise from #BobsBurgers!!!

#RogersTheMusical was insane!!! I've been so excited ever since they announced this and it did not disappoint! After seeing the 40-minute show 3 times in a row, I can confidently recommend this for it's superb music, design, and effects. The musical themes, storytelling, and character performances were mind-blowing. Our second row seats on our 3rd-viewing were the best view I've ever had of ANY show and I've been singing the songs all week! Catch the show before it ends on Aug. 31st! We also did our #InsideOut #Disneybound with #Sadness and #Joy! It was fun to see the #Disney100 displays, #ShangChi, and the #WorldOfColor show, One. The show featured so many diverse characters, especially #Mulan. I applaud all of the people who are helping to bring real change and acceptance to the mainstream! 🤍🩷🩵🤎🖤❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Happy #PokemonGo 7th Anniversary!!! It's crazy to believe that we've been chasing these 'mons for so long...all the way to #Paris and #London on our honeymoon! Pictured: View from the #ArcDeTriomphe, Top of the #EiffelTower, #EarlsCourtStation, #Stonehenge, View from the #LondonEye It was fun to take pictures and collect souvenir shiny #Pokemon, which save the catch date and location. It was also a great navigation tool, finding places that we otherwise wouldn't have known about. I discovered that Alfred Hitchcock's apartment was right next to our hotel because it is a Gym (which I got to silver)! I saved all of the Postcards from the big landmarks. We even managed to meet up with two friends in Paris for lucky trades! However, it should be noted that I took extra care to only play a limited amount of time each day, so that I didn't miss the experience. And yet I still managed to walk away with an excellent shiny haul! It helped that Togetic and Swinub community days happened just as we landed in the #UK and at the airport leaving #France. We had an absolute blast and I've made it my new dream to someday visit every region that the Pokemon games are based on (Japan, Hawaii, New York, Spain). #Kalos and #Galar, CHECK! ❤️💜

After 4 months of anticipation since receiving the winning email, I FINALLY received my 1 out of 100 not-for-sale copy of the #PokemonMasters #BestBattleSoundtrack!!! As a lifelong #Pokemon fan and music fanatic, this item now sits as the most rare and valuable in my Poke collection. If you want me to do an unboxing video, leave a comment here and watch my Pokemon fanfilm, @Ashshomecoming! Thank you @pokemonmastersgame and @pokemon, I will treasure it! ❤️💜

Our Honeymoon: Part 2! #London #BigBen #CardinalPlace #ShakespeareGlobe #TowerOfLondon #TowerBridge #VictoriaMemorial #WestminsterAbbey #LondonEye #Thames #LondonUnderground #MindTheGap

After 7 months, I finally beat #PokemonViolet! What an emotional ending to a truly beautiful game. I got lost in the game for hours at a time and it's now my most played Pokemon title on #NintendoSwitch. While there were certainly technical and gameplay elements that needed improvement, the overall lore, music, and world-building is exactly what I want in my games. It reminds me of why I still play #Pokemon after 25 years: going on adventures and making friends (which is increasingly hard to do IRL)! It's also one of the first games I've been able to enjoy without masquerading as the wrong gender. The final mission is one of the most memorable in Pokemon's history and makes me want to play #PokemonScarlet in the future (or the past)! Thank you #Nintendo, #Gamefreak & @Pokemon!!!

Honeymoon: Part 1! #London #Stonehenge #CityOfBath #ShakespeareGlobe #BuckinghamPalace #TowerOfLondon #AbbeyRoad #AbbeyRoadStudios

Let me know what you think of my new link page! Link in my bio: @comingupjosie

We made new #PokemonGo #Pride outfits! It was a fun scavenger hunt to find the right combination clothing items with their matching #pokemon! Our friend codes: 9529 2896 1303 5307 4329 0268 2309 8465 7986 #HappyPride #PrideMonth #LoveIsLove #TransRightsAreHumanRights

Went to my first Renaissance Fair ever...and it was so difficult! It was sweltering and sometimes miserable, but it got better as the day went on. It was like outdoor Comic-Con, but I'm just not much of an outdoors person. Still, it was incredibly immersive and detailed, with many diverse people who were proud to be themselves. Glad that I went to @renaissancepleasurefaire for the first (and last?) time! XD

This ENTIRE lunchbox, sticker, t-shirt, and panda plush deal is only $5 at #PandaExpress (only at select locations)! Great quality items! For locations: pandaexpress.com/promo/americanbornchinese I met @geneluenyang, author of #AmericanBornChinese, at one of my first comic-cons in 2009. 14 years later, he was kind enough to-resign my copy. Gene, you've an inspiration and it's been a joy to witness all of your hard work paying off in such a meaningful way. Asian American representation is why I got into film and seeing things finally moving forward is beautiful. Check out the new @ambornchinese series on Disney+ on May 24th!!! ❤️💛

Awesome free alumni reception at the #CSULB commencement ceremony! Best seats in the house and great food! Thank you @csulbalumni!

10 Years Ago today, our film premiered at #CSULB! To all the friends we've made along the way, Happy 10th Anniversary to #StevenSpielberg and the Return to Film School! <3 @csulbfilm @csulbasi @csulongbeach @csulbwif @csulbalumni @csulb_bccm @csulblibrary @thebeardedtrio @amblin @csulongbeach

Did you know that our Star Trek Wars trailer was cut EXACTLY to the real one?! We even had original parody music composed by @georgeshawmusic! May the 4th Be With You! Check out the FULL film, link in bio! Filmvisionary.com/films #MayThe4thBeWithYou #StarWars #StarTrekWars #StarWarsDay

As we set out on our 2-week Honeymoon to London & Paris tonight, I just wanted to thank everyone who gifted us this incredible experience! I want to enjoy every moment and I realize that I need to take a vacation from technology and social media. (I recommend logging out of it when you find yourself living other people's lives instead of your own.) We love you all very much and look forward to sharing everything when we get back! Au revoir!

"It's Hook or me this time!" Peter Pan costume based on the novel by J.M. Barrie #WonderCon 2023 #PeterPan #Wendy #Tinkerbell #CaptainHook #Hook #DisneyCosplay #Cosplay

STORY OF THIS IMAGE: A few months ago, I received a message from a fellow #StarWars fan and collector who wanted my autograph for appearing in #ObiWanKenobi. Why? I asked. For surely, no one on planet earth cared about my 3 seconds of screen time. He told me that he was happy that "there is another" #trans person like him. So I sent him a signed postcard, and he made me this very flattering layout! (These are pictures of his collection.) I had no idea if my role would ever matter to anyone except myself, but it turns out that visibility matters, even if for only 3 seconds. So on #Transgender Day of Visibility, let it be known that trans people exist, both all around the world and in a galaxy far, far away. Happy #TDOV! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🩵🩷🤍🤎🖤 Bonus story: When I was on #ObiWan, I wasn't out publicly and hadn't yet legally changed my name. On the call sheet, it had my old name listed with my new name in parentheses. On my final day on set, I received an email from an AD saying that they had corrected the call sheet to only show my new name. To the person who went out of their way to acknowledge me, thank you for your kindness that I will never forget. A little love in this world can last a whole life long :)

Can you find us?! #wondercon #disneycosplay #PeterPan #Wendy #cosplay

Can you find us?! #wondercon #disneycosplay #PeterPan #Wendy #cosplay

#Toadette and #Rosalina at #Wondercon! Officially 10 years of getting in for free volunteering <3

Watch our full #Pokemon #fanfilm at: @AshsHomecoming! Did we get it right with Lola/#Liko?! If you STILL haven't seen our film, now's the time to celebrate #AshKetchum, #Pikachu, and friends as their journey finally comes to a close. When I first set out to make this film, my goal was to give these characters the ending they deserved. Now that it's finally happening in Japan, we've truly come full circle. Thank you to all of the creators and cast for such an incredible 25 years <3 #IChooseYou #PokemonJourneys

6 months ago, we danced to "Till There Was You" from The Music Man as played live by Cathy's "friend band!" It was an upbeat and truly memorable rendition of one of my all time favorites. This was the very last thing we had scheduled and perhaps the most relaxed I had been all day. Thank you to all who made our day the best that it could be :) Sometimes it's easy to see wedding photos on social media, without knowing the struggles behind them. 1 year of planning, 1 week of stressful decorating, leading up to 1 jam-packed day (with no re-shoots)! Not to mention the 8 years of figuring things out together. After the wedding, there were some quality issues with the photos and videos that I'm still sorting out, both editing-wise and emotionally. I spent months detoxing from the stress of being a perfectionist. But after 20 years of collecting memories on my hard drive, I've come to understand that the present is more important than anything else that has come before. I wanted to hold onto that day forever, but time waits for no one and I have a lot more living to do. 181 days in and I'm still learning about life and trying to make every day count ❤️💜

Happy 6-month Anniversary 💜❤️

Congratulations to @everythingeverywheremovie on 7 #Oscars!!! When I saw #EEAAO a year ago, I knew it would sweep and it's incredible to see such a worthy film win #BestPicture! Thank you for inspiring me to pursue my own dreams and sharing your overwhelming kindness with the world ❤️

Happy #MarioDay! #Toadette #cosplay made for $0! First time making a hat from scratch as well as the plush Power Star and #Rosalina Luma plushies! <3 If you're planning to go, start tapping the virtual line button in the app as soon as you get to the park and don't give up! Arrive early, because entrance into the land is not guaranteed. Pros: #SuperNintendoWorld is beautiful! Very immersive, detailed, and the ride is unlike anything I've experienced before. Cons: The restaurant in the land is impossible to get a reservation for. Eat beforehand or bring food in, or else you will starve with no way to get food without leaving the land. The power bands cost $40 + tax per person and we were shocked that they were required to play ALL of the games. While they said that we could just buy one to share, it felt scammy since this was not advertised as required. We were even kicked out of an experience by an employee because we did not have power bands and it felt terrible. When 80% of the land is stuck behind a $44 paywall per person, that is called classism. Verdict: It's worth going for the ride and atmosphere, but the games are less worth it for the cost and the wait times. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 7/10

Happy #MarioDay! #Toadette #cosplay made for $0! First time making a hat from scratch as well as the plush Power Star and #Rosalina Luma plushies! <3 If you're planning to go, start tapping the virtual line button in the app as soon as you get to the park and don't give up! Arrive early, because entrance into the land is not guaranteed. Pros: #SuperNintendoWorld is beautiful! Very immersive, detailed, and the ride is unlike anything I've experienced before. Cons: The restaurant in the land is impossible to get a reservation for. Eat beforehand or bring food in, or else you will starve with no way to get food without leaving the land. The power bands cost $40 + tax per person and we were shocked that they were required to play ALL of the games. While they said that we could just buy one to share, it felt scammy since this was not advertised as required. We were even kicked out of an experience by an employee because we did not have power bands and it felt terrible. When 80% of the land is stuck behind a $44 paywall per person, that is called classism. Verdict: It's worth going for the ride and atmosphere, but the games are less worth it for the cost and the wait times. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 7/10

Let's a go to #SuperNintendoWorld! After waiting all day for our time lot, we finally got in! Debut of #Toadette and #Rosalina #cosplay <3 #PrincessPeach Word to the wise: stock up on mushrooms beforehand because there's no food (restaurant requires early reservation) and we can't leave the land to get any XD

Updated business flyer for 2023! What do you think? :) #dcp #filmfestival #indiefilm #bluray #filmlife #filmmaking

Here's my Pokémon origin story! Video link: @filmvisionary Happy Pokémon Day 2023!!! ❤ Filmed in August 2022 for the Pokémon TCG Documentary. Although I was not ultimately selected, I'm glad that I made this video for myself! #PokemonDay #Pokemon #PokemonTCG #PokemonDay2023

10-year Anniversary of #StevenSpielberg and the Return to Film School at @spiffest! I still remember feeling like I had just run a 6-month marathon after wrapping production in January 2013. It was so nice to hear the audience reacting to our film with fresh eyes. Thanks to everyone who came out to support us, we had a blast! <3

After 10 years, thank you to ALL of the film festivals who accepted @startrekwarsfilm, @ashshomecoming, and #StevenSpielberg and the Return to Film School! What an adventure we've had together ❤️ #collage #indiefilm #filmfestival

Please join us for this super special reunion! FREE tickets: spiffest.org/shorts-takes-2 "Steven Spielberg returns to his alma mater to finish the degree that he began 33 years before. The comedy adventure of one great man's lifetime!" 10 Years Ago, we shot our 35-location comedy about #StevenSpielberg in just 5 days. After we failed to receive school funding and my classmates jumped ship, I was at the end of my rope, ready to give up. But at the 11th hour, we pulled together a rag-tag team and did the impossible. The film went on to win top awards at festivals across CA. I hope you can come out to celebrate this memorable milestone with us! #CSULB #LongBeach #calstatelongbeach #spielberg #filmschool #thefabelmans

Happy Birthday month to @cathysound!

Raining buckets! @unistudios #eve2022

Universal Eve Part 2! Final visit to Animal Actors/Stunt Show and first visit to Jurassic World. No wait times! #grinchmas

New Year's Eve at #UniversalStudios Hollywood! Rainy but no lines for photo ops! #Scoobydoo #Grinchmas