Director of Photography | Hulu
The Invitation
Sex Appeal steps into the familiar world of teen romantic comedy, then tilts it just enough to reveal something more personal underneath. This is a story about control—how it’s learned, rehearsed, and eventually dismantled in favor of real connection.
The film treats curiosity and insecurity with humor rather than judgment, allowing a young protagonist to move from certainty to uncertainty—and discover that the unscripted moments are the ones that matter.
The Work
As cinematographer, my role was to shape a visual language that felt contemporary, approachable, and emotionally clear—supporting comedy without flattening the characters.
Early scenes favor clean compositions and polished surfaces, mirroring Avery’s methodical approach to intimacy. As the story unfolds, framing loosens and visual rigidity softens, allowing moments to feel less engineered and more lived-in. Lighting remains grounded and human, designed to register subtle emotional shifts without tipping into gloss or irony.
The camera stays aligned with performance and rhythm, giving space for timing, discomfort, and discovery to land naturally.
The Experience
Watching Sex Appeal is easy to enter and surprisingly easy to recognize yourself in. The film moves quickly, but it doesn’t rush past its emotional beats.
The experience balances humor with sincerity—inviting laughter while allowing moments of vulnerability to sit without commentary. The result is a film that feels light without being dismissive, and relatable without feeling calculated.
Impact & Reach
Released on Hulu, Sex Appeal reached a wide, digitally native audience and became part of the ongoing conversation around modern coming-of-age stories. Its relevance came not from shock or novelty, but from recognition—reflecting how young people navigate intimacy in a world shaped by information, performance, and expectation.
As a studio-backed feature aimed at emerging audiences, the film demonstrates how character-focused storytelling and intentional craft can refresh a well-known genre.
Reflection
This project sharpened my relationship to tone. Comedy leaves little room for excess—every visual choice either supports the moment or pulls focus from it.
Sex Appeal reinforced the value of clarity and restraint in service of story, and the importance of letting characters evolve visually as much as narratively. When the work stays flexible, the film stays honest.
Featuring: Paris Jackson, Margaret Cho, Fortune Feimster, Rebecca Henderson, Artemis Pebdani, Mika Abdalla , Jake Short