passion and dedication to craft

His films obsessively explore characters consumed by their crafts, from boxers to musicians to mobsters, mirroring his own relentless dedication to filmmaking.

His meticulous hand-drawn animation and narrative focus on artisans and craftspeople (potters, spiritworkers, pilots) embodies passion for artistic excellence in every frame.

His works directly chronicle characters driven to obsessive perfectionism in their crafts—jazz drumming in Whiplash and film directing in La La Land—capturing both the beauty and cost of dedication.