Behind The Scenes

Director's statement

"Roots and Reefer" emerged from several years of work within Arkansas's cannabis industry, during which I was able to build the relationships and trust necessary to tell these stories authentically. The film's central thesis—that care translates into great anything—came from conversations with cultivators, patients, and entrepreneurs who approached cannabis as medicine requiring intention and love.



My position as both filmmaker and industry insider enabled extraordinary access to untold stories. Many operators were initially fearful to allow cameras into their facilities—some of these are the first real shots inside Arkansas cannabis operations. Working with a minimal three-person crew and directing photography myself, I created an environment of trust that allowed subjects to share their most personal experiences.



The documentary serves multiple audiences: providing legislators with data-driven evidence, offering patients relatable stories of hope, and revealing to Arkansans unfamiliar with the medical program a professional industry that will surprise them with its agricultural expertise and community values.



My approach was loving and inclusive rather than adversarial. While acknowledging tensions between craft operations and corporate consolidation, the film celebrates the human stories and artisanal practices that define quality cannabis cultivation, focusing on the personal missions and community connections that drive this work.



"Roots and Reefer" represents the culmination of an artistic journey that began as a podcast, evolved into a magazine, and now reaches its fullest expression as a documentary—demonstrating unwavering dedication to telling these stories across multiple mediums and serving as the cornerstone of a broader mission to document Arkansas's cannabis community.