13TH STEPPING

13TH STEPPING follows Lily, a freshly sober actress with an insatiable appetite for escaping her unbearable reality. A provocative glimpse into addiction and redemption wrapped up in a dark comedy-drama. Welcome to the Saturday Night Alive Group of Alcoholics Anonymous. Hang on tight. Recovery is a bumpy ride.

Emily was thirteen when she was scouted while attending the shows at New York Fashion Week. Shortly thereafter, the Dallas native signed her first modeling contract in Tokyo. She later returned to NYC to sign with top modeling agency Marilyn Management. She has appeared in Teen Vogue, Marie Claire, WWD, Seventeen Magazine, Nylon, Oyster Magazine, Elle Canada, and Flare Canada amongst many others. She has been the face of many cosmetic companies including Smashbox, Too Faced, KKW Beauty, and MAC. Emily first starred opposite Nicholas Hoult in Drake Doremus' feature film NEWNESS, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. She also made a cameo appearance in Troian Bellisario's short film, LIFE ON MARS. BLUE MOON is her producing, directorial, and writing debut. The film premiered in October of 2021 at NewFest in New York City. The short has won over 24 awards in categories such as Best Romantic Short (1x), Best LGBTQ Film (3x), Best Woman Filmmaker (1x), Best Cinematography (1x), Best Short Film (4x), Best Director (4x), and Best New Director (2x). Additionally, she co-wrote and produced the theme song to BLUE MOON titled HER. She is currently in production for her first TV series, 13TH STEPPING. Emily wrote, directed, and stars in the project. The series is being developed through her production company, Public School Pictures.

How did you start making films and what was the first film project you worked on? I called everyone I knew who had any connection to film making and asked for advice. An ​ex of mine is a director and gave me a list of all the jobs titles I would need to fill. I went in knowing nothing and learning something new every day. The first film project I worked on was my short film, BLUE MOON. What genre of filmmaking are you looking to work on and why? I would love to make a documentary. As they say, truth is always stranger than fiction. What is the most challenging aspect of being an independent filmmaker? The unknown is the most challenging aspect of being an independent filmmaker, but it's also the most freeing aspect. How challenging is it to fund indie films? It's not easy by any means, but everyone wants to be a part of something great. Therefore, make something great and the money will come. A gofundme.com page never hurts either. Please name three of your most favorite directors. How have they been influential in your work? Alfred Hitchcock Francis Ford Coppola Wes Anderson They are the reason I am in this line of work. They inspire me to be better. They have changed the way I relate to the world around me. That to me, is the true meaning of being influential.

What is your next film project and what are you currently working on? I am currently developing a short film of mine into a TV show called, 13TH STEPPING. 13TH STEPPING follows Lily, a freshly sober actress with an insatiable appetite for escaping her unbearable reality. A provocative glimpse into addiction and redemption wrapped up in a dark comedy-drama. You can watch the trailor on 13thstepping.com and publicschoolpictures.com. What was the inspiration behind your latest film project? 13TH STEPPING is loosely inspired by my relationship to substances as a teenager while living in New York City.

How did you find the cast and the crew of the film? My producer on the short film set of 13TH STEPPING, Nathaniel Lezra, found the crew. Ryan T. Perry, our AD on the project, was phenomenal and I want him on every set with me. The cast was a mixture of my actor friends and actors we found on backstage.com. What is the distribution plan of the film and did the film receive any screenings or was it featured in festivals? 13TH STEPPING, the short film, is currently on the festival circuit and is in development to become a TV show. I am in the midst of writing the pilot and treatment for season one. My production company, Public School Pictures, will package and sell the project to a major network. Why do you make films and what kind of impact would your work have on the world?

I make films, because I have to. Life isn't easy, but filmmaking makes it much more tolerable. I hope my work ignites the desire within the viewer to live more, love more, and learn more. That's a job well done.