CRINGE

Cringe is a short documentary about chasing my childhood dream of becoming a YouTuber and confronting the embarrassment, self-doubt, and identity questions that come with putting yourself online. Blending humor, self-reflection, and meta-documentary storytelling, the film explores the tension between authenticity, performance, and the fear of looking stupid.

I directed the film as part of my work at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, shaping its personal narrative, comedic tone, and emotional throughline. The project allowed me to turn the camera back on myself while using documentary storytelling to examine ambition, insecurity, and the strange vulnerability of pursuing something sincerely in public.

Cringe became a defining project in my larger body of work, connecting my interests in documentary filmmaking, creator culture, and the evolving relationship between traditional media and YouTube.