I recently got asked some questions for a Mexican magazine, and I decided to just convert my responses into a FAQ. So here it is... What was the first thing you directed? Which is the work you've done that you're the happiest about? How did you decide to be a director? How do you come up with your ideas? What are your future plans? What advice would you give to people that want to direct? There are two answers to this question... The very first thing I "directed" was a short documentary about Chicago Booty DJ's called "Ghetto Tracks." I went to Chicago and shot the thing in 1998, not ever having used a camera, a mic, or lighting before. The production quality is pretty terrible, but the DJ's were so captivating that it doesn't really matter. I didn't know how to edit and couldn't get any of my friends to help me, so about three years later, I finally bought a computer with editing capabilities, and that was the first thing I ever edited. The first real thing I ever "directed" was a short film called The Girls Guitar Club. I had seen these girls, Mary Lynn Rajskub and Karen Kilgariff, perform their act as the Girls Guitar Club at Largo and was an instant fan. I loved them so much, that I just wanted an excuse to talk to them, so I approached them about developing something out of their act. Eventually I came up with the idea of making a short film, and was considering producing it, because I didn't think I could direct anything. So, I looked for directors and had no luck, and figured why should I pay for someone else to make a movie, so I just went ahead and said I was going to direct it. Mary Lynn, Karen and I co-wrote the script based on material from their act. We found the locations and did all the set dressing ourselves. We cast it from friends of Mary's and Karen, and actually got some insanely talented people involved - Nick Swardson, E, Dave Allen, and Grant Lee Phillips. I got a DP, Patrick Simpson, who was recommended by my girlfriend at the time. We shot the whole thing over two days. I got a friend of Miguel's, Adam Parker to edit it, and the rest is history. We made the short for about $3000, and that is that. It never really played any festivals or anything, but it was through that experience that I realized how fun directing is, and that it was something I wanted to pursue for sure.